So this is a little different than some of my posts, but last year I was looking all over online for pictures and/or proof of this, and I had a hard time finding anything.
I decided last year to do an experiment on myself, and this is my experience with removing Seborrheic Keratosis using apple cider vinegar.
First thing I want to say is I am NOT a doctor. I highly suggest that if you have something on your skin, you go and see your doctor first.
I went to my doctor in February last year, and made an appointment to have this removed from my hairline. My appointment was booked for May 28, 2014. It was a small in patient procedure at my local hospital.
March 1, 2014
Here is what my Seborrheic Keratosis looked like on March 1, 2014.When I told a couple of people close to me that I had this on my hairline and that it bugged me and I wanted to get rid of it, they said “I didn’t even know it was there”.
From the way I saw it every day, it was right in the middle of my forehead and I wanted it gone. I had a super bad cold, plugged head, and could not hear for about a month at that time last year, so it was the perfect time for me to do an experiment on my face (which was really my hairline at the top of my face, but to me, it was always glaring at me). I wasn’t going out or working with clients for 4 about weeks anyhow, so how I looked in the short term didn’t matter much to me.
So what I did is I put pure apple cider vinegar on a Q-Tip and rubbed it on my Seborrheic Keratosis about 3x per day.
This is what it looked like after 5 days.
March 5, 2014
Okay, so a little red and nasty, and it was still there. This picture is when it is actually wet with the apple cider vinegar.
I wasn’t really diligent with putting lots on, and I would just put it on every now and then. This picture is me kind of half a**ed applying the vinegar after a couple weeks. This is dry (unlike the picture above). You can only see the changes if you look really closely, but there are changes.
March 14, 2014
After March 14th, I decided that yes, there were changes, even with me not applying the vinegar as often as I could. So I ramped it up. I put apple cider vinegar on it every time I thought about it, and a few times I put some on a cotton ball and taped it to my head for the evening. (I was still sick so didn’t care that it was taking so long and that I looked funny, I wasn’t doing much but resting anyway). So I did lots of vinegar for a week, and then nothing again.
Then around the end of March, this happened (no vinegar for probably a week at this point).
March 29, 2014
March 29, 2014
So I put vinegar on for a couple days and it disappeared completely. I phoned my doctor at the beginning of April and cancelled my removal appointment because it was gone!
I cannot find the picture from a week after March 29, but this is a picture from January 22, 2015 – a year later… still gone.
All gone now!
Here are some tips if you decide to try removing Seborrheic Keratosis with Apple Cider Vinegar for yourself:
1. Check with your doctor to make sure that it is indeed Seborrheic Keratosis and not something else.
2. If you can, I suggest using pure organic Apple Cider Vinegar.
3. If it is in an obvious place on your face do it when you are on vacation from work or when you don’t need to be out in public (if you are worried about what you look like).
4. You can use a Q-tip and apply the Apple Cider Vinegar that way, just do it at least 3x a day, 5+ would probably be better.
5. You can also use a Apple Cider Vinegar soaked cotton ball and tape it to the Seborrheic Keratosis to keep the Apple Cider Vinegar moisture on the spot for longer.
6. From my personal experience, even if you get a really good start on this process, and then leave it for a bit, in a couple of weeks it will start to change whether you do anything or not.
7. If I ever need to do this again, I am not going to give up after 2 weeks and stop the vinegar. I will keep going until the Seborrheic Keratosis is gone. For me it took a month, and I didn’t care because I was stuck at home sick and it was just an experiment.
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Every thing you described is almost identical to me. I had one on my elbow for a few years. It didnt hurt but just looked ugly. I did have mine cut out by a doctor, but it then came back. Then I discovered ACV. Like you, I initially applied it for a few days then sort of forgot. it was about two weeks later that I noticed it starting to fall off. In the excitement I started to reapply the ACV. Anyhow it has been more than 5 years and the thing has remained gone.
My theory is that the initial application causes some sort of an action that then takes a while to kick in. Like you, if I was to do it again, I would just apply it twice daily for two weeks just to kick it in the guts.
I am an alternative medicine sceptic, but I’m convinced that ACV works with many skin conditions.
Thanks for your comment Ben, its helpful that others can see that it works for everyone.
Mine has not come back either, the ACV seems to work like magic!
Thanks for posting this. After paying almost $300 for an appointment with a dermatologist only to be told he was hesitant to treat the two sebborheic dermatitis on my face, for fear of leaving scars (one above my right eyebrow and the other near my left temple) I was left frustrated. Of course it is important to make sure it is a SK you’re dealing with. After this appointment I stumbled across your post and this worked for me also. I used apple cider vinegar alone for the first 2 weeks and then alternated apple cider vinegar and tea tree oil. Definitely will look worse before it gets better, but I am so thrilled with the result. Both completely gone! Be patient though. Mine didn’t come off all in one go, so don’t give up. It would scab up, a bit would come off and then I’d treat with acv/tea tree oil again and so on. It was a process, but it certainly worked. Thanks again.
I am starting to use ACV, and i pray that it will help. If only there is a chance to post my picture, I would love to so that i supposed to give an update.
Thank you Josh, that would be great!
Apple cider vinegar to remove seborrheic keratosis is truly remarkable!!
