Seborrheic Keratosis - at Home Treatment (Cure)
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free skin care · Mon Aug 04, 2008 10:56 am

Background
Most of Caucasian people are effected by Seborrheic Keratosis sooner or later, women and men alike. The degree of impact vary. It seems does not impact people with darker skin colors with exception of African Americans.

I had spots of Seborrheic Keratosis and went to Kaiser Permanente dermatologist. The derm looked me into eyes and said: "It is yours for life..." I found her being mean, not knowledgeable, and:
1) Got determined to find effective Seborrheic Keratosis cure that I can easily do at home myself
2) Dump Kaiser Permanente insurance.

I have been doing research on Seborrheic Keratosis treatments, and all the advice was very discouraging: do not treat at all, liquid nitrogen at doctor's office, mechanical removal by scraping off at doctor's office, laser. All actual treatments are in doctors office and can leave scarring, do not offer prevention.

In the past I used brief acids application to Seborrheic Keratosis spots with some success, but it was taking time, and I was not getting dramatic results. This time I decided to use really high glycolic acid concentration and do not wash it off, but rather leave it on the skin to do its work.

Treatment
Day 1, Day 2
Prepared 30-35% glycolic acid solution
Poured it into a sprayer bottle
Sprayed acid solution on my back
Did not wipe, it did sting quite a bit, but I was able to tolerate it. Went to bed without rinsing off the solution

Day 3, Day 4
(I think it might be optional)
Sprayed Greater Celandine (Chelidonium majus, aka. 'Tetterwort') extract
Did not wipe. Went to bed without rinsing off the solution

Touchups and Maintenance
If some stubborn spots are staying there, spot / touch up application is needed. Maintenance treatments are possible on as needed basis.

Outcome
Skin got reddish-pink, Seborrheic Keratosis sports were destroyed. Crust appeared on same of the sports, and some spots were disappearing unveiling skin. Seborrheic Keratosis was killed!!!

Now skin is still healing, but I can see that I was able to achieve my goal, e.g. at home Seborrheic Keratosis treatment. Just in case to prevent any possible discoloration of the skin I am applying Reviva Lightening cream on the entire surface area.

Recommendations
Be careful, do patch test before proceeding with the treatment. Start with lower concentrations to see if it will be sufficient. I used spray to deliver the treatment solution, and think it provides less solution then when applied directly.
Based on the Seborrheic Keratosis sports location it might be preferable to perform treatments in winter when you are wearing more cloths. So that people around do not see the irritated skin.

Alternative Treatment
After I done my own treatment regimen I found info on similar approach with high concentrations of H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) supported by clinical studies. The recommended concentration between 23% - 80%. And in the majority of cases 35% food grade H2O2 could be used.

For preventive maintenance they recommend taking periodically baths with H2O2 added.

When I need a treatment next time I am thinking of trying H2O2, and looking into having baths with it for maintenance.

Tue Oct 14, 2008 12:21 pm

Well I'm up for the challenge of Guinea Pig. Will definitely report back on how I get on once I start
Fingers crossed

free skin care · Thu Oct 16, 2008 6:15 am

About a week ago I noticed a small spot on my thigh. I treated it with 35% hydrogen peroxide. It got raised and the surface turned rough. One or two days later I treated it again, and then once more next day. At this point I could feel that I could peel it off which I did. And now I have a small red spot that on its place, no SK there, and waiting on it to heal.

free skin care · Thu Oct 16, 2008 3:23 pm

Mars - I would say that H2O2 is at least as effective as 30%-35% unbuffered glycolic acid.

free skin care · Mon Oct 27, 2008 6:55 am

RK - I went back to abstract on treating SK with hydrogen peroxide.

In case studies they said multiple treatments might be required, also H2O2 strength might vary. In the results summary they say that by day 90 of study pretty much all treatment was over. The impression I got that most cases are treatable with 35% H2O2, and the overall treatment did not exceed 4-5 weeks, and even shorter.... but they might omitted cases with longer duration in case studies description?...

Examples from the article
The article contains several examples which are different from case studies. In examples they suggest to treat different types of SK with different solution strengths. Below is a brief summary:

Example 1 - Acanthotic Seborrheic Keratosis - 50% hydrogen peroxide, re-apply if needed. SK should spontaneously detach 3 to 6 days after procedure.

Example 2 - Hyperkeratotic Seborrheic Keratosis - 45% hydrogen peroxide, re-apply if needed to achive complete penetration. Crust formed after one day, separate after three days. Re-treat two days after crust separation until satisfactory elimination of lesions is achieved.

Example 3 - Dermatolipoma Seborrheic Keratosis - 35% hydrogen peroxide, re-apply to achieve through lesion blanching. Retreat remaining SK five days post initial treatment.

Example 4 - Verrucous Seborrheic Keratosis - 38% hydrogen peroxide, two layers. Retreat any remaining SK at five days intervals.

There are more examples, but I think the ones above give a good sample. Also in the article they metion that H2O2 concentration could be between 23% and 80%, e.g. 23, 24, 27, 30, 35, 40, 43, 48, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80.

free skin care · Tue Nov 04, 2008 7:50 pm

Hi Mpstat,

Thanks again so much for posting this thread! I would have never imagined that I could deal with SKs myself at home! I might have ended up paying $$$ to my dermatologist again for laser/IPL treatments.

So, the original SK area on the face is healing up nicely. The Neosporin is helping the skin cells to migrate and close up the "wound" quite nicely. It's definitely looking far less irritated this evening.

To update (just in case other forum members are curious as to what seems to be working for me):

Last evening I decided to tackle a few more spots. Knowing that the 35% solution was far too strong for my face, I tried mixing a couple of different solutions.

1) 3 drops glycolic + 7 drops of water = 21%
2) 3 drops glycolic + 5 drops of water = 26.25%

Of course, the actual percentages vary slightly - simply because the dropper method isn't the most accurate method of dispensing. (And, glycolic acid, being thicker, tends to want to make smaller droplets - vs. water - which wants to make larger droplets.)

I found that the 21% solution was too weak - and I couldn't feel it doing anything. So, I went up to the next stronger level (26.25%) and that seemed to be the correct dosage for me. I did initially try to mask the area around each SK with Vaseline, but found it too cumbersome - and found that my body heat ended up melting the Vaseline too much - and it just got in the way. Instead, I used a very tiny (000) nylon bristled paintbrush - and very, very carefully painted on a thin layer of the solution - just on the SK itself. (I find it's better to do multiple thin layers - with a somewhat drier brush - than do a thick layer - with a wet brush - as I found that it dripped too much with a wetter brush.)

The first few layers didn't sting at all. But, I gave each layer about 5-10 minutes to dry - and then painted on another layer - for a total of about four layers. By the time I got to the third or fourth layer, it was definitely stinging - so that tells me that the acid solution had broken through the skin's lipid barrier (and possibly the outer layers of skin). I didn't put on any neutralizer afterwards. I let each spot dry completely on its own - and then went to bed.

This morning, all of my SK areas (even some really light ones, which I'm assuming are new newly forming SKs - but they might even be tiny, flat moles) were much, much darker than they were before treatment. (This is consistent with my earlier experiences - so I wasn't worried. In fact, I consider this to be an encouraging sign that things are progressing nicely.) They don't hurt - and, unless you knew what my SKs looked like before - you wouldn't know that I had done anything. (The texture though is definitely drier and ever-so-slightly raised, but not visibly so).

So, far, this new protocol is definitely a treatment that I can do without feeling like I need to go into seclusion. (Unlike my first experience with the first facial SK - where things definitely got red, puffy and irritated!) I even went out to run errands with no makeup on - that's how un-noticeable the "treatment" is.

I'm planning to repeat the treatment again tonight - and will report back when things start "falling off"! Laughing

Thanks again, Mpstat, for the great thread - and for giving me the power to handle this on my own!

Wed Nov 12, 2008 1:41 pm

I've been lurking here for the sole purpose of following this thread. As most of the others have posted re their experience with glycolic acid, I thought I'd chime in with some details of my recent success with 35% H2O2.

I'm a 50 yr old male and I'd had two seborrheic keratoses for about 10 years. A small one on my thigh just above my knee that I didn't care about, and a big, thick one right in my sideburn area on the side of my face, which I did. Dermatologists told me the one on my face didn't show if I kept my sideburn long and thick and so didn't need to be removed ... or told me they'd take it off for a big fee not covered by insurance and perhaps leaving a scar. Nice choice. (by the way, the thing about it "not showing" was quite untrue when I saw photos of myself taken from that side.)

