He haslectured at the American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting, educating dermatologists around the world about treating regions of skin that have developed multiple cancerous and precancerous lesions. Seborrheic keratosis and melanoma can look similar. The way they look may bother you, but they aren't harmful. How fast do seborrheic keratosis grow? People as young as 40 can begin developing seborrheic keratoses, and may develop hundreds just on their back. People concerned about skin growths should not try to self-diagnose their condition and should not assume that a new skin growth is benign. If this happens, it may be a sign of a tumor growing inside your body. Robertson S, et al. Rinse your skin and scalp with rose water mixed with plain water in the next morning. Learn its causes, how to detect it, and how to manage it. Seborrheic keratoses grow very slowly. (2016). However, they are much more likely to develop in adults over the age of 50, and the risk of developing seborrheic keratoses increases with age. This method carries the risk of permanent loss of pigment, especially on Black or brown skin. (2016). These can include the face, ears, bald scalp, neck, backs of hands and forearms, and lips. It may be hard to tell whether the growth is a keratosis, a mole, a wart, or skin cancer. Theres a change in the appearance of an existing growth. Over time, they tend to develop a thick, wart-like surface. Add a teaspoon of tea tree essential oil to 3 tablespoons of coconut oil. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. The base of an actinic keratosis may be light or dark . Talk to your doctor about what options may be right for you. The skin condition usually affects both children and adults. Doctors can often successfully treat early stage melanomas by removal alone. Treatments include freezing therapy and various topical creams and gels as well as light therapy. These growths may appear similar to melanomas but are noncancerous. Higgins JC, et al. It tends to lie flat against the skin of the head and neck, but appears as a bump on arms and hands. (2010). If the melanoma is discovered in a skin biopsy, you may need a surgical excision around the biopsy site to remove any possible additional cancerous tissue. ), and they can also strongly resemble a dysplastic nevus (atypical mole). They can appear and grow very rapidly. If the melanoma is detected early on, surgical removal of the growth may be all thats needed to remove the cancer from your body. Connect with a U.S. board-certified doctor by text or video anytime, anywhere.