My doctor said i could have it scraped off then burnt to stop the bleeding (it was about 1 cm in diameter). She then said i might get keloid scarring. I read about cider vinegar and gave it a go, but i must say you should use organic, unfiltered unpasteurised cider vinegar. I bought Biona from Boots.
This product is fantastic! I applied it a few times a day and within a few days, it started coming away (with a little help from me) It works quickly!!
Totally agree Lyn, its been a couple years for me now, and its still gone with no trace at all that it was even there.
Thanks for taking the time to post this.
I have alot of these spots all over my torso and no way to treat myself on my own back…….any other suggestions for multiple lesions ??
Do u have a family member or good friend who could help?
Apple Cider twice a day with “The Mother” definitely removes Keratosis. 14 Days to remove a large thumbnail sized Keratosis, worked for my elderly mother. 5 days to see a diference, 14 days completely gone.
Thank you 🙂
I am in my early 50’s and sadly seem to be one of those people that are going to be covered in them. I was looking into going private to get the larger ones removed, but have seen so many promising comments about ACV thought I would give it a go. Started the applying last night! So fingers crossed.
It will work! Be consistent and patient with it. I have heard of people also sticking a pin in to the SK to help the AC get in better (might work if you have bigger ones).
I’m not a doctor though 🙂 so…
keep me posted!
Thank you. I will keep you updated.
So I’m on day 3 and already there are changes, feeling very positive. Thank you again for posting this, it could well change my life. I was hating how I looked.
please let us know what happens, I will be following in your footsteps—- good luck!
Thank you Terry, will do 👍
I am so happy its working for you! (although I knew it would because I’ve done it myself!)
And you are so very welcome. When I was looking for information on this I had a really hard time finding good info with pictures and everything. I wanted to make it easier for everyone 🙂 <3
So day 5 , What can I say, 4 small ones have come off already and some of the larger ones are breaking down. Left off attaching soaked cotton wool over night last night and again I’m going to leave it tonight. I will reassess again tomorrow night.
If anyone is in any doubt about this please give it a try, it works!
After reading through your posts. Am feeling hopeful. Will start with the ACV today and hope I will get a positive result. Keeping fingers crossed.
I will have a try of this I have one on my arm! I’ll let u know! 😊
Thanks!
OK….I have these all over my back, so am starting ACV treatment right now! We’ll see how it goes!!
I haven’t read any comments past yours, so I don’t know if you updated. My back is also covered with them and some scattered in various other places. What do you think of soaking a washcloth with ACV and just laying down for — how long? — with the washcloth on my back?
I wondered about that too, my back is also covered.
Thankyou all for the information that you have put up. I have some on my back and they are driving me nuts, itchy. Doctor gave me a cream and not helping a great deal. On reading the comments will give it a go. Used ACV on skin tags and had no issues.
You’re welcome, if it is SK it should work wonders!
I will try this in my home. I hope it works
I’ve been using organic ACV (bottle says “mother” will form over time, but doesn’t say how much time needed) for a month on an SK on my scalp, applying with a Q-tip at least 3-4 times/day. It’s still there, large as ever and quite red. Should I persevere or give up at this point?
Hi Barbara,
sorry I didn’t reply right away!
I would persevere. When I did mine, it got really red before it went away. It didn’t come off all at once, it kind of came off like a bit of a scab, where it came off in parts.
Its been a long time now, and there is no sign at all of it coming back either.
Keep me posted on how it goes.
Love
Tamara
My doctor told me, indeed, I have seborrheic keratosis, but not to worry. She gave me a scrip for hydrocortisone. Does that really work? I have those things on my nipples and around them. I’m embarrassed to be intimate with a man when I have those ugly bumpy things.
I am not a doctor, however hydrocortisone did absolutely NOTHING for my SK. I can see it taking out the itch if they are itchy but that’s about it, it certainly won’t get rid of it. The only way my doctor told me I could get rid of it was to have it surgically removed.
That’s why I tried the apple cider vinegar. When I made the appointment to have it removed, the appointment was a couple months out. I started with the vinegar right away and weeks before the scheduled surgery, the SK was already gone so I cancelled the appointment.
Once again, I am not a doctor, but if you go the ACV route they will likely go away forever. Yes, it can take a while and you need to be diligent, and yes, they can get pretty red and angry looking prior to going away, but in the end it does work and I myself am very glad I did it that way.
Mine was on my hairline on my forehead and it looked pretty awful when I went out, but it was worth it when it finally just fell off (bits at a time), one day.
I’m 50, mine is in my hairline on the temple. I’ve been using the ACV for a month and the process was the same for me. It got red and angry And is now falling off in bits. I have just a tiny bit left should be gone over the next few days! It was the size of a dime!! I used to have one on my crown And got rid of it the same way, it’s been gone over 5yrs. No sign of returning!
That’s great Vickie!
I love this stuff 🙂
Hi – I’m still using the ACV; it’s been about 2 months now. I’m seeing changes – it’s higher, whiter and redder in some spots than before and seems to be separating from the skin below. Will persevere till it’s gone.
hi thanks for posting this..i have a SK on my hairline too so i started the AVC yesterday…fingers crossed it works for me..will keep you posted
My spot is small now so ACV application w/cotton ball is my choice starting today! Thanks so much for all comments relating to this successful treatment!
