Mr. Onur Gilleard
Qualifications & Experience
Mr Onur Gilleard is a distinguished consultant plastic surgeon on the GMC specialist register. He previously held an NHS consultant post at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London, specialising in skin cancer and microsurgical reconstruction. In 2021, Mr Gilleard transitioned from the NHS to dedicate himself fully to private practice, allowing him to focus exclusively on providing personalised, high-quality care to his patients. He is recognised as an expert in laser treatments, having conducted research and developed advanced treatment protocols using cutting-edge laser technology to optimise both clinical outcomes and cosmetic results.
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Seborrheic keratoses are most common from around 40 onwards, but they can appear in your 20s and 30s,
usually when there is a strong family tendency. An early-onset growth is still benign
and means the same thing as one later in life: it is harmless. The one important point for a younger person is that a
pigmented growth should be confirmed by a specialist, because it is even more worth being sure it is a
seborrheic keratosis and not something else. Here is why they can start young, and what to do about one.
Why They Can Start Young
The main reason a seborrheic keratosis appears earlier than usual is genetics. If your parents developed
many, you may start to see them in your 20s or 30s rather than your 40s. They are an overgrowth of surface skin cells, and
a family tendency simply means yours begin sooner. The full background on what drives them is in
why seborrheic keratoses appear.
They are not caused by a virus, sun damage alone, or anything you did, and they are not contagious.
Still Benign, but Worth Confirming
An early-onset seborrheic keratosis is just as harmless as one in later life. The reason to get it checked is not that it
is more dangerous, but that a pigmented growth in a younger person is exactly the kind of thing that should be
confirmed rather than assumed: a consultant can quickly tell a seborrheic keratosis from a mole or, rarely,
a melanoma, usually with dermoscopy. If a growth is changing, asymmetrical, multi-coloured or bleeding, have it looked at
promptly; the comparison is in seborrheic keratosis vs melanoma.
What to Do About One
Once a growth is confirmed as a benign seborrheic keratosis, treatment is entirely optional. Many young people choose to
have a facial or visible one removed for cosmetic reasons, or one that catches and irritates; it is a quick procedure
under local anaesthetic, usually a shave excision, set out in our
complete removal guide.
If you are prone to them you may develop more over the years, which is normal.
Common Questions
- Can you get seborrheic keratosis in your 20s or 30s?
- Yes. Although they are most common from around 40, they can appear earlier, usually when there is a strong family tendency. An early-onset growth is still benign.
- Should I worry about one at a young age?
- A confirmed seborrheic keratosis is harmless at any age. It is worth having a pigmented growth checked by a specialist to be sure of the diagnosis, especially if it is changing.
- Will I get more as I get older?
- If you have a tendency to them you probably will develop more over time, which is normal and not a sign of any problem. Any that bother you can be removed.
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