MEDICAL DERMATOLOGY I BENIGN SKIN GROWTHS
Seborrheic keratosis is a type of noncancerous skin growth that are normally flesh-coloured, brown, or black wart-like spots. They are more common in middle-aged and older people. Usually, no treatment is needed for seborrheic keratosis. If, however, the patient wants them removed for cosmetic reasons or the spots become irritated, treatment may include freezing the area with liquid nitrogen or surgery.
SKIN TAGS
Skin tags are soft lesions that appear to hang off the skin. They develop in adults as they tend to grow older and they tend to be more numerous in people with diabetes. If skin tags become irritated or if a person wants to remove them for cosmetic reasons, they can be frozen with liquid nitrogen or surgically removed.
CHERRY ANGIOMAS
These are small, red benign growths that occur from proliferating blood vessel cells. People who have cherry angiomas may have a family history of these spots but they are very common in middle-aged adults to the elderly. Cherry angiomas are harmless and do not need to be treated. If people do want to remove them, it can be done with electrosurgery or cryotherapy.
DERMATOFIBROMAS
Dermatofibromas are very common benign growths that are also called cutaneous fibrous histiocytoma. These lesions most commonly occur on the lower legs of adults. Dermatofibromas usually appear as firm papules varying from light pink to dark brown, depending on your skin type. They are clinically easily diagnosed and dermoscopy can support the diagnosis. If removal is wanted for cosmetic reasons, then surgery can be done.
KELOIDS
Keloids are firm, fibrous growths on the skin that appear as large raised scars. Keloids usually form from wound sites but can also occur from minor skin trauma like acne spots or insect bites. A keloid represents an abnormal response to wound healing and an overproduction of collagen. There are a number of treatment modalities for keloids, including injection with a steroid, liquid nitrogen treatment, laser therapy and radiation therapy.