Thank you Tamara for sharing this insightful story. I have a Drs appt this Tuesday to see what exactly this skin lesions is. So grateful to see your pics. Couldn’t find anything similar to mine but yours was. Although I haven’t see the Dr. I went ahead and starting using the ACV… (Bragg). Started yesterday and believe it or not its changed already. I am hopeful it is what I think it is. SK. After applying the ACV it did get a little red.. but it is not as raised and seems a bit smaller. Have my fingers crossed. Thank you so much Tamara and to all that have shared their stories. GOOD LUCK!!
You’re welcome!
When I booked with my Doctor to have mine removed, it went away before the appointment time!
Good luck and keep up with it, it will work for sure if its SK.
Thank you so much for this info. I have one that’s been on my face for at least 5 years. Had it diagnosed as SK and was offered nothing for treatment. It itches, bleeds (from scratching the itch) and have been keeping it under control with H202 & hydrogen peroxide. I am so excited for this to work 🙂
Wow, you’d think they would at least offer to surgically remove it! You probably won’t need that though. The ACV worked awesome on mine. I started it the day they offered to remove it for me, and by the time of my appointment for removal a few weeks later it was already gone. I had to phone and cancel on them.
Good luck, and keep me posted on how it works for you. It can sometimes take a bit of time, but your diligence will pay off.
🙂
It’s been 5 days and it’s gone down in size from 4mm by 2mm’s down to about 2mm by 1mm! This has been on my face near an eyebrow for at least 7 years. Very excited to have it gone – thanks again 🙂
So it’s day 14 and it’s not gone yet – but it doesn’t itch nearly as much. There was a dark spot in the middle of it which has lightened up. The skin around it is healing and I think it’s taking longer because I have had it so long. Will update with any changes.
Please do Cindy 🙂
I think mine took over a month to go away completely. I had almost given up, and it then it rather suddenly started to come off much like a scab does when a wound is healing.
It will be 30 days tomorrow and it’s still there but….not itchy or bleeding! Huge bonus. It’s literally the size of a hair if I leave it alone and about 2×2 mm if I treat it with ACV. As I have said it’s been on my face for at least 5-7 years (I am really not sure of it’s origin date) so I will keep at it with some breaks.
I am a 52 year old male. I have 3 SK in my groin area: 1 large (about 1/2″ diameter) just above my penis, and 2 smaller (about 1/4″ diameter) about 2 inches to the left of it. I thought they were moles or cancer, so I visited a dermatologist and was told that they were simply SK and that insurance would not cover removal, as it would be considered “cosmetic” even though they get irritated at times because of the location due to putting on/taking off underwear. The treatment(s) to remove these could end up costing me several hundred dollars, which I really can’t afford. I have had these things for probably 10+ years and they make me uncomfortable regarding intimacy. I found your discussion about using ACV to treat at home and will be trying that myself. Is there a way that I can post photos to track/show the progress of the ACV treatment here for others to see? If not, then I will just have to provide text-based updates on this website in the comments. Perhaps I could email photos to you and you could upload them? Anyway, let me know. Thanks for your info and I hope I can get the same results as you! Keeping my fingers crossed. I will be taking photos prior to starting ACV treatment, and at random intervals as I think about it.
Hi Rod – did this end of working for you? Just got back from the Dermatologist and have SK on my groin area as well. Bit nervous the acid might be much for the sensitive skin
I am crossing my fingers…but…it’s GONE!
Woo hoo!!! That’s awesome Cindy! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Mine is STILL gone and its been years now. I’m so happy for you!
Something to be said for patience!!
Thank you!
I was diagnosed with a seborrheis keratosis last week and was told the NHS would not remove it as it was cosmetic so following your advice started with acv and put it on Everytime I went passed the bottle now a week later it is nearly gone no pain or trouble excellent will keep putting it on until it completely disappears thank you
That’s awesome Tina, thanks for sharing your exprience!
I just read your article! I can’t thank you enough for blogging this information and for everyone’s comments. I too recently experienced hairline SK. My dermatologist tried liquid nitrogen but it didn’t disappear. Mine looks exactly like yours but on my left temple. I am certainly going to try ACV and will let you know if it works for me. Thank you all!
It will work!
Getting hubs to bring some ACV home tonight! I have some on my face and tons of huge ugly ones on my back. I might try the cotton ball method on my back. Do you think the mother works better? I’m sad that I just threw away the last trace of my Braggs ACV–I could have started with that and it was full of mother!!!
Awesome!
I have these and I HATE them so I’m giving it a go. So pleased to find this thread. Fingers crossed.
I’m 70 years old and have had SK on my back, belly, etc. for many years. Sometimes they itch so bad. I’m going to try this on the few on my front, to start. Will have to get DH to help with the ones on my back. I’ve used Raw ACV for years, 2 T. In a glass of water, for muscle spasms and/or Charlie horses. Works for those in about 3 minutes, leaving no muscle knots behind. That’s an old Amish recipe.if it works that well internally, it’s worth a shot externally. Thanks for the help. Will let you know how I get along.
Hi everyone I had a 22mm by 12 mm seborrheic wart on my chest for 10 years. Applied ACV 3 times a day , used a cotton pad soaked in ACV and held it in place with a large sticking plaster. I was gonna smacked as after 10 days it’s gone. Was a little sore/stingy after 3 or 4 days but worth a little pain as it’s absolutey gone.
I’m not sure if your picture does the SK justice, but it looks a little light. I’m glad it worked!
