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Seborrheic Keratoses

Seborrheic keratoses are benign, non-cancerous growths that tend to develop on the surface of the skin after the age of 30. A hallmark of their appearance is a waxy or “pasted on” look. They often resemble tan or brown warts, although there is no evidence to suggest that they are caused by a viral infection. In fact, their cause remains unknown. Most people eventually develop at least a few of these lesions. Sometimes, physicians or patients confuse these lesions with moles or melanoma. Although seborrheic keratoses can be troublesome and unsightly, they are entirely benign.

In recent years, insurance companies have stopped paying for the removal of seborrheic keratoses. Removal is termed a “medically unnecessary” or “non-covered” procedure. Therefore, removal of seborrheic keratoses is considered a cosmetic procedure. We are happy to remove these for you, but your insurance will not pay for this service.

Removal is typically performed using “liquid nitrogen cryotherapy” (freezing). With cryotherapy, the seborrheic keratoses are injured and fall off after 2-3 weeks. The treated area may remain pink for several weeks. Occasionally, a touch-up freezing procedure is needed in 6-8 weeks to remove portions of lesions that have not responded completely. Although the vast majority of patients heal well without any scarring, potential risks of removal include the formation of a light or dark spot at the treatment site. This is usually temporary, but can be permanent in rare cases. Also, treatment of current lesions does not prevent the development of new seborrheic keratoses in the future.

The cost for this procedure is $150 for 10 lesions or less, plus $100 for each additional 10 lesions. Payment is due at the time of the procedure. For your convenience, we accept checks, Mastercard, and Visa. One touch-up procedure is available to you at no charge if done within two months of the original treatment (to treat any lesions that did not respond fully). Any treatment sessions beyond this period, or new treatment of additional lesions, will incur additional charges. All of our physicians can assist you with seborrheic keratoses.