I have some of these too (brand new this year--I really thought they were actinic keratoses but they weren't). All the doctor said, pretty much, was that cryotherapy as a treatment was very expensive and I'd probably just have to live with them. Also that they recurred after treatment using cryotherapy and curettage (which is apparently true). It's really bizarre. Dermatologists seem completely uninterested in figuring anything else out for them.
Anyhow, I'm a medical writer, so I looked up some things on PubMed and there was an article on a study done in 2008 with a 580 nm diode laser on a good number of patients (I think a few hundred) and the lesions resolved (completely went away) in 93% of patients on the first round of laser treatment. More recalcitrant lesions took a second round of laser therapy and very rarely left hypopigmentation (which is better than the ugly red, brown things anyway if you ask me), probably linked to the age and depth of the older lesions. They won't let me link to the article but if you put those search terms in (520 nm diode laser treatment, seborrheic keratoses), it'll come up for you.
Also, since lasers work and since the lesions in SK are quite shallow, I would think a similar strength chemical peel would work as well. (This is what I would like to use). I read one woman's successful experiment with a 30% glycolic solution used over 4 days. Some people use heavier concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (35%). Their stories are online if you google "seborrheic keratosis treatment peroxide". There are a truly surprising amount of success stories and follow up. Those are, of course, people doing things without doctors, but it seems that dermatologists just do not care to look into this problem--and it is a big cosmetic problem for a lot of people, so people used their own experience and ingenuity. They had all asked dermatologists before and been told the same things. The people who found the HP and glycolic solutions were mostly women who did facial chemical peels for purely esthetic reasons but were acquainted with the peeling process and sloughing off "burned", dead skin to get to new, less flawed skin.
ch228 may also have a good solution but I have to point out when I first got SKs I didn't know what they were and they itched badly. So I stratched them quite hard--scratching many clean off. Unfortunately, they scarred. (Not badly, but it was a sub-optimal result). So ch228's method may work, just be careful not to draw blood by going to far beneath the epidermis.
Long story short: I see no reason why lasers or chemical peeling as found in most medspas would not work for this. Good luck!
Hi! I am doing KoR Deep Whitening right now. I am now at Day 7. The protocol is 2 weeks of at-home tray bleaching (carbamide peroxide) and then a two-hour in-office whitening done by the dentist/dental technician. Since my teeth were tetracycline stained (C3 on the shade guide), I may do an additional 2 to 4 weeks with the trays after the in-office bleaching. So far, though, the results have been fantastic and it's only been one week. I can already see a big shade difference. Also, because of the formulation of the whitener and the use of a "desensitizer" on the teeth (used every morning), my teeth have not been at all sensitive to cold or heat. So far, I am very happy and I think after the in-office whitening on 4/11, I will be ecstatic. I've hated my teeth since I was 12 and already I'm starting to like them. My dentist and I are hoping for a nice B1 shade and I think I'm going to get it, which is like a dream come true for me. I was always told only veneers could whiten tetracycline-stained teeth. But KoR does it.
I can't imagine why more dentists aren't using KoR but even in Chicago, only a few practices came up when I looked. The one I'm going to is a renowned dental practice that does all the tooth work (veneers, crowns, implants) for the Chicago Blackhawks hockey team (which is a lot of work!) Maybe one of the dentists near you could special order it or could refer you to a dentist who uses it? I haven't heard about Pageant White. Since most dentists take impressions of your teeth for at-home whitening, I think the trays are mostly fitted (mine are). I believe KoR is carbamide peroxide 16%. My trays do seal out saliva and other liquids. Good luck! I know it's hard living with permanently stained teeth--this is like a god-send.
Fabulous, fabulous results! So happy for you. Your skin looks really great. Just to echo others on the boards, please don't do chemical peels yourself. The horror stories from self-peelers are truly frightening. Plus, you had such a great experience with this doctor you can be sure you'll have similar again. Congrats again!
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