But I have a ton!! Like more than 25, easily, on my back and I keep getting more. However, they’re very dark brown and lifted and scaly. I’ve seen 3 dermatologists and only one offered to remove. I had two removed, one with scraping off and one frozen off. They came off, but now I have huge red spots (it’s been over 7 months and still red).
I’m hoping this would work and leave my skin looking more normal.
I’m really hoping it works. I’m only 24 and I’m covered in them. I feel so embarrassed. I feel like I can’t wear backless dresses or swim suits or anything. It makes me cry constantly. Thank you for your post. I’m excited to try it.
Katie, I feel exactly the same way…won’t wear anything backless, and I don’t want to date any men because they not only look ugly but they feel gross. I’m hoping ACV works!
I meant the SKs look ugly, not the men! 🙂
lol
Im hearing you girls. I went to the doctor to get a large “wart” that was on my back burnt off. It had been there for maybe three years or more and the Dr said omgosh what have you been up to. I really do believe acv will work it is the application that can be difficult. My back has hundreds of small skin/wax coloured ones and maybe 10 that were big enough to burn off. I had the large one burnt off but it only reduced it in half the size thickness not diameter. Now it is back to its normal size. I have read about acv but was really lost as how to treat large areas in hard to reach places such as your back with 50 or 100 sk. Instructions generally were for one and required a cotton wool soaked in acv then taped on or regularly applied in easy to reach areas. The solution I found online was to soak a t shirt in acv. Put the shirt on then put a plastic bag over the shirt and then a shirt over the plastic bag. Sleep in it and get a good 8 soaking. I felt I was wasting too much acv by soaking the shirt in the bucket. A much better way is to put the acv in a spray bottle and spot spray your areas. For me it is pretty well much my whole back and not the front that needs doing so I am saving half the acv I used the first night. The second t shirt I use is a stretchy Lycra type which keeps the first acv shirt snug up against my skin even if I am not lying on my back. This is my second night. I will do this for a year straight if it clears up my back. They are unsightly and I think twice before having my shirt off for a swim. I will keep you posted.
Hello! I promised myself I would post here as this is the site I originally visited when I was researching how to remove this ugly thing lol and so wanted to thank you and let you know it worked for me!
I had an ugly beige one at my temple for about 3 years and I was very self conscious of it. A few months ago I noticed it was growing and I said to it “NO YOU DON’T” and bought a bottle of Bragg’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with the Mother for $4.99. I applied it twice daily with a Q-Tip – once in the morning and once at night. I missed a few days in between but was pretty consistent. It would get scary and red and I would pick at it and it would flake away – bled a bit but whatever.
I started that 4 weeks ago and happy to report it is completely gone now – just a little pink where it was originally. I’m happy to post a before, during and after pic but I’m not sure how so…!
MM
Hi Michelle, I missed your comment when you first posted it!
Thanks so much for sharing your story ~ it helps others to know this works!
I’m going to give it a shot. I went to the dermatologist, tried 3 passes of freezing, and while it got smaller and seems to maybe be peeling still, it’s still there and itchy and annoying. Just behind my ear under my hair but I know it’s there.
I have a “lesion” on my breast that the doctor called Keratosis, and as it fades in one space, it pops up right next to the faded out one. Now I have had two mamograms on it…no problems…however, the keratosis won’t go away. I have used Lamisil, and another antifungle on it…no real help. My primary care doctor said try using hydrocortizone on it…no help there either. Now I am going to a dermitologist to have it checked out. Any comments would be helpful. Thanks,
Thank you, Tamara and others! I have many of them, but started with the one on my temple. I started dabbing with a cotton swab, but the more I read here, I decided to go full throttle and used the cotton ball/bandaid method for maybe 4 or 5 nights in a row. It scabbed up and is now gone! Right now I’m working on one on my right lower stomach that’s been there for years. It’s really large, too. I think I had it frozen off once and it came back. It’s stinging tonight a bit, but I noticed it’s starting to get darker and scabby so I’m hoping the stinging means it’s working. I just wish there way a way to treat entire areas at once, since I have so many on my back and other places. This one at a time thing could take months. I have an appointment at my dermatologist in the fall for a body check. I’m interested to see what she says when I show her the ones that are no longer there.
I remember reading warnings from dermatologists on doing this somewhere, but I don’t see how there could be a down side, except maybe they will make less money with fewer SK’s to freeze off.
Hi there,
I’m doing the ACV treatment now (it’s slowly going away!). In reply to your bit regarding how you wish there was a way to treat entire areas at once (especially the back area), I read that there is – some people soak a singlet in ACV and put it on at night while you sleep. Put another t-shirt over the top to stop the bed getting wet! Sure it might be a little uncomfortable (stingy perhaps) and you might smell like a salad for a while but they swear it works! That’s one way to treat large back areas. Good luck, and it’s great to read how ACV is helping many of us with this problem. Tell your doctors that it works everyone!
Your doctor won’t want to know this because there’s no money in it for them & if they know something organic works it tends to disappear off the shelves.