I searched for alternatives on the web for some time but only came up with "snake oil" type solutions that seemed unlikely to work. It wasn't until I read mpstat's excellent find -- and the patent she linked -- that it seemed like something might actually be viable.

I got a pint of 35% food grade H2O2 from Guardian of Eden. I'd have been happier if I could have bought just a couple of ounces but a pint was the smallest amount I could get. First, I tried it on the smaller SK above my knee. Basically, it turned white and stung a little. But after applying it once a day for three consecutive days, it rolled over and died. Just fell off in the shower.

Encouraged by that result, I turned to the big event on the side of my face. After reading the precautions on Guardian of Eden's site, I was paranoid about doing this so close to my eye. If you get a drop of undiluted 35% H2O2 in your eye, you're heading for the ER and possible permanent vision damage. I solved this with a small plastic test tube I had from an aquarium kit. The test tube was a little larger in diameter than the size of the SK. I put about 5 drops of the H2O2 in the test tube, tilted my head to the side, placed the tube tight against my head over the SK, and then tilted my head the other way so the contents now flowed over the SK. I kept holding the tube tightly pressed to my head so it didn't leak and also kept a folded paper towel between it and my eye in case any dribbled out.

The only figure for application time I could find in the patent was 2 minutes. So I kept the test tube of H2O2 tilted against the SK for 2 minutes, then tilted my head back the other way and removed it. No drips, no errors.

The effect it had on that big gnarly SK was quite dramatic. It fizzed, it bubbled, it turned white, it swelled up by about 50% in size. It also stung for about 15 minutes or so, but no worse than having a lit cigarette placed against your face. By the way, as a control I also dribbled a few drops on smooth skin on the inside of my arm as a test to see how it affected normal skin vs. SK. It is quite obvious that the cells of an SK are *extremely* more vulnerable to, and reactive with, the H2O2 than normal skin is. All that happened on the skin of my arm was just a white film and a minor burning effect -- nothing like the volcanic reaction on the SK.

I continued this process once a day for 5 days. By that time, the thing was extremely swollen and red and rather alarming-looking. For cosmetic reasons, I decided to back off and give it a rest for 5 days. During that time, two things happened. First, it lost its typical dirty brown color and became totally the color of pale skin. Second, when the swelling went down, it was almost half its original size. It seemed to have somehow dissolved internally or something.

After 5 days off, I hit it hard for another 5 days, once a day. During that time, it began to scab over big-time. Really ugly looking, but I knew it was finally throwing in the towel. Again, I laid off after 5 days and three days later while I was in the shower the scab started peeling off, leaving mostly only smooth, slightly reddened healthy skin underneath it. I rubbed it vigorously with a washcloth and peeled off as much as possible. There were only a few scraps of SK left. I waited another couple of days for it to recover then blasted it again for three days to obliterate the hangers-on.

After at least ten years of having that ugly blob sitting there turning darker (and reminding me of my advancing years every time I looked in the mirror!) I now have just smooth skin which is quickly losing its residual redness and becoming flesh-tone. It feels surreal to run my finger up there and not feel that sucker stuck there. I can now shave my sideburns down to match my buzzed down hair.

One of the most interesting things about 35% H2O2 (in my experience at least) is that it only consumes the SK cells. Once it ate its way through the SK and down to the normal skin, it didn't eat a hole into my skin. I just got a white haze on the normal skin, followed by a bit of a burn with some redness. But there's no flesh-eating effect on normal skin, like what it does to the SK.

A successful experience. Maybe I could have been done with it quicker if I hadn't followed the 5 days on/5 days off method and instead just blasted it non-stop for a week or so. I probably would have, if it had been somewhere that didn't show so much. Only other advice I have is to work up some safe method to protect your eyes like I did if you have to use it on your face. I'm not a doctor, your results may vary, so take all the above for what it's worth.

Thanks to Mpstat for finding this method and taking the trouble to post it in the first place and then keep the thread going thereafter, too. You've done a great service!

Sun Dec 28, 2008 10:43 pm

Since this thread continues to thrive, I thought I’d weight in again with some after-the-fact results.
First, the removal I described back on page 5 continues to be a success. Your mileage may vary, but the 35% H2O2 is the only thing I found on the internet that actually works for me (there are a lot of things, like duct-taping a slice of garlic to an SK, for example, that didn’t.) Since I oxidized away that 10 year old growth the skin that was hidden underneath it since the 1990s has continued to return to normal. Now it is virtually impossible to tell just by looking exactly where that thing was attached. It was a little pinkish for about a month, but even that has faded away to just normal skin tone.

