Verrucous Keratosis is a skin disease that affects the epidermis. This disease is characterized by wart like outgrowths that develop on the skin. It usually occurs in old age and is non -cancerous meaning that it does not spread to other parts of the body.
Causes of Verrucous Keratosis
The causes of this disease remain unclear to date. However it is found in the following situations
Where there is sun exposure to various body parts including the neck , face , arms , and back.
Exposure of skin to Ultra Violet rays.
Mutation of the gene responsible for growth factor reception.
Stress: stress may lead to an out-burst of Verrucous keratosis.
Gastro-intestinal problems.
Symptoms
In most cases Verrucous Keratosis presents no symptoms. A person with this disease may not experience any symptoms at all. It is commonly found in people between the ages of 40 to 45 years. Additionally, small,hard to notice outgrowths are usually found in almost all elderly people. However, there are a few symptoms of this disease including:
Itching near the out-growth.
Part of the outgrowth or all of it may come out with little effort.
Diagnosis
The following are the clinical findings of a skin biopsy of a person with with Verrucous keratosis:
The outgrowths are mainly found on the face and trunk , but they can also be found in other body parts.
Some patients have multiple lesions and some have a very large number of these lesions.
Lesions vary in color from brown to black while thinner ones being paler in color. Traumatized lesions usually appear inflamed.
The most frequent presentation is that of a thickened lesion with the following characteristics:
A verrucous surface that is irregular.
Greasy appearance.
The lesion sits on top of healthy looking skin and looks as if can be easily removed.
The cheeks and lower legs have thinner lesions.
They are usually 1 to 3 cm in diameter although some can be larger.
Treatment Options
Most patients with verrucous keratosis require no treatment at all. It gets better on its own with time. However, those who require treatment are easily treated using liquid nitrogen. It the lesions are big and thick they can removed by electro -dissection or electric -surgery of the skin. This involves performing a small surgery to remove the lesions.
Where there are multiple lesions that seem to be increasing in number in a short period of time, further investigation is necessary. Samples should be taken for histology and the necessary surgery planned accordingly.
You only need to be concerned when you experience to much itching and the lesions seem to be consistently increasing in number. In most cases the lesions subside on their own with time. If you need to go for surgery, you should not worry because the surgery leaves you with no scars at all. The disease is absolutely curable.
How to prevent Verrucous Keratosis
The following are some of the recommended steps that you should take to be on the safe side:
Applying sun skin lotion once you hit 40 years and above.
Refraining from scratching the lesions even if they become itchy.
Managing your stress because it can contribute to this problem as well as others.
Eating the right food at the right time to avoid gastric issues. Gastric problems are associated with Verrucous keratosis and therefore you should always eat the right food.