I’ve had these spots on my back for 13 years. I’ve mentioned to two different doctors over the years, one of them a dermatologist, that was treating me for something else. Neither one of them wanted to do anything just said many people get them when they get older. I have more then a dozen on my back, mostly in hard to reach areas. The few that I had I was able to reach I scraped off with my finger or something else, sometimes it would bleed a little sometimes not. They would return in it about 6 weeks. I live alone and have no one to help with this. I read online the other day that Apple Cider Vinegar can remove these. I bought some. Since I can not reach these areas with my hand I attached a soaked cotton ball to a wired hook about 2 feet long, and rubbed the affected areas the best I can, but unable to hold the cotton ball on the areas for any length of time. I just rub over the different affected areas for about 10 minutes sometimes some ACV would run down my back. Do you think this will work, since I’m not able to hold the cotton ball on the affected areas for more than a few seconds at a time? I did the first treatment last night, and 3 today.
Hi Darrel, it will probably still work, the ACV will still be getting on the spots. There is a chance it might take a bit longer. I think it is worth it giving it a shot for sure.
Tamara Hawk
Just read this comment as I am in the process of removing SK albeit a small one. There are forums where people who’ve had SK on their backs sleep in t shirts soaked in ACV with a bin liner over it and then another t shirt to hold it altogether! Apparently it is very successful and takes a few days. A few of them couldn’t bear the itching and gave up but if you have the perseverance you should get results!
Thanks for the info! After years of driving to work with the sun beating on my face I developed an SK on my cheek (my dermatologist diagnosed it). I’d say it’s 1/4” in size. I don’t really like it and didn’t want to pay for the removal so I’m giving your Apple cider trick a try. Just started yesterday. Hope it works!
Hi Tamra, It’s been 3 weeks since I started treating myself with ACV. It’s difficult to do as I have more than a dozen of these on my back. I discovered the best way for me to do this, is to take 3 halves of a Qtip, tape them together and attach them to a pickup tool. A pickup tool is a cable 24” long. On one end it has a “T” handle with a push button and a spring, just above the “T” handle. Pushing the button 4 prongs are exposed on the opposite end which grabs the QTips. It can be purchased at an auto parts, hardware, or tool store. This is great for those who live alone, and cannot reach behind their back. I started out treating the areas with ACV twice a day, increased it to 3 times, and 4 times, and returned to twice a day. It’s very time consuming. I spend about 30 minutes each time going from one spot to the next, doing each spot multiple times holding the QTips on the SK, and also rubbing it in during this 30 minute period. Now the results: Most of the SK’s have faded, not as dark as before, but have not fallen off or decreased in size. I had one spot about 3/16” round that was different from the others. It was darker, and had a slight pain to it when touched. I often wondered if it was something else. I continued to treat it just like the others. Two weeks to the day that I started this, it just rubbed off in pieces right before my eyes while I was treating it. After it was gone there was a slight redness to it. I noticed after a few days it started to get a dark again, maybe forming a scab? It’s really hard to tell as I cannot get a close up look at it, using 2 mirrors to look at my back. Today it appears to be getting smaller, so I have to wait to see what happens. I will continued the treatment through the end of the month on all areas, which will be 32 days, at that time I will decide if I will continued or wait and watch it to see what happens.
Some sources say use emery board to help the Apple cider vinegar ? Advice appreciated.
It worked!! I applied the ACV twice a day on a small SK and noticed a slight change in color. Then I soaked a cotton ball and covered it for 2 nights in a row. It turned black and an area around the SK also turned black. I continued the ACV once a night for 2 more nights and today the SK flaked off. It’s only been one week! The other area is beginning to flake off and the skin is pink underneath. Thank you so much for this remedy. I knew that insurance would not pay for it so I decided to see if there was a home remedy and came across your site. I’m so grateful to you Tamara! I’m an NP and will now recommend this to my clients.
Actually one has two options. The fast and expensive way and the slow -sometimes very slow- and inexpensive (ACV) method. I tried both. I went to my dermatologist in 2015 and let some of those ugly (SK warts) freeze, against a payment of some 200 euro. In my country this is not covered under my health Insurance. Easy peacy this freezing and (almost) no trace left of those SK within less than 4 weeks.
Later on I tried the ACV method, since I still got dozens of SK remaining. I would not recommend the 3 or 4 times a day dippings with a Q-tip. This requires a lot of patience; probably several months. Use a cotton ball and a bandaid and let it sit overnight during a week or so and you’ll be on your way to a smoother face/body/torso. All the best !
My elderly mother has dozens of SKs on her whole body and lately she’s gotten lots more on her face, neck and breasts. Can I soak a gauze pad with ACV and tape it to a section of skin where there are a lot of SKs? Or will that irritate the normal skin that’s in between the SKs? Or will it not work? Thanks for your advice.
ok, I have read this thread and it has given me hope!! i have a huge one on my back ever since i was about 13 doctor tried to remove in my 20’s but local went in to a blood vessel and lowered my BP and they rushed me in the CPR room as my heart was affected with the local once the affect had worn off they said ok we will start removing, well i was out of there!! i told them to leave it alone. I am now 44 years old and this SK is about 1 inch high and look awful it stand up off of my back so i catch it and it bleeds quite alot. It looks like it has been stuck on its a little bigger than a thumb nail in size but looks like a rasberry. Do you think ACV will work with this type of SK? If so will start asap
I am reading this and wondering if anyone has had one on their bottom lip. I had mine shaved and burn’t 2 x now and still healing and seems like it’s going to come back or never stop bleeding. It really gushes if I poked. I won’t do that anymore. Dr. told me he was aggressive enough with digging it out. So this 2nd time he did and it is 3 weeks now and still now healed. So embarrassing. People think I have herpes and when they burn it looks really bad. Gross. Wondering If I should try ACV I have the mother here.
