Volume 29, Issue 163, September 2025

Literature Review of Stucco Keratosis - Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Management StrategiesLiterature Review of Stucco Keratosis - Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Management Strategies

Danuta Borowