It's something 83 million people in America have: skin bumps
They may look like raised moles on your face or neck, but doctors say they're harmless. However, many people still want them off, and now there's a new way you can do that.
For Brenda Bruce, a trip to the dermatologist isn't new, but the procedure she’s getting is.
"I have a number of dark spots,” said Bruce.
Bruce has raised skin bumps. Meaning they're not moles, which could turn cancerous. They're just not something she wants to see.
"These particular ones are where, in my swimsuit, they show -- and they kind of bother me for that reason,” said Bruce.
Elizabeth Geddes-Bruce, a board-certified dermatologist at Westlake Dermatology, is using the first and only FDA-approved topical treatment for these skin bumps on Bruce.
"It's good to treat them because they can get quite large,” said Geddes-Bruce.
It's called ESKATA. It's basically a little pen, that uses a prescription-strength amount of hydrogen peroxide.
"The little tiny bubbles go into the legion and the cell walls, and then the cells die and it's gone,” said Geddes-Bruce.
Until now, doctors could only shave off the growths with a blade, use an electric needle to zap them, or, most commonly, freeze them with cryotherapy. That's what Bruce has used in the past.
"Tends to be a little painful for sure, as well as leaves a white scar spot,” said Bruce.
"So you're trading a bumpy growth for maybe a dark or light white circle,” said Geddes-Bruce.
But now, with this treatment, Geddes-Bruce said that's not the case. And Bruce said that's not the only benefit she sees.
"Surprised at how little pain there is compared to the kind I've had before,” said Bruce.
Geddes-Bruce said the skin bumps are common in adults.
“Everybody grows them just over time with age. We don't know the exact reason why they come, but we know that they're harmless,” said Geddes-Bruce.
She said they vary in size and color, but are often found on someone’s face, neck or chest.
"That's probably the most common areas that we see the spots and the ones that everyone wants to get rid of,” said Geddes-Bruce.
Geddes-Bruce said many patients do need a second treatment to get rid of the bump.
At this time, insurance doesn't cover the cost of the treatment. One tube runs about $350, but Geddes-Bruce said that can cover multiple raised skin bumps.