At Musick Dermatology we now offer the latest product to get rid of those seborrheic keratoses (SKs). It’s called Eskata and is very effective at removing these harmless growths. But more about that in a minute.
First, here’s how to tell the difference between SKs, solar lentigines, and moles.
Seborrheic keratoses
These are an overgrowth of skin that appears as waxy or scaly bumps. They are usually dark in color, but they don’t contain melanocytes and won’t turn into cancer. They simply appear with age, usually after our 30thbirthday, and are mostly triggered by genetics. SKs have typically been frozen with liquid nitrogen, but this tends to leave a scar, so removal has been frustrating.
That changed with Eskata, and we’ll get to that in a bit.
Solar lentigines
Also called liver spots, lentigines have nothing to do with the liver. They develop where we get sun exposure and show themselves as flat brown lesions. They are uniform in color. They contain melanocytes, which are responsible for pigment in our skin. Most liver spots are benign, but they can occasionally turn into lentigo maligna, a rare form of skin cancer.
Moles
Most of us have moles. They form from rapid growth of melanocytes and usually begin to develop in childhood and can continue to change through our 20s. New moles usually don’t develop after 30, but if they do those are to be watched. Also, if you have over 50 moles, you are at more risk for them becoming skin cancer. Any changes in a mole merit a look from a dermatologist like Dr. Musick.
Eskata
Back to those annoying, but harmless, SKs. We now offer Eskata to our patients. Here’s how it gets rid of your unwanted SKs
Dr. Musick first makes sure your spot isn’t cancerous. Then he applies Eskata with its soft-tip applicator to each SK you want to remove. He then waits one minute and reapplies Eskata. He repeats this process four times to complete your treatment. Afterward, the SK will scab over and then peel off. In three weeks, you’ll come back in to see Dr. Musick. If your SKs haven’t fully gone away, he can apply one additional treatment. If they aren’t fully gone after these treatments, they will be dramatically lessened in visibility.
Interested in Eskata and getting rid of your seborrheic keratoses? Call us at Musick Dermatology, (618) 628-2588, and set up an appointment.