Identifying Skin Lesions - Warts, Moles and SebKs

By Van Le |  While freckles can add to a person’s beauty and uniqueness, other skin lesions such as large moles, skin tags, warts, and seborrheic keratoses can be unsightly and embarrassing. Most lesions are malignant (non-cancerous), however, it is important to be aware of and track any skin abnormalities on your body as a preventative measure.

Freckles

Freckles are irritating for some and embraced by others. They are pigment cells that retain within the skin to form light brown spots, and individuals with lighter complexions are more susceptible to freckles since their skin contains less melanin. Freckles, also known as ephelides, can appear on the face, arms and other sun-exposed areas. Excessive and continued exposure to harmful UV rays can cause more freckles and cause them to appear darker. While they are harmless, it is important to distinguish between freckles and symptoms of melanoma, a type of skin cancer that can grow from an existing freckle. Consult your doctor if you notice any change in freckle size, shape and color.

Skin tags

Skin tags are pieces of skin that hang from the surface of a surrounding area. Like freckles, they are benign, but can cause irritation if located on an area that is exposed to constant contact, such as the eyelids or areas where they can be snagged by jewelry or clothing. Skin tags can vary from a small pin-point size to a large grape size. While some can fall off on their own, there are several ways to medically remove skin tags, including freezing and burning. There are home remedies as well as creams available on the market to remove unwanted and embarrassing skin tags.

Seborrheic keratoses

Seborrheic keratoses, another benign skin lesion, can form anywhere on the body, but is commonly found on the chest and back. They can be distinguished from other types of lesions due to their waxy, stuck-on-the-skin appearance and often described as brown candle wax stuck on the skin. While the cause is still unknown, scientists have found that they can be hereditary and not affected by sun exposure.

Warts

Most warts are skin infections caused by viruses of the human papillomavirus (HPV) family. Basically, warts are benign tumors of the epidermis (outer layer of skin), and can occur in people of all ages, but are most commonly found on children and teenagers. There are different types, including flat and plantar warts. Flat warts are small in size but can be high in quantity, can spread to other areas of the body by shaving or scratching, and can be transferred person-to-person by physical contact. Plantar warts grow on the heel, ball or sole of the foot, and pressure from standing or walking pushes them into the deeper layers of skin.

Skin lesions like warts, seborrheic keratoses and skin tags are often harmless, but they can be embarrassing. While they can be surgically removed, there are creams and ointments available on the market to remove and reduce their appearance. If you have further questions about a particular skin lesion, consult your doctor or pharmacist for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Van Le is a staff writer for the CSU Daily Titan and writing intern for Vivoderm Laboratories in Los Angeles, California. She is currently pursuing a Journalism degree at California State University, Fullerton.

Can You Tell if Your Mole is Cancerous?

By Paul J. Weber, M.D., P.A. | Moles can be good or bad, sometimes even experts have difficulty agreeing about which moles are good and bad. However, knowledge of moles is important because, among other reasons at least one out of every three melanoma skin cancers arises in a mole. Because melanoma is lethal if untreated, improved public knowledge of moles and melanoma can and will save lives. The chances that an American will develop melanoma are rapidly rising. If current trends continue, one in every one hundred Americans born today will eventually develop melanoma. One in every five patients who develop melanoma will die from it.

The terms mole and nevus (plural: moles and nevi) mean the same thing and can be used interchangeably. In this article we will use lots of parentheses to indicate that these words that can mean the same thing. Even the experts in the field of dermatology do not agree on the use of all of these terms.

Melanoma tends to occur in adults in the prime of their family and professional lives. Traits and factors associated with melanoma include having many typical (normal) moles, any atypical moles, familial atypical mole syndrome, familial melanoma syndrome, disorders of DNA repair, excessive sun exposure (for your genetic background), freckling, history of severe sunburn, ease of burning, inability to tan, blue eyes and light hair.

Nevi (moles) can look like beauty marks (e.g., Cindy Crawford) or they can protrude like a bump on a witch’s chin (common nevus). Most people have between 10 and 40 moles. Darker skinned persons frequently have darker colored moles. Moles can range in color from pink to tan to brown to black to blue to normal skin tone. Nevi are made of cells called nevo-melanocytes. Nevo-melanocytes, as the name suggests, are cells that exist along the spectrum between nevus (mole) cells and melanocytes. These nevo-melanocyte cells can be totally benign in nature (common nevus cells) or they may become or appear more abnormal, resulting in atypical (dysplastic) moles and even melanoma.

The true behavior of a nevo-melanocytic mole is usually best determined by biopsying (cutting a sample of) the mole and examining the biopsy specimen under the microscope. The website author believes that a microscopic result is more important than the doctor’s clinical naked-eye diagnosis.

However, the dermatologist’s clinical examination by eye is also important because it sets up the biopsy in which the true nature of the mole can be discovered. The medical importance of nevi (how they can affect our health) rests in knowing that some nevi can signal or develop into melanoma, a deadly from of skin cancer. Knowing the A, B, C, Ds of pigmented lesions can help save a life by finding and curing a melanoma.

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Fortunately, the A, B, C, Ds have made teaching patients about “bad moles” and melanoma inspection easier, but the A, B, C, Ds are not foolproof or even “expert proof.” They may not be as simple as they sound, or maybe not enough doctors understand them. For example, it has been well shown by many studies and quizzes given to doctors of all specialties using a biopsy-proven, obvious, everyday smattering of important pigmented skin lesions (good and bad moles and melanomas) that most non-dermatologists have a high failure rate at correct diagnosis.

