Age Spots

What is a seborrheic keratosis (age spot)?

Seborrheic keratosis is a benign overgrowth of the top layer of the skin – the epidermis. They are commonly referred to as an age spot or wisdom spot. There is a genetic tendency to grow them, and their association with sun exposure is not entirely clear. They tend to appear in middle-life and can take many forms – often a skin colored or brown spot or bump that may be scaly. Once the benign nature of the growth has been determined, many patients are reassured and treatment is not required. However, many patients seek cosmetic treatments of age spots. 

What treatments are available for this condition?

Cryotherapy is one of the most common treatments for age spots. It consists of applying liquid nitrogen to the skin to create a “controlled frostbite” on the spot to remove it. Because the gas is very cold, it stings during application and can throb minutes after. The area often heals with crusting/blistering. Care is used when administering liquid nitrogen to avoid the possibility of leaving the skin looking more white than surrounding skin and to prevent scarring. This is well-suited to thin age spots or when a large number of spots are to be treated in one visit.

Curetage is a surgical procedure where a medical instrument called a curette (has a circular sharp edge) is used to “peel off” the age spot. The area is cleansed and local anesthetic is injected prior to the procedure, and the age spot is peeled off with the curette. It then heals from the bottom, without stitches, with ointment and a dressing. Curetage is often paired with electrosurgery, the use of a weak electric current to zap the growth and/or control bleeding during the procedure. 

In some instances, the added precision of an ablative laser may be helpful. Like with electrosurgery, age spots treated with ablative laser are cleansed and numbed with local anesthetic. Eye protection is worn during the procedure. The spot is vaporized with laser energy precisely, layer by layer. The precision of ablative laser is especially useful when treating age spots at cosmetically sensitive areas of the face.