Second, I should reiterate that I took great pains to isolate the application to just the SK itself by using a test tube pressed up against it so the stuff wouldn’t flow out, or down, across my face. I see the word “wiped” used in postings here which sounds like more of a general, broad application to a large area. I didn’t do that. I forcibly concentrated it on just the growth itself. If you read the patent mpstat cited, in some of the ingredients for potential formulas it looks like they were thinking about formulating the H2O2 in some kind of neutral binder to thicken it into a gel so it would stick to just one specific spot and be concentrated there. At any rate, I don’t see any reference that recommends “wiping” it across large areas of skin.

Also, I noticed very little run-off after I took away the test tube. Most of the H2O2 soaked in. Conversely, where I dribbled it on regular skin on the inside of my forearm to see what would happen, it tended to bead up and run off and didn't soak in. I think that's a distinguishing factor of SK's: they are sort of dry and more absorbent, like a dried-up sponge, than regular skin.

Speaking of the patent, everyone just starting out on this should take the time to read it as mpstat originally recommended. They cited 5 different “Case Studies” that give different scenarios of treatment + outcome. Most of the treatment examples are pretty short term like 3 to 5 days. But mine took a total of almost 20 days beginning to end -- and ten of those were “days off” in the middle where I didn’t apply anything because it was stinging pretty bad and swollen so I let it recover, then started in again. However, if you look closely at the raw data they cite further down in the patent, you'll note that it is gathered out as far as 90 days. So though the Case Studies they mention dwell more on the "quick-fix" cases, clearly some of the other patients had to keep after it for a much l-o-n-g-e-r time.

Sun Dec 28, 2008 11:30 pm

Harvoolio: I’m not a Dr. so take all this with the appropriate number of grains of salt. But I have been to a dermatologist before I started trying the do-it-yourself route + have read a good bit about Seborrheic Keratosis. One of your statements seems at odds with what I’ve been told by an MD + what I have read. You said: “From what I understand an SK actually is buried under many skin layers but seen on the top ... Isn’t the H202 treatment supposed to not only remove them but also permanently eliminate them by corroding down the many layers?” As I, a non-MD, understand it, it’s exactly the opposite: what’s notable about SK (vs. moles, skin cancer, etc) is that they do NOT penetrate below the first layer of skin. They don't put down roots. They are just superficially attached (sort of like a mushroom growing on a tree trunk) to the very outside of your skin. Therefore they do not have to be dug out, either chemically or surgically, from deeper layers of flesh. That's why freezing them with liquid nitro is one way that works. Though H2O2 can inflict a kind of chemical burn or “scald” on the surface of your skin, it does not -- at least in my experience when applied for just a couple of minutes -- aggressively eat down into the top layer of healthy skin. It just oxidizes away whatever abnormal cells are on top. SK's are not normal skin cells & are somehow vulnerable to the hyper-oxidizing effects of H2O2 while the normal skin underneath them isn’t.

As far as hair loss goes, I had an SK for 10 years in the center of the sideburn area. Since it tends to plug up the follicles because its growing on top of the skin, there was sort of a hole formed in the sideburn area where hair didn’t grow. Because the H2O2 doesn’t excavate down into normal skin, I doubt it would kill hair follicles which are actually buried further down in the epidermis. In fact, since I oxidized away the SK the follicles are now unplugged and pushing out hair again and filling in that spot where the SK once was. I don’t know if they will all come back or not, but they seem to be working on it.

Definitely figure out some way to avoid letting any of that stuff run off your head and get into your eyes!

Fri Apr 10, 2009 12:05 pm

Hi there.

First I want to say thank you to mpstat and all of those who have shared their experiences and knowledge here. Like many of you, I have been dealing with this most of my adult life and to finally find some hope is amazing. I'm in the midst of an H202 treatment and wanted to share my experience for others who are fighting SK.

I first noticed my *bumps* when I was only 21. They were very light and just slightly raised bumps on the tops of my hands. I didn't pay them much attention as they were barely noticeable and had no other symptoms. I am now 42 and the SK covers much of my body. It's still light in color and less noticeable on my hands and arms, but they are also on my feet, legs and back. They are most noticeable on the tops of my feet and my thighs, which are covered with them, and because they are dry and rough, tend to collect and take on the color of my clothing! I had tried dermatologists but without success. Then I found this site...

