New Spots After 60: Wart Removal, Keratoses, Skin Tags and What to Have Checked

Short answer: several different things can look like a 'wart,' and only a licensed clinician can tell them apart. Seborrheic keratoses are common, often waxy or 'stuck-on' looking growths that many people notice with age. Skin tags are soft, small flaps of skin that often appear where skin rubs, such as the neck or underarms. Warts are caused by a virus and can show up on hands, feet or elsewhere.

Actinic keratoses are rough or scaly patches linked to long-term sun exposure. Clinicians often watch these closely because some may be considered precancerous. Moles are another category, and a mole that looks different from others or begins to change deserves attention.

It is easy to guess wrong. Some skin cancers can look like a wart, a scab or a harmless bump. For that reason, any growth that is changing, bleeding, itching, irregular in shape or color, or not healing should be checked by a dermatologist for skin cancer. Please do not self-treat it.

Traditionally, the first step has been a visual skin exam by a licensed clinician such as a dermatologist, primary care provider or, for the feet, a podiatrist. The clinician looks at the spot, asks how long it has been there and whether it has changed, and decides whether anything more is needed.

Depending on what they find, approaches have ranged from simply monitoring a spot, to in-office procedures for removing certain growths, to sending a small sample to a lab for a closer look. Which path makes sense is a decision for the clinician after an evaluation.

Many people also try over-the-counter wart products. These are generally intended for common warts, not for every kind of growth. People with diabetes, poor circulation, neuropathy or a weakened immune system should ask a provider before treating warts at home, especially on the feet. Facial and genital growths should not be treated with over-the-counter wart products. Cutting, burning or digging out a growth at home is not advised. Results vary, and warts can return.

The right provider may help by first working out what a spot actually is. A visit generally includes a conversation about your history, such as sun exposure, family history and whether the spot has changed, followed by a close look at the spot and sometimes the rest of your skin. Many people find a full-body skin check helpful because it can catch spots you can't easily see yourself.

If a growth is harmless, a provider may explain that it can simply be left alone, or discuss options if it catches on clothing or bothers you. If something looks uncertain, they may recommend further testing. None of this is a promise of any particular outcome, and decisions are made together with you.

Questions you might bring: What do you think this spot is? Does it need testing or just watching? How often should I have my skin checked? If removal is an option, what should I expect afterward, and could it come back? Are there any concerns given my health conditions or medicines? Is there anything about current regulatory status of a product or procedure I should know?