All removed moles, even benign-looking ones, should be sent to pathology for microscopic examination, just in case. The microscopic examination helps to tell us whether the mole is harmless. Sometimes moles that are textbook examples of benign or “good” moles turn out to be serious melanoma, discovered incidentally on a 1 of 1000 chance. If a typical doctor’s practice sees several thousand such patients every 3 to 5 years, that may be a chance save a life.

10% of melanomas may not fit the classic dermatologists’ rules for malignancy. Since early detection and removal is the best way to cure melanoma, the patient can participate actively in his/her own care by self-examination. Signs of concern include a mole’s recent change in appearance, size, shape or color, irregularity in color, loss of a uniform border, asymmetry, bleeding and notching of a border. Moles with any of these signs should be brought immediately to the attention of a dermatologist for close scrutiny of the lesion.

Paul J. Weber, M.D., P.A.
5353 North Federal Highway, Suite 400
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
Tel: 954-489-9800 | Fax: 954-489-0401

Identifying Common Skin Conditions; Warts, Moles and More

A reader of our sites recently commented, “I know that the people often mistake warts, skin tags and moles but these are three different skin disorders. I am trying to find out information to convince people that skin tags and warts and moles are not and the same.”

The internet can be a valuable resource to finding answers to most our skin treatment issues. But if you just want a quick overview of the most common skin conditions; warts, moles (nevis), dark spots (dpn), skin tags, and Seb-Ks (seborrheic keratoses), then the information provided here can be a great place to start.

Identifying Common Skin Conditions; Warts, Moles, DPN, Skin Tags and Seb-Ks

There are several skin lesions that are very common and almost always benign (non-cancerous). These conditions include moles, freckles, skin tags, benign lentigines, and seborrheic keratoses.

What is a skin tag?

A skin tag is a common, acquired benign skin growth that looks like a small piece of hanging skin. Skin tags are often described as bits of skin- or flesh-colored tissue that projects from the surrounding skin from a small, narrow stalk. They typically occur in characteristic locations including the neck, underarms, eyelids, and under the breasts (especially where underwire bras rub directly beneath the breasts). Although skin tags may vary somewhat in appearance, they are usually smooth or slightly wrinkled and irregular, flesh-colored or slightly more brown, and hang from the skin by a small stalk. Early or beginning skin tags may be as small as a flattened pinpoint-sized bump around the neck. Some skin tags may be as large as a big grape.

Moles, Dysplastic Nevus and Dermatofibroma

Moles are growths on the skin that are usually brown or black. Moles can appear anywhere on the skin, alone or in groups. Most moles appear in early childhood and during the first 20 years of a person’s life. Some moles may not appear until later in life. It is normal to have between 10-40 moles by adulthood.

As the years pass, moles usually change slowly, becoming raised and/or changing color. Often, hairs develop on the mole. Some moles may not change at all, while others may slowly disappear over time.

A dermatofibroma is a benign skin bump that occurs most commonly on the legs. A dermatofibroma is a firm, slightly elevated, dome-shaped, often darker-colored papule.

Sometimes a dermatofibroma is confused with a mole. The way to tell the difference between the two is to pinch the bump. If you pinch a dermatofibroma it creates a dimple because it is attached to the underlying subcutaneous tissue. On the other hand, if you pinch a mole, it projects up away from the skin.

Dysplastic Nevus

A dysplastic nevus, (or naevus; pl. nevi or naevi) is an atypical melanocytic nevus; a mole whose appearance is different from that of common moles. Dysplastic nevi are generally larger than ordinary moles and have irregular and indistinct borders. Their color frequently is not uniform and ranges from pink to dark brown; they usually are flat, but parts may be raised above the skin surface. Dysplastic nevi can be found anywhere, but are most common on the trunk in men, and on the calves in women.

Dermatosis Papulosa Nigra?

Dermatosis papulosa nigra (DPN) is a benign, cutaneous (relating to the skin) condition common among blacks. It is usually characterized by multiple, small, hyperpigmented, asymptomatic papules on the face of adult blacks. Histologically, dermatosis papulosa nigra resembles seborrheic keratoses. The condition may be cosmetically undesirable to some patients.

Dermatosis papulosa nigra affects up to 35% of the African American population. Blacks with a fair complexion have the lowest frequency of involvement. Dermatosis papulosa nigra also occurs among Asians, although the exact incidence is unknown.

What is a Wart?

A wart (also known as verruca) is generally a small, rough tumor, typically on hands and feet but often other locations, that can resemble a cauliflower or a solid blister. Warts are common, and are caused by a viral infection, specifically by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and are contagious when in contact with the skin of an infected person. It is also possible to get warts from using towels or other objects used by an infected person. They typically disappear after a few months but can last for years and can recur.

What is Seborrheic Keratosis?

Benign lesions that don’t ever turn into cancer, seborrheic keratoses, or Seb K’s for short, can look dangerous. In reality they are just annoying. Also irreverently called barnacles, they come in all different shapes and sizes from large black growths to barely noticeable raised areas.

Characteristics of Seborrheic Keratosis
The wicked witch with a wart on her nose probably had a Seb K not a wart. So how can you tell if that bump on your face or chest is actually a Seb K? They do have some defining characteristics. Warty surface - Seborrheic keratoses may look like warts but they don’t contain human papilloma viruses that cause warts. As they develop some can have a very rough surface with deep pits and fissures almost like cauliflower being pulled apart.

Hopefully, this helps clear up any misnomers or confusion you may have about a wart or mole or any skin condition you are worried about. If any skin condition persists, changes or grows painful, seek medical attention or the professional advice of a doctor immediately.