Determination of clinical and dermoscopic characteristics of seborrheic keratoses

In this study, determination of clinical and dermoscopic characteristics of seborrheic keratoses was aimed.A total of 105 patients who applied to the Department of Dermatology, Medical Research Hospital, Dicle University between January 2007- June 2008, whose ages varied between 13 and 93 years, and who had at least one seborrheic keratose (SK) in his or her body, were included into the study.Of 105 patients in the study, 69,5% were male and 30,5% female. The frequency of SK was found to be 72,4% in over 50 years old. Of the total 742 SK in 105 patients, 338 (45,9%)were localized on back, 191 (25,7%) on face, 132 (17,7%) on the front part of the body, 30 (4,0%) on upper extremities, 28 (3,7%) on lower extremities, 14 (1,8%) on scalp and 9 (1,2%) on neck. Of these seborrheic keratoses detected in our patients, the size of 90,2% was less than 1 cm. One SK was determined in 58,1% of the cases, 6 and more SK in 15,2%. Seborrheic keratoses were itching in 28,6%. In addition, there was sun exposure history in 44,8%.In 214 seborrheic keratose lesions examined dermoscopically, comedolike openings was seen at a rate of 89,7%, milialike cysts as 56,5%, fissures as 36,9%, sharp demarcation as 20,1%, verrucose surface as 13,6%, moth-eaten border as 12,1%, fat fingers as 6,1%, hypopigmented sites as 5,1%, fingerprinting as 4,2%, blue-whitish veil as 3,7%, pseudopigment network as 3,3%, hairpin blood vessels as 1,9% and blue-gray blotches as 1,9%.In conclusion, it was determined that the prevalence of seborrheic keratoses in individuals increases with age. In dermoscopic examinatin of seborrheic keratoses that the most commonly encountered characteristic of seborrheic keratose lesions were comedolike openings, milialike cysts, fissures and sharp demarcation. Although these findings were similar to those in literature, more extensive studies are required to be carried out.