Could skin growths be cancerous?

December 21, 2011 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a 48-year-old female and have noticed that I have gotten more mole-like/wart-like marks on my face. What can I do about them? I have about nine on my face right now. Can they be surgically removed or by some other way? They are clear, not dark and bumps of sort. They have made me very uncomfortable about my appearance. Any advice you have would be appreciated. Thank you.

DEAR READER: I urge you to have the lesions examined before you consider having them removed. This is important to determine the cause of the marks. They may simply be skin tags, moles or even freckles, but because many are new, there is a risk that they may be the beginning of skin cancers.
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The trials of aging

February 3, 2011 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a senior citizen and, of late, am getting many brown spots on my body and arms. These spots are called seborrheic keratoses. Do you have any information or cures that you could provide?

DEAR READER: Seborrheic keratoses are common noncancerous skin growths that ordinarily affect older adults. They cause slightly raised brown, black or pale lesions that can appear waxy or scaly. They are round or oval in shape and can grow to an inch or more in size. Some may itch. The growths can develop in clusters or appear singularly, and most often appear on the head, neck or torso.
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