Seborrheic keratoses (or SKs) are harmless skin growths that tend to pop up as we age. They often look waxy, raised, or rough, and may appear on the chest, back, face, or scalp. Think of them like little stuck-on patches — often tan, brown, or even black.

While SKs aren’t dangerous, they can be irritating, itchy, or just not something you want on your skin forever. Many people choose to remove them for cosmetic reasons — or because they keep snagging on clothing.

At Cascade Medical Spa in Portland, we use gentle, advanced technology to remove seborrheic keratoses safely — with minimal trauma to the skin and no freezing, burning, or surgical scars.

At Cascade, we don’t use liquid nitrogen or harsh acids. Instead, we use Ellman RF — a cutting-edge radiofrequency technology that lets us remove seborrheic keratoses precisely and gently, with minimal damage to the surrounding skin.

This isn’t your average “burn it off and hope for the best” approach.
Here’s how it works:

• We apply a local anesthetic to keep you completely comfortable

• The Ellman RF device targets the lesion with pinpoint accuracy

• It vaporizes the growth layer by layer, without cutting or scarring

• Most clients are in and out in under 30 minutes

The result? Clearer, smoother skin with faster healing and virtually no visible trace left behind.

Whether it’s on your face, chest, or scalp, our method is designed to be effective, cosmetic-friendly, and tailored to your skin — not one-size-fits-all.

One of the biggest advantages of removing seborrheic keratoses with Ellman RF is how simple and easy the recovery is.

Here’s what the process looks like:

• No stitches, no downtime — most people return to work or daily activities the same day

• You may notice a tiny scab or pink spot where the growth was — that’s part of the normal healing

• Over the next 7–14 days, the area smooths out and blends naturally with your skin tone

• We’ll provide clear aftercare instructions to help minimize any chance of irritation or discoloration

Most importantly, there’s no harsh scarring, no aggressive burning, and no long-term skin damage — just a smoother, more even-looking result.

Have more than one spot? We can usually treat multiple growths in a single session.