Dermatosis Papulosa Nigra (DPN)

Seborrheic Keratoses

Dermatosis Papulosa Nigra

  • Are tiny 1 mm to 3 mm areas of thickened skin which can develop anywhere on the skin’s surface
  • Are commonly known by their short form “DPN”
  • Are NOT cancerous and NEVER develop into a skin cancer
  • May be brown or black in colour and may be flat or raised
  • Are NOT due to diet or sun damage
  • Often appear as the skin matures
  • Are NOT contagious
  • May get gradually larger with time and do not disappear spontaneously
  • Are most commonly seen in people with Asian or African ancestry
  • Are a type of Seborrheic Keratosis, which is a harmless spot that appears as the skin mature

Small DPN (under 1 mm diameter)

  • Each spot is lightly touched with a fine electrical instrument (electrocautery)
  • The treatments sting or feel hot to the touch, but this only lasts a few seconds
  • There is no bleeding and no stitches required
  • The DPN will turn grey-white in colour, and normally form small crusts for about one week
  • The treated area may remain sore for 1 to 2 hours
  • You should apply an antibiotic ointment nightly to the treated areas until they are healed
  • A bandage is not necessary
  • You may bathe normally
  • The skin should be healed within 7 to 10 days
  • You may notice residual pink marks, which will gradually fade
  • After the removal, there may be a residual white mark
  • There is a small chance that the DPN could grow back, although it is normal to develop new lesions over time

Large DPN (greater than 1 mm diameter)

  • The skin adjacent to the lesions is injected with a local anesthetic to numb the area
  • The DPN is removed and the base treated with electrocautery
  • There is no bleeding and no stitches required
  • The treated areas form small crusts for about one week, this is normal.
  • The treated area may remain sore for 1 to 2 hours after the anesthetic wears off
  • You should apply an antibiotic ointment nightly to the treated areas until they are healed
  • A bandage is not necessary
  • You may bathe normally
  • The skin should be healed within 7 to 10 days
  • You may notice residual pink marks, which will gradually fade
  • After the removal, there may be a residual white mark
  • There is a small chance that the DPN could grow back, although it is normal to develop new lesions over time
  • There is no cream at this time that will remove dermatosis papulosa nigra
  • Treatment of dermatosis papulosa nigra is not covered by OHIP or private health insurance
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If you would like to learn more:

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