SEBORRHEIC KERATOSIS AND VERRUCA, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE MELANOTIC VARIETY

Abstract

THE DISORDER which is currently called seborrheic keratosis in the United States has been described by a multitude of authors under almost as many names (table 1). The clinical picture is familiar to all dermatologists and has been described by Becker and Obermayer,¹ Ormsby and Montgomery.² Sutton and Sutton,³ Freudenthal and Spitzer,⁴ MacKee and Cipollaro⁵ and many others. AGE OF PATIENTS WITH SEBORRHEIC KERATOSIS Neumann's association⁶ of this condition with senile changes in the skin implied that the disorder was one of senescence. Miescher, Häberlin and Guggenheim⁷ showed that some of the pigmentary spots of old people were primitive seborrheic keratoses. However, Unna⁸ gave as one reason for the use of the designation "seborrheic verruca" as opposed to "senile verruca" the fact that these lesions are found in people who are not old. Brocq⁹ found them in young persons. Pollitzer¹⁰ reported that they had not been seen before the age of 40.