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Seborrheic keratosis

Published: September 18, 2026Updated: September 18, 2026

Important: Informational content intended for healthcare professionals. It does not replace clinical evaluation or establish a doctor-patient relationship.

Overview

  • Definition and synonyms
    • A benign epidermal tumor of keratinocytes, extremely common in adults, slow-growing, consisting of well-defined, verrucous papules or plaques that appear «stuck» to the skin. Jackson 2015 , Hafner 2008 , Wollina 2018
    • Common synonyms:
      • Seborrheic wart, senile wart
      • Basal cell papilloma
      • Senile keratosis
      • “Barnacles of aging”, “wisdom warts” (colloquial Anglo-Saxon terminology). Gill 2000
  • History
    • Lesions consistent with seborrheic warts (“senile warts”) were described as early as 1869 by Neumann; the term “seborrheic warts” appeared in the dermatological literature in 1896 (Barthelèmy). Baer 1979 , Salah 2018
  • Epidemiology
    • It is probably the most common benign skin tumor in humans. Jackson 2015 , Wollina 2018 , Barthelmann 2023
    • Prevalence increases markedly with age:
      • In population-based studies, >90% of people over 60 years of age have at least one quiescent. Hafner 2008 , Wollina 2018
      • They are also common in young adults: ~24% of people aged 15–30 years had at least one quiescent sickle cell in a cohort study. Gill 2000
      • It affects both sexes similarly, with a slight male predominance in some series. Jackson 2015 , Hafner 2008
      • Anatomical distribution: predominant on the trunk, back, chest, neck, and face; less frequent on distal extremities; exceptional on mucous membranes, palms, and soles. Jackson 2015 , Wollina 2018
    • Variants according to phototype:
      • High phototypes: dermatosis papulosa nigra (multiple small, facial, QS-type papules). Hafner 2008
  • ICD Codes
    • ICD-10-CM
      • L82: Seborrheic keratosis.
      • L82.0: Inflamed seborrheic keratosis.
      • L82.1: Other seborrheic keratoses
    • ICD-11 (MMS)
      • 2F21.0: Seborrheic keratosis (includes basal cell papilloma / seborrheic wart).
  • Diagnostic checklist (quick)
    • Essential clinic
      • Age, sun exposure, personal/family history of skin cancer.
      • Distribution and number of lesions: multiple vs solitary, recent changes.
      • Complete skin examination (to rule out other suspicious lesions).
    • Lesion examination
      • Inspection: color, edges, symmetry, relief, surface.
      • Dermatoscopy: look for milia-like cysts, comedonal openings, fissures/ridges, absence of melanocytic network.
    • minimum laboratory/cabinet
      • No specific analytics are required for typical QS.
      • If Leser–Trélat is suspected → basic study of neoplasia according to context.
    • Biopsy
      • Indication: any “red flag” (see 11a).
      • Technique:
        • Small or medium lesion: complete tangential shaving.
        • Large or highly suspicious lesion: elliptical excision with narrow margins.
      • Send in 10% formalin, with a clear diagnostic suspicion in the request.

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