Warts are skin growths that are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). There are more than 60 kinds of HPV, some of which tend to cause warts on the skin. HPV stimulates quick growth of cells on the skin’s outer layer. In most cases, common warts appear on the fingers, near the fingernails, or on the hands. Certain types of HPV can also cause warts to appear in the genital area.

A seborrheic keratosis is a common noncancerous skin growth. People tend to get more of them as they get older. Seborrheic keratoses are usually brown, black or light tan. The growths look waxy, scaly and slightly raised. They usually appear on the head, neck, chest or back.

Moles are growths on the skin that are usually brown or black. Moles can appear anywhere on the skin, alone or in groups.

Most moles appear in early childhood and during the first 25 years of a person’s life. It is normal to have between 10-40 moles by adulthood.

A keloid scar is an enlarged, raised scar that can be pink, red, skin-coloured or darker than the surrounding skin.

They can develop after very minor skin damage, such as an acne spot or a piercing, and spread beyond the original area of skin damage.

Milia are small, bump-like cysts found under the skin. They are usually 1 to 2 millimeters (mm) in size. They form when skin flakes or keratin, a protein, become trapped under the skin. Milia most often appear on the face, commonly around the eyelids and cheeks, though they can occur anywhere.