HEALTH
SPOT THE SIGNS
Common skin conditions that occur in later life…
Check out what these look like on the Saga Magazine app
Seborrheic keratosis
What is it? Also known as senile warts, brown warts, wisdom warts or barnacles, they’re common on the back, face and scalp. By age 60, nine out of ten people will have at least one. ‘Ranging from pale pink and white to light brown and almost black, they often have a “stuck on” appearance,’ says Anstey. ‘They can also be a bit scabby and bits sometimes come off and re-form.’
Should you worry? They’re not serious, but can be unsightly.
Treatment You may not need treatment but want them removed for cosmetic reasons. Treatments include cryotherapy, shaving off with a sharp blade (shave excision), curettage and cautery (scraping off the lesion and applying heat) or a chemical peel.