Holy cow! I started noticing these stupid things on me a few years ago, and noticed last week that I seemed to have more than ever (a few on my arms and legs, and about a million on my stomach, ribs, and general “trunk” area). So I decided to finally try the ACV, which I believe I first read about here. I’ve been applying it every day since last Tuesday — some days just once, some days several times — and I didn’t notice any change at first. But today… this is Day Eight for me… I noticed one of the larger ones felt “scabby”. So I barely touched it — and the thing came right off! Excited, I tried with a few others; and they also came right off (admittedly with some “help” with my fingertip, though I’ll probably try gently scraping with a Q-tip later on). I’m thrilled that I now have at least six less SK’s; there are several that seem to be stubbornly unchanged, but with continued “treatment” I’m hopeful they’ll eventually go, too. I have to admit, I was skeptical at first; but this really does seem to work, so thank you so much!!
Hi, I went to see a dermatologist in the summer as I have been suffering frim sebhorric dermatitis for the past year, whils there I asked her about the ‘mole’ on my temple which has been there for many years and was becoming darker and more prominent. She said ‘oh that’s nothing’ just a SK and that I should not be concerned. I have always tried to hide it with my hair but was beginning to feel that it was noticeable and unsightly. I read your post about acv a couple of weeks back and decided to give it a go. I live in France and could not find the vinegar you have mentioned, so I bought Maille’s vinaigre de cidre ‘grande cuvée’ and it has worked like a dream! A few days after beginning the treatment, the sk looked angry and more prominent and then as the days passed, it remained prominent in the centre but reduced in size. A few days after that it was gone! Totally gone! It is such a pleasure to touch my temple and no longer feel it there and I look in the mirror and feel so much better! Now I can wear my hair however I like, once I get rid of this sebhorric dermatitis that it! I don’t suppose you have a cure for that too?????? Many thanks and warmest regards!
Wow, the ACV treatment actually did work! Color me impressed and so very pleased!
I had a benign Keratosis grow steadily on my temple over the course of about three months. It got to the point where it was not cute, and was actually getting sore and irritated on that part of my face. It must have been sitting right on a pressure point, because my temple was throbbing underneath. I have never had one of these, and finally rushed to the doctor as I thought it was something more sinister.
After being reassured that it was a harmless Keratosis, I was also informed that there is no treatment available for these since they are considered cosmetic. I would have to pay out of pocket to have someone remove it. My doctor told me that it should not be causing any headache or pain, and my discomfort was probably due to another issue.
So I went home and started researching alternate ways of treatment I had the Bragg’s ACV already at home, so I decided to try it. I soaked a cotton ball dipped in ACV, and plastered it over the lesion with a band-aid and left it there overnight. By the first morning, the lesion had turned white. I repeated this the next night, and it had turned black and was dry and scabby looking. After the third night, the lesion kind of just rubbed off after my morning shower when it was wet. And that was that!
It did however slightly burn the surrounding skin because the cotton ball was a little bigger than the lesion. It’s hard to get it exactly accurate so that it covers only the Keratosis. But that’s healed now too. A small price to pay. And the irritation and throbbing is now gone too!
And I am shocked that my doctor is not even allowed to recommend such an easy and quick treatment! They are only allowed to advise seeing a specialist, that I would have to pay for, if I wanted help with the Keratosis.
Since my older age is upon me (60), I’ve found that this problem is prominently effecting my life. I’ve had SK in several areas removed by my dermatologist. Now that it’s rearing it’s ugly face on my actual face I’ve been looking into your idea of DIY. Glory and grace it works it really does work. The only down side is time involved. I haven’t had the time away from the public to do it for a longer period of time required. I’m thinking fakeing illness. I’ll let you know of results. I’m very optimistic.
I have a rather large one on the right side of my face, my doctor confirmed what it was and confirmed that they are expensive to remove. Being retired, I googled home remedies and found ACV. I didn’t have any at home and was in the middle of bad weather but did have regular vinegar. OK, I improvised, used regular vinegar, taped cotton ball over the large one 2 days ago and it has gone from black to white already. I will take a picture of how large it is when I change bandage tomorrow and really wish there were a way to let all see the progress. If it works on the large on I will be repeating it on the small ones. Going out for ACV today, lol!
Yep this works. I removed 3, 2 from my face and one on my trunk, about 7 years ago, they did not come back. For those who have sensitive skin, I suggest painting the skin around the keratosis with oil (paint almond oil/baby oil whatever) on with a cotton tip) and then put a little cotton wool wad soaked with ACV over the keratosis and then a bandaid over the top. The oil stops the good skin from burning.
Thank you for the post! I too have many many. I am fighting them around five at a time. Its stingy and time consuming but I am determined to perservere!
I’m going to try to use ACV more consistently.
I’m thinking that dermatologists have much stronger acids available to them and perhaps ones that they could prescribe. I wonder why that’s not happening. Mine just said that Differerin over the counter might reduce the SK appearance. I think that’s azealiac (sp?) acid.
I’m wondering if salicylic acid used for warts might be stronger. If it comes down to finding the strongest acid, for best effect, I’d like to see what that would be, have all the available options to choose from.
