How to Remove Skin Keratosis at Home

Seborrheic keratosis, commonly known as senile moles, usually affects the elderly - alongside other skin conditions in older adults

While the causes are unknown and these moles may look like cancerous growths, they should not be a cause for alarm. Most people only remove the growth for cosmetic and not health reasons.


However, with age, seborrheic keratosis can start itching and the resulting scratch can cause irritation and bleeding. That's the time when most people consider having their growths removed, or alternatively, are looking at home treatments.

Below are some remedies to help you remove keratosis at home.

What Does Seborrheic Keratosis Look Like?

Seborrheic keratosis is a growth with the appearance of a mole or warts. In some cases, the growths may look like skin cancer and may affect any part of the body.

Seborrheic Keratosis Images:

Skin keratosis is usually elevated above the skin and may seem scaly and waxy if you look keenly. These non-cancerous skin moles are very common among older adults and can appear on back, stomach, neck, scalp, chest, face, and other parts of the body (but not on the soles and palms).

waxy, stuck-on-the-skin look

can look like "stucco splattered on the skin".

can range from a fraction of an inch to larger than a half-dollar

What Causes Skin Keratosis?

The exact cause of skin keratosis is unknown. However, age does increase the risk of developing the condition. Those aged 40 and above have a higher risk of developing seborrheic keratosis. Genetics has also been found to play a role in the development of this skin condition.

What Are The Symptoms Of Seborrheic Keratosis?

Skin keratosis can be identified by:

    • Small rough bumps that become thick gradually.
    • White, tan, brown or black growths.
    • Size of growths can vary from an inch to a few inches large.
    • Moles may appear on any part of the body including neck, face, scalp stomach, back, and chest. The growths usually do not appear on the sole of feet or palms.
    • Moles may grow as a group or individually.
    • The growths are painless but can become itchy if exposed to environmental irritants.

Seborrheic Keratosis vs Melanoma

While it is recommended by dermatologists to check your skin regularly for changes, not all rashes, patches or moles are reason for concern.

Skin Keratosis

Melanoma

Cause

middle age, Eczema, sunburn, genetic predisposition, skin folds and HPV

over-exposure to UV-light by Sun and tanning beds, genetic predisposition, being fair-skinned, genetic mutation, weak immune system

Diagnosis

flat, painless, waxy-looking, can range from white to black color

can look similar to Skin Keratosis, but tends to change in shape, color or size over time

Distinguishing skin keratosis from melanoma is not an easy task and should be done by a dermatologist by the means of physical examination.

How to Remove Seborrheic Keratosis at Home

In most cases, skin keratosis does not require medical attention—home remedies for seborrheic keratosis have great results and will resolve the condition.

Indeed, as mentioned earlier, it is possible to remove the growth for cosmetic preferences or if the moles are itchy and uncomfortable.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) has many uses, one of them being treating seborrheic keratosis at home. To use the ACV treatment:

  • Soak a cotton ball in organic ACV. Ensure that the ACV you use is the pure variety containing the mother apple.
  • Press the cotton ball on the growths and place a bandage on top of the cotton. Leave it on for up to 8 consecutive hours per day and repeat for 10-14 days.

The growths may go away after a few days but sometimes it can take up to a week for these to completely disappear.

Serrapeptase

Serrapeptase is an enzyme that converts proteins into amino acids in the body. This enzyme comes from bacteria found in the gut of silkworms.

Serrapeptase is commonly used as an anti-inflammatory medicine but it can also help to dissolve moles.

Serrapeptase encourages the breakdown of fibrous tissues and leaked fluids that usually cause growths. The tissues are broken down into amino acids and the body treats them as waste products to be excreted.

Serrapeptase tablets should only be taken on an empty stomach or at least 2 hours after a meal. Also, you should not eat any food for at least 30 minutes after ingesting serrapeptase.

Consult a doctor for information on the right amount of serrapeptase to take per day.

Did you know that almost 83 Million Americans have Skin Keratosis, often called the “barnacles of aging”?

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Hydrogen Peroxide

To treat seborrheic keratosis with hydrogen peroxide:

  • Using a cotton cloth, apply hydrogen peroxide with a 25 percent concentration on the affected areas.
  • Cover immediately with duct tape. This ensures that the hydrogen peroxide solution does not evaporate too quickly. If the idea of removing sticky duct tape from your skin gives you the creeps, there are more sensible alternatives.
  • Upon application, the growths will turn pink and form scabs.
  • Continue to apply hydrogen peroxide periodically until the moles completely fade away.

Does Seborrheic Keratosis Grow Back After Removal?

Most of the growths that have been removed do not grow back. However, in the unlikely event where a growth returns post-treatment, it's recommended to have a tissue sample taken to outrule cancer.

Avoid Irritations

Irritants such as clothing and jewelry can aggravate seborrheic keratosis. If you develop these growths you may have to give up your jewelry until the growths go away. Also, opt for clothes made from natural fabrics such as cotton as these are gentler to the skin.

Increase Vitamin D Intake

Vitamin D helps to boost the skin’s immunity. Low levels of this vitamin are associated with skin problems such as moles. So, incorporate vitamin D into your routine to help ease the appearance of skin growths.

Apply a Cool Compress

Most of the time, seborrheic growths are painless. But, if the growths are irritated you can ease the itchiness and pain by applying a cool compress to the affected area any time you feel discomfort.

Wart Medicine

The same medicine you use to remove warts can also be used to eliminate skin keratosis. Apply the wart remover regularly to completely fade the growths. This may take a little longer but many patients say it is effective.

Avoid Scratching

Skin growths can become itchy and it can be tempting to scratch them to ease the itch. However, this can easily cause inflammation and increase the risk of infection.

Cut Off Blood Supply

Do you have skin keratosis growths on your scalp? One way to get rid of the growths is to cut off their blood supply by tying long strands of hair around the base of the growths.

This method can be painful but some patients have found it to be effective. Tying the growths will cause them to shrink and eventually fall off but the process may take several weeks or months.

Did you know that Morgan Freeman suffers from Dermatosis Papulosa Nigra?

This Ex-Marine has a skin condition which resembles seborrheic keratosis and affects around 30% of Black people in the US.

Summary

Seborrheic keratosis is a common skin condition and age increases the risk of developing the growths associated with the condition. Left alone, most of these growths are painless and harmless but irritants such as rough clothing, jewelry, and constant touching can cause inflammation, so these are things to definitely avoid.

Removing skin keratosis at home requires patience. While some of the treatments recommended above may bring results in just a few days, sometimes you may need to wait a few weeks or even months for your growths to completely disappear.

If you are looking for off-the-shelve seborrheic keratosis treatment options, we have a list of recommendations for you.