I am using H202 35% food grade from my local health food store.
I chose to start with a foot because this is the place that causes me the most embarrassment. The SK is prominent and while the spots are light in color they show easily with any almost kind of footwear that is not boots or full sneakers.

Day 1
9:45 PM
Lightly sprayed the H202 on the top of my left foot.
I had no immediate reaction. A slight tingling after several minutes, but nothing notable. I recall thinking *Pffffffffft...I can handle this!*.
9:55 PM
Still light, but a definite stinging. My ankle and lower calf (that I had not meant to spray) were stinging a bit also. Decided to spray another coat on.
10:00 PM
Stinging a bit stronger, but still nothing worth fretting over. My foot was blotchy red, my toes had an ashy color to them, as did my ankle. My lower leg was red with definite whiteness to areas, but the bumps on my foot had no apparent reaction.
10:15 PM
Lower leg and ankle seem to have stopped burning. My foot is quite red and still stinging but it's lessening.
10:30 PM
I went to bed without rinsing. Slight stinging still. Nothing major.
I'm feeling like I got off quite easy. On a pain scale never really got past a 6. I'm hoping it's working.

Day 2
7:30 AM
My foot is a bit red. The SK appear white, but not as dramatic of a change as I was hoping for.

9:15 PM
Feeling brave from my lack of burning last night I sprayed a generous amount on my foot, paying attention to focus the spray on the top of my foot, not my ankle this time. The burn set in almost immediately! Yikes!
9:25 PM
My foot is on fire! My ankle is on fire! My lower calf is on fire! The skin is red and the SK is white.
9:40 PM
I see light! It's still burning, but it is lessening and I know there is an end coming. My foot is extremely red. The SK is definitely white.
10:00 PM
I went to bed without rinsing. Still jumping as I fall asleep from little *aftershocks* of sting.

Day 3
7:00 AM
My foot is so swollen that I'm a bit worried. Did I overdo it last night?
Skin is very red and leathery looking and feeling. The SK is white and very dry, but not looking like it's coming off.
I decide to take this day off and moisturize. I wasn't sure if that was a good idea. After all, I want these things to dry up and fall off, but my foot really hurts and the skin is so tight on it that I can't bend my toes.

Day 4
7:00 AM
My foot is mildly swollen still. The skin is still tight, and red, but much better. The SK's are white, but do not look like they are ready to fall off or anything. I'm worried that I should not have taken the night off lastnight.

9:00 PM
Sprayed my foot generously. Didn't worry about whether I got the ankle of not. I figured by now I may as well do it too.
The burning began after a few minutes. It was not as light as the day 1 but not nearly as bad as day 2.
9:15 PM
Pretty intense burning, but nothing like the last time. Only moderate torture tonight! Yeah!
9:45 PM
Pain has pretty much subsided. Still a burn, almost a severe tingling,
I go to bed without rinsing and am getting used to the *aftershocks*.

Day 5
7:30 AM
My foot looks like a red, leather, foot shaped balloon! lol
SK's are white and I am seeing progress. I think I may have even flaked one off with my fingernail, but it's too sore to really touch.
I'm so hopeful!

9:00 PM
Another generous spraying. My foot is still sore from previous treatments, but I am seeing progress and determined!
Immediate burning sets in. I need help to get from bathroom to couch. I can't walk on foot. Sever pain, comparable to...well, honestly, I recall at some point wondering to myself how this might compare to burning in Hell for eternity. I prayed!
9:30 PM
Burning is still intense, but I know it's only temporary and will be so worth it if this works.
My foot is incredibly red. The SK seem to be glowing white in contrast.
10:00 PM
I go to bed without rinsing, still needing help to walk.

Day 6
7:00 AM
Today is day 6. Much of my foot is a deep purplish color. It appears bruised. (Has any else encountered this?) Question

I'm still swollen, but not as much as I was on the morning of day 3, or perhaps I've just gotten used to it. Smile

It's still hard to walk on the foot. The skin is very dry and tight. The SK's are white and very dry. They look like they could be picked off, if I could only touch them without screaming, I would try.

That's where I'm at...
I'm sorry this is so long, but I wanted to include each step so that others might have an idea of what to expect.
I'll keep you posted on my progress. I'm quite hopeful at this point and even with all of the pain, it will be sooooooo worth it if it works!