Thanks for this very good piece and all the contributed posts.
I am currently using the ACV on my seborrheic keratosis. I am African American and my skin tone is chestnut brown, my SK’s are very dark and rough. I have two pretty nice size ones one both legs that are so embarrassing. F ok r the last couple of days I can see them shrink in size and even the bigger one started peeling off. I’m so excited. I’m 44 years old now but I have a severe case in my teen years where they were all over my legs and arms, plus they were huge.
Hi, thank you for writing this blog as there is little information i can find about removing SK with ACV. Currently, I am trying your method to get rid of quite a large SK on my scalp above my left ear. I have been dabbing pure ACV on it for 2weeks (some days more times than others) and i see little changing. I am feeling impatient, so I would like to do your suggestion of taping some soaked cotton wool to my head. But with my hair in the way i am not sure a plaster will stick. Any suggestions? And how long should i leave it stuck on, do you think?
mine was right in my hairline at the top of my forehead. If I remember correctly I taped it as best as I could and think I left it on overnight.
Iam 76 yearsof age ,came from the Uk to Spain 14 years ago ,fair skinned ,got S.K about seven years ago. Been to Dermotoligists and doctors ,have tried every cream they advised ,Hydrocortozones you name i have tried it no effect ,This one large SK on the hairline never moved,as i dont have any hair there it was i thought pretty obvious and i didnt like it. I came across this site and decided to try AP. C.V.
On Tuesday 25th june my A.C.V. arrived,started applying three times a day, i used it undiluted, at 76, time wasnt on my side . i was quite agressive at first used cotton wool pads , after four days it turned dark and scabbed,i then used the end of a cotton bud to apply still three times a day. twelve days later saturday 6th july
the scab came off and it is the final process of complete removal, iam amazed ,
The only question i would ask is this , the skin is still slightly rough where the scab came off would you continue to use it till that also
Mine also scabbed and eventually had a good size amount come off but the part left behind is also slightly rough and now I’m feeling like a round 2 is in order. I Don’t know whether to leave it alone and see if it continues to go away or start the ACV up again..
Iam 76 yearsof age ,came from the Uk to Spain 14 years ago ,fair skinned ,got S.K about seven years ago. Been to Dermotoligists and doctors ,have tried every cream they advised ,Hydrocortozones you name i have tried it no effect ,This one large SK on the hairline never moved,as i dont have any hair there it was i thought pretty obvious and i didnt like it. I came across this site and decided to try AP. C.V.
On Tuesday 25th june my A.C.V. arrived,started applying three times a day, i used it undiluted, . i was quite agressive at first used cotton wool pads , after four days it turned dark and scabbed,i then used the end of a cotton bud to apply . twelve days later saturday 6th july
the scab came off and it is the final process of complete removal, iam amazed ,
The only question i would ask is this , the skin is still slightly rough where the scab came off would you continue to use it till that also went
I apply coconut oil before using the ACV method for SK, and after washing off the ACV. It actually speeds up the removal and healing. Research now says these are Genetic. I have also tried 35% food grade peroxide, but prefer the ACV. Wish you luck. Glenda
Hi! I read your post, I was so excited to find it! I currently don’t have insurance but I noticed a spot on my hairline, it looked just like yours. I kind of started freaking out about it, but I knew an out of pocket visit to the dermatologist plus most likely a biopsy would be costly. After scouring the internet I was pretty certain this is what it was, and I also want to add that I kept a close eye on it and I didn’t notice any growth or significant changes that would signal something alarming. I found your post ad decided to give it a try. I did what you suggested, and I also soaked a gauze in apple cider vinegar and then covered it with bandages at night while I slept (my husband was not enjoying the vinegar smell, but he probably would have dealt with anything to hear me stop worrying and complaining about it). It has been about two weeks. At first it was the color of yours, skin color to a little pink bump. Then it started to scan, and over a few days the scan got bigger and darker, which didn’t look great but whatever. I slacked on the vinegar too. Last night I reapplied it again with a gauze and slept in it. Today I just happened to run my hands through my hair and the scan came completely off. I totally freaked and started to feel it and the bump was completely gone. It is still pink, but it is completely flat. I think/hope the light pink is just there from the scab coming off and it doesn’t come back! Anyways, I just wanted to say thanks for your post! You never know how much someone can appreciate posts like this and how helpful such a little home remedy can be! Now I’m wondering what else the apple cider vinegar can help with?!?! Thank you!
I type the word scab and apparently autocorrect keeps changing it to scan lol.
So when you put the AVC on it few times a day did you leave the acv on after each application or wash it off? Thanks.
Gut geschrieben. Echt toll. Danke.
About 5 years ago I had two seborrheic keratoses on opposite sides of my face, one larger than the other. My detmatologist diagnosed them as SK and said he could remove them but that the process would possibly scar me and they might come back anyway. So I tried organic ACV (applied with a q-tip) three times a day and used diluted tea tree oil in between ACV applications. Within a month they were both gone. Two days ago I felt one of them (the one that had been the larger of the two) returning….wasn’t discolored yet, but was a slightly raised area exactly the same shape as before. I immediately started the ACV/tea tree oil treatment….the returnee diminished considerably overnight and tonight (two nights later) is just a slightly rough spot. I will continue to use ACV/tea tree oil until it’s completely gone….I can hardly feel it right now. The tea tree oil I use is a roll on and the tea tree oil is diluted to 10 percent. Good luck to all….this is an amazingly effective answer to an ugly, unsightly problem.
