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Quick answer: Seborrheic keratoses are brown, tan, or black raised growths with a waxy, “stuck-on” appearance that become extremely common with age, affecting more than 90% of adults over 65 and over 80 million Americans overall. They are entirely benign, not related to sun exposure or cancer risk, and don’t require treatment. The main reasons to see a dermatologist are cosmetic removal if a growth is irritating or bothersome, or to confirm the diagnosis if a spot looks different from a typical seborrheic keratosis, since distinguishing them from more serious skin changes is best done by a professional rather than at home.
What seborrheic keratosis actually is
Seborrheic keratoses form when skin cells called keratinocytes grow in an overabundant, disorganized clump on the skin’s surface, producing a raised growth that often has a distinctive waxy, slightly greasy-looking texture and a “stuck-on” appearance, as though someone pressed a piece of wax onto the skin rather than it growing from within. They vary considerably in color, ranging from light tan to dark brown or black, and in size, from a few millimeters to over an inch across, and they can appear anywhere on the body except the palms and soles. Despite how alarming a new dark, raised growth can look, seborrheic keratosis is the single most common benign skin tumor in adults, and its cause, while not fully understood, is tied primarily to age and genetics rather than sun exposure, which distinguishes it clearly from many other age-related skin changes.
Why these become so common specifically after 50
Incidence rises steadily through the decades and peaks around age 60, with research consistently finding the large majority of people over 65 have at least one. Genetics plays a significant, well-documented role, and having a parent with numerous seborrheic keratoses meaningfully raises the likelihood of developing many yourself, suggesting an inherited tendency in how skin cells regulate their own growth and turnover with age. Unlike many skin changes covered elsewhere on this site, cumulative sun exposure does not appear to be a primary driver, though some research suggests certain body areas exposed to friction or sun may show a modestly higher concentration, making seborrheic keratosis one of the more purely age- and genetics-driven skin changes rather than a preventable one.
How to tell them apart from something that needs attention
This is the single most important practical question, since seborrheic keratosis can occasionally resemble melanoma or other skin cancers to an untrained eye, and getting this distinction right matters. Classic seborrheic keratoses have a waxy, “stuck-on” look, often with a slightly warty or crumbly surface texture, and tend to have well-defined, even borders. Warning signs that warrant a dermatologist’s evaluation rather than assuming a new or changing growth is simply another seborrheic keratosis include: rapid growth or change in a spot over weeks rather than years, irregular or notched borders, multiple colors within a single spot, bleeding without an obvious cause like scratching, or any new growth that doesn’t have the characteristic waxy appearance. The standard dermatology guidance is straightforward: any new or changing skin growth after 50 is worth a professional look at least once, since a dermatologist can typically identify seborrheic keratosis on sight but should confirm anything with irregular features, and a biopsy is quick and definitive when there’s genuine uncertainty.
Whether removal is worth considering
Because seborrheic keratoses are benign, removal is almost always an elective, cosmetic decision rather than a medical necessity, and insurance typically doesn’t cover removal unless a growth is being repeatedly irritated by clothing or jewelry, becoming inflamed, or bleeding from friction. For growths that are bothersome for these practical reasons, or simply unwanted cosmetically, dermatologists offer several straightforward removal methods: cryotherapy (freezing with liquid nitrogen), curettage (scraping the growth off under local anesthetic), or laser treatment, all typically quick, in-office procedures with minimal downtime. It’s worth knowing that seborrheic keratoses can occasionally recur or new ones can develop nearby after removal, since the underlying tendency toward this skin change remains even after a specific growth is removed, which is a reasonable expectation to set before pursuing removal purely for appearance.
A note on the similarly common skin tag
Skin tags, small, soft, flesh-colored growths that dangle from a thin stalk, most often in areas of friction like the neck, armpits, and eyelids, are a separate but similarly common and equally benign age-related skin change, affecting roughly half of adults at some point, with likelihood rising after 40. Unlike seborrheic keratosis, skin tags are associated with insulin resistance and obesity in some research, making a cluster of new skin tags occasionally worth mentioning to a doctor if it coincides with other signs of metabolic changes, though an occasional skin tag on its own isn’t a specific health signal. Both skin tags and seborrheic keratoses share the reassuring bottom line that they’re overwhelmingly cosmetic, age-related changes rather than warning signs, which is worth remembering the first time either appears unexpectedly.
The “stuck-on” description dermatologists use, and why it’s a genuinely useful self-check
Dermatologists frequently describe seborrheic keratosis as looking like it was “stuck on” or “pasted onto” the skin rather than growing from within it, and this description is more than a memorable phrase, it reflects a real physical characteristic worth checking at home. Because these growths sit on top of the skin’s surface layer rather than extending into deeper tissue the way a mole or a cancerous lesion typically does, they often have a slightly raised, textured edge that can genuinely look like it could be gently lifted off, even though attempting to pick or scratch one off is not recommended, since it can bleed, become irritated, or leave a mark. This stuck-on quality, combined with the waxy or slightly greasy sheen many seborrheic keratoses have, is one of the most reliable visual cues separating them from moles, which tend to be smoother and appear to emerge from the skin itself rather than sit atop it.
Where on the body they tend to appear, and why that matters
Seborrheic keratoses most commonly appear on the chest, back, shoulders, and scalp, areas with a higher concentration of the specific skin cell activity involved, though they can technically develop anywhere except the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. This distribution pattern is itself a useful piece of information: a new dark growth appearing in one of these classic locations, with the typical waxy texture, is statistically far more likely to be a routine seborrheic keratosis than something concerning, while a new pigmented spot on the palms, soles, or under a nail, areas where these common growths essentially never appear, deserves a more immediate dermatology evaluation regardless of its surface texture, since that unusual location shifts the odds meaningfully.
Ultimately, the most useful habit isn’t trying to diagnose every new spot alone, but rather establishing a baseline with a dermatologist through an annual skin check after 50, so that any genuinely new or evolving growth is being compared against a professional’s existing knowledge of your skin rather than judged in isolation each time something new appears.
Once that baseline exists, most of these spots can simply be accepted as one of the more benign, purely cosmetic markers of aging skin rather than a source of ongoing worry.
That shift in mindset, from alarm to simple recognition, tends to happen naturally once the underlying explanation is clear.
Facial redness is another common, distinct skin change worth understanding on its own; see rosacea after 50: why facial redness peaks in your 50s and what actually calms it.
Part of our Skin and Hair After 50: The Complete Guide.
Related guides
- Why You Bruise More Easily After 50 (And When It’s Worth Mentioning to a Doctor)
- Hair Thinning After 50: Causes and What Actually Helps
- Why Does Skin Get Drier After 60? The Real Reasons and What Helps
- Ozempic Face: What’s Actually Happening and What Genuinely Helps
Frequently asked questions
Are seborrheic keratoses caused by sun damage?
Not primarily. Unlike many age-related skin changes, seborrheic keratosis is driven mainly by genetics and age rather than cumulative sun exposure, though some research suggests sun-exposed areas may show a modestly higher concentration.
Can seborrheic keratosis turn into skin cancer?
No, seborrheic keratosis itself does not become cancerous. However, since it can occasionally resemble melanoma to the untrained eye, any new or changing growth should be evaluated by a dermatologist to confirm the diagnosis.
Is it normal to develop dozens of these spots over time?
Yes, it’s common for people to accumulate many seborrheic keratoses over the decades, particularly with a family history of them, and having numerous spots is not itself concerning as long as each individual growth has the typical benign appearance.