If anyone has any words of wisdom for me, please share. Very Happy

I'd love to hear your feedback!

Wed Jul 20, 2011 9:09 am

OK, feeling a bit like a test animal...I completed the third treatment on leg and second on hand. Apple Cider had no affect, so will discontinue acv.

Leg has crusted scab, hand has a blister bubble, like a 3rd degree burn...at least sk should come off when blister pops. Glad I went slow with this process!

I think the skin on my hand is too delicate for the full 35% so will take a break on hand and continue full strength on leg and only keep on for 2-5 minutes. Again I am only experimenting with a couple sks at a time.

Determined!

Sun Jan 29, 2012 7:54 am

SmoothSkin? wrote:

I have at least 100 of these all over my body. Some are VERY old and thick, and others are -- OMG -- sprouting. The very worst place is my back, although now at 60 they are beginning to show on my neck.

I want to be SURE I understand the 35% hydro peroxide:

Using a fine paint brush, be sure to wetten ONLY the SK.

NO sanding of the area is encouraged or required.

After 20 minutes, the burning feeling goes away.

OK so far, i think, but how many nights do I apply?

I am pain sensitive so should it start to "fade" after 20 minutes or stop. After applying and it's been on for 20 minutes, do you use a wet washcloth to wipe the area down or just let it be -- uncovered.

ANY help will be appreciated. And if anyone has a good tip for finding good quality 35% H202 online, I'd love to know the link.

I cannot believe this is possible. It has gotten, and is getting, so much worse. I have time and patient so I can see starting the most offensive one aand moving on from there. Some are just brown spots so I am wondering if a very small paint brush were used and the area was just touched if that would suffice.

ANY HELP IS SO APPRECIATED! Am so glad I found this site.

I posted several months ago having sucessfully removed about 25 keratoses on my stomach and sides with 35% H2O2.

I used Q tips and rinsed and then threw each one away after use to be safe. They are cheap enough.

I have just removed all of them from my back with the help of my wife. There were about 20 or so.

It took three weeks of one application a day for the largest and thickest ones because some were as large as a silver dollar. Others went sooner.

I would actually recommend two aplications a day for 14 days, but couldn't do that because of inconvenience of having to get someone else to do them.

I have always applied the H2O2 after a shower so that the skin was clean and the SKs were softer. I don't wash it off but wait for 10 mins for the H2O2 to dry, and then put on a clean shirt.

My wife is so impressed by the results that she has started treating the couple that she has on her stomach.

I do use a sanding stick to break through the shiny crust on the thickest ones. I have seen no infections, probably due to the fact that the H2O2 is a powerful antiseptic agent.

Everyone is sensitive to pain, but it lasts only for about 10 mins maximum. If its hard to bear then do a few at a time, but the results will probably persuade you to do them all bear the pain and be done with them!

The worst side effect is the reddening which spreads all around the keratosis, so treating a 1/4" dia one results in a 1" dia reddening.

This reddening last for 2-3 months gradually fading to invisibilty. After explaining (after 2 months) to friends that the pink patches were due to a treatment for keratoses, not an infection, I got no comments. But if you want to swim this Summer without comment......start now!

Sun Feb 05, 2012 8:06 am

Hello!

Newbie here on 1st post - I have been reading quite a bit on this skin condition, since my 79 year old mother has it. She had been avoiding showering lately, since she was so ashamed of how 'ugly' her body appeared. When I stepped in & insisted she bathe, & helped bathe her, she broke down & wept.

Naturally, I looked dermatology sites first. I asked mom if she'd been to one. I was told she had, & she also had gotten 'its yours for life' speech. So....

I began really LOOKING at her skin, taking pictures, & made darn sure she felt pretty when ever I could. I started her on natural gentle soaps & scents, which led to research in the natural & alternative treatments.

When I read about hydrogen peroxide in this forum, & then looked up the chemistry breakdown of the molecule, I figured this was a worthy & valid treatment to try. I would try glycolic acid/ AHA products next.

However, I kept in mind I was dealing with not only the biggest organ of the body, but a woman who is older, & whose immune system might be compromised. So....

I tried the mildest form of hydrogen peroxide at 3% strength.

Oh my God, it works!

I did'nt have a lot of hope, since everyone else recommended the 35%. Mom has had the stucco type of keratosis for long time, as well. She was diagnosised in her late 50's. I simply made she the area was recently washed & did a did quick alcohol swab to make sure the area was fairly dry & less bacteria. I gently used an oversized swab stick to apply the 3% over the counter Hydrogen Peroxide, & let it sit for 10-15 minutes.