Should the ACV be applied neat or diluted? Thanks!
I applied it neat 🙂
I soaked undiluted Braggs ACV in a cotton ball and taped it over my seborrheic keratosis on my face overnight and now it turned very black color the next day. It feels like a burnt scab and crusty. It doesn’t burn or hurts. Just feels like dead skin. Did I burn my SK ? What is going to happen now after I burned it? Will it heal on it’s own? How long will it take for the scabs to peel off?
Mine took a little longer before it scabbed up. I just kept at it though. Once it scabbed, I did keep up with the ACV. With mine the dark scab simply fell off a little bit at a time until it was gone.
I have been doing this for years and they never come back. I’m a caregiver and many of my clients have had seborrheic keratosis that I easily removed simply by soaking the pad of a bandaid with apple cider vinegar. Everyday I would take a cotton ball soaked with ACV and squeeze it onto the top of the bandaid that was over the seborrheic keratosis and just let it soak in. About a week to 10 days later, the seborrheic keratosis would just fall off. The skin beneath would be a little pinkish for a month or so but would eventually turn regular color. If you apply a piece of duck tape over it, it speeds up the process. Just like warts…. you must cut off the air supply and light to kill it. It works!!!
Thanks for sharing Diana, I don’t know why doctors don’t tell people this. Its so easy and non-invasive 🙂
I just started with ACV for my SK in back of my head, and a wart on my finger. Is it best to put a band aid over each one? Will I lose any hair using ACV on my scalp?
I didn’t use a band aid on mine, its not necessary, unless you wanted to put an ACV cotton ball soaked under the band aid on your finger (probably difficult on your head). The ACV itself won’t make you lose your hair. The SK will scab up a bit before it comes off, not sure if any of your hair would come off with a scab or not? If its not too big of a spot, I wouldn’t worry much about it.
Wow, thanks for the quick response.
Thanks for keeping people informed by commenting over the years.
You’ve helped many people.
I have been reading this thread for years but never took the plunge to do something f about my seborrheic wart on my cheekbone. It’s been there for 10 years or so and keeps growing. Started off as a dot and is now the side of an entire fingernail. I’ve started applying organic Bragg’s ACV today. Will post my results. I’ve been documenting it as a video and will upload it somewhere as a video if anyone is interested.
Thanks so much for this post.
I am very interested in seeing your results video.
Just want to share another ACV success story! I developed a good size, wart like (not dark in color) SK on my cheek last summer. It annoyed me and the thought of paying a dermatologist an excessive fee to remove it annoyed me more. I started putting Bragg’s ACV on it before bed several months ago (using a Q-tip). Last week it started peeling from the lower bottom and bleeding a bit. I doubled up on the application at night–applying ACV repeatedly and making sure I didn’t miss a night (I left it uncovered because I didn’t want to damage the surrounding skin with an adhesive as the ACV was already irritating the surrounding skin a little). It continued to loosen and begin to tear off and came off entirely last night (with help from a washrag & facial scrub). The surrounding skin is red and irritated, but Neosporin and a few days will heal it. The process took longer that I hoped, so don’t give up if you aren’t seeing results as quickly as you’d like! I know that SK’s often return, but now I’m ready to use ACV as soon as I see signs of another one brewing there!
Thanks for sharing!!
It does seem to take forever sometimes, but I think its worth it. And, I wrote this post in 2015 and mine is still gone so perhaps yours won’t come back at all either.
I used apple cider vinegar on a seborrheic keratosis on back of my head. Doctor said if he cryofreeze may burn scalp and leave a bald spot. So I did some research, applied 3x a day for 4weeks, all gone. AND my hair did not get destroyed. Worth it for me!!!
Awesome!
No one has added any comments in 2022 so hope this blog is still up and running. I enjoyed reading all the success stories. I started ACV September 27, 2022. I have a large bumpy one just inside my hairline. I can only apply 3x per day as I work. Will try more often on the weekends.
Still up and running. A little slower to reply at times though. I’d say just do it as often as you can, it will go away eventually. Sometimes you’ll find it will be days or weeks later, and it will just crumble off.
Thank you so much! I had a seborrheic keratosis growing on my cheek which was unsightly (I’m only 39) and my doctor said you can’t get rid of them – and even if you scrape them off they come back (she gets hers removed at a skin clinic for special occasions eg weddings). I already had some organic ACV for washing my hair, so I started applying it multiple times a day and overnight I applied it underneath one of those see-through circular spot/zit patches. After 2 weeks it was flat enough to apply make up over, and now after 4 weeks it is fading into nothing. I am so so grateful and impressed with this easy solution. Why does my doctor not know? Amazing.
Funny, I did this in the spring of 2014 and there is no sign at all of the one I got rid of using ACV.
Doctors seem to just know about medicine and surgery, very few actually seem to know about “healing”.
Can confirm this works. Applied cotton ball soaked in AVC held in place plaster for a couple of hours on Sunday. Took it off. It proceeded to go much darker. Applied another round for a couple of hours on Monday. Completely gone by Tuesday afternoon.
Wow, that’s really fast! Mine took a little longer than that, but I’m glad it worked for you. 💖