Seborrhoeic warts

They appear slowly, almost casually. Small, flesh-coloured or brownish elevations on the skin that grow darker and rougher over time. Seborrhoeic warts — also called age warts — usually appear from midlife onward, sometimes individually, sometimes in whole clusters. Medically they are considered harmless. No virus, no cancer, no cause for concern. Dermatology treats them when they are bothersome, through cryotherapy, laser, or surgical removal. And that's that.

But BodySignal asks further: Why does your skin form something that looks like a protective wall? Why does something grow on your surface that feels like a crust — like a layer that wants to cover, conceal, shield something?

Seborrhoeic warts are no threat. But they are a statement. A statement about what you show of yourself — and what you don't.