I took 'before' pictures of the area after 15 minutes - 1 stucco had absorbed the liquid, & sort of flaked off, like an old scab does when it gets wet from a bath. the others were also whitened on top, or at least on the edges.

I asked mom about the pain level, she said 1 of out 10. She commented it stung mildly, like when you pour peroxide on an open cut.

I gently swabbed the area gain, & the smaller stuccos (about 6-8, sized about 1/8 to 1/4 inch dia)simply flaked off. The top layer of the larger ones appeared quite loose, so I gently coaxed them off with tweezers & wetting them with more peroxide on swab.

I put on a cool washcloth, exfoliated the area gently & the 4 remaining larger stuccos flaked off several layers. Height was reduced by appx. 75%.

I let it go at this point. I took the 'after' pictures, & like any good little mad scientist, I took pictures of the removed stuccos. My mental state was :Eeeeew! but documentation had to be done!

SO, if anyone wants to see pics, I guess I can email them. I don't see any way to post them in the forum - please advise?

I will continue to treat her on a weekly basis, concentrating on one area at a time,until we've gone over the whole body once. I may make a peroxide spray down once per week, month, whatever, a part of her skincare routine to minimize recurrence.

I am going to try an over the counter glycolic acid /AHA facial for mom next, since she really wants them off her face, & i am worried the peroxide might irritate her facial skin & I am no pro. I've done those on myself & can use with confidence.

BTW, to answer last post before mine, all glycolic acid products over the counter in the USA are usually formulated to 10% strength. You can buy stronger items from the medical day spas.

Hope this post helps someone out there like my mom! I have proof! Alternative remedies DO work!

Fri Feb 17, 2012 4:20 pm

I discovered this forum while searching for information about seborrheic keratosis, something I've lived with for many years. I was long ago told there is no practical treatment for this skin condition for someone like me who has the lesions all over my torso -- back, chest, and abdomen. Fortunately, I don't have the blemishes on the other parts of my body so it's easy enough to cover up the unsightly skin areas and avoid self-conscious embarrassment. Still, I would opt to be rid of SK if there is a treatment that actually works and isn't too expensive. After reading through this thread, it seems that many of you have found ways to do it. I'm anxious to try out some of the methods described here.

What I'm experimenting with at the moment is something which hasn't been mentioned in this thread as yet unless I somehow missed it. It's a cryotherapy (freezing) technique like that used to freeze-treat warts, but using a cheaper product that electronic techs spray on electronic components to cool them down. One such product is MAX Professional 777 Blow Off component cooler available at Amazon. Radio Shack also sells a similar product.

I spray a small amount of the volatile liquid into a styrofoam cup, dip a Q-tip into the liquid and dab it gently on the SK lesion. The liquid evaporates very quickly and freezes the affected skin down to -65 degrees F. It stings a little bit, but not badly because I'm careful not to freeze the skin too deeply. The SK lesion turns white as it freezes but returns to normal in seconds when the Q-tip is removed. It takes several applications to freeze the entire surface of the lesion depending on its size, and you have to work fast.

The area that is frozen feels tender and becomes slightly red in color within an hour or so depending on how aggressively you freeze the lesion. If you are fairly aggressive, one treatment is all that is needed to destroy the SK growth. It scabs over and peals off in a few days. I've found, though, that if the deeper layers of skin are damaged, the healing takes longer and leaves a mark that lingers for a long time. Scar tissue may even form if too much good tissue is frozen, so I'm thinking it's best to go easy until some experience is gained. I prefer to do multiple shallow freeze treatments to try to minimize damaging the deeper dermis and subcutaneous tissues while still destroying the SK lesion which lies in the epidermis or top-most skin layer.

I've only recently started to use this method, so I'm not yet sure how practical it will be for treating hundreds of lesions. Each lesion needs to be treated individually and a helper may be necessary. I'm wondering if anyone has used this method and can speak to its effectiveness.

Wed Mar 14, 2012 6:25 pm

Hi all,

I usually go to a dermatologist and have him use liquid nitrogen to treat my sks. I take three ibuprophen before I go in and I bring a can of cold Coke in case I feel faint afterwards which I sometimes do from the pain. My dr. freezes about a hundred sks at a time. It costs $150. and usually has to be repeated 2-3x to completely remove large sks. (Mine are mostly flesh-toned but some small ones darken up a bit.)

Each treatment on my face takes a week to heal and about three weeks for anything from the chin down.

There is lots of itching!(usually at bedtime) which I use Nature's Gate Colloidal Oatmeal moisturizer to soothe. It helps and doesn't have parabens or phthalates.

I have been treating them this way for at least 9 years. Really slow-going. Sigh.

I just tried apple cider vinegar a couple of nights ago (smelly!) but possibly effective on two sks I tried subjecting to overnight application of a small piece of acv-soaked cotton pad held in place under two crossed bandaids (I'm not ready for the whole acv shirt yet!!)

They both scabbed up and itched like crazy the next day and the surrounding skin was also a bit irritated the first day after treatment, less so the next (today.)

I will post the results after the scabs come off.

PS: For those using glycolic acid or 35% hydrogen peroxide which I have not yet tried:

I do think that anyone who experiences pain with any home remedy treatment might also benefit from taking painkillers a good 20 minutes beforehand.

free skin care · Sun Nov 25, 2012 1:16 pm

bethany wrote:

Thanks for the pic! I have noticed some of these showing up on my thighs, and I had attributed it to sunbathing as a teen.

While I do have a PMD, I do have a handy rotating pumice stone on my Emjoi foot sander, and I bet that will work just as well. And I will definitely be following your dilution recommendation, because I tried it full strength in the past and it was unbearable!

How are you applying the peroxide?

Bethany,

I think a pumice stone would work great! Manual exfoliation seems to help the process, at least from my limited experience... Basically, I put on the mixture by covering my hands with some vinyl gloves (left over from doing henna on my hair) and a dish cloth. Then I just sort of scrub the area up and down (the cloth is saturated but not dripping).

This is all just my own glorified experiment, so I might in future consider upping the percentage of H2O2 or maybe doing the 17.5% twice a week with no microderm... will just have to see how my skin responds.

It's difficult to admit just how much of my torso (front and back) is peppered with these sk's. My task is to make this a manageable process and not be gung ho, like I was on my face... Embarassed

Sun Jul 26, 2015 1:44 pm

I posted in dec. 2014 about treating my sk with 35% h2o2. I forgot about this site and just came across it again. My sk area was a little bigger than a half dollar on the side of my head. 2 were the size of a dime and a number of little lumps all around it. I did the 3/day treatments with a q tip. By the 7th day it burned a bit with each application but could see pieces falling off so I continued 2 more days. A week after I stopped 90% was gone. I waited a month and did the same treatment again. 7 days later the entire sk was gone. In a month it was perfectly healed, the slightest ring of discolored skin. By March you could not tell it was ever there. It's almost August and there is no sign I ever had it. Mine was an sk biopsied by 2 different dermatologists. The results could not have been better. There is some slight burning towards the end of each treatment but, my goodness, it is so worth it. Hope this helps others with the ugly little growths. You do not have to put up with them.

Sat Aug 06, 2016 12:41 pm

Yes it's like neosporen but fights Mrsa and staph infections. I picked up originally at Walgreens and later found at local grocery store at cheaper price. I had one sk that was raised and itched and I just decided to put this on it. The next day it looked better so I decided I'll just put all over and see what happens.

Once I saw it improved I started twice a day. It's clear so great under makeup.

It seems to help mainly with the big ones that are dark and cauliflower with seb horns. The flat ones are not doing much. Maybe if I ran a nail file on it to open it a little bit. But at this point I'm glad to get of the big ugly ones.

Sorry I didnt know how to reply.

YB wrote:

Hi cimartin11,

Are you talking about Curad Silver Gel? That's the only one i found that fits $5-$7 price.

Thank you very much for sharing and please keep us posted on your results.

cimartin11 wrote:

Just found this forum and hope to find alternative to other than laser. I have removed sk before only to return.

I have extremely dark large wartish looking sk on both sides of my face. I started to use curad silver gel. They have have started to diminish. No peeling or scabs, they are just as if they are healing.

It's been 3 weeks of use morning and night. Since it's clear I put first the silver gel, then moisturizer then make up. Hubby said the dark ones are fading.

Has anyone tried silver gel?

I do notice I have a lot on my body but I am happy since my face was so bothersome to me. It is $5-7 for 5oz but it lasts quite a bit. I just bought 2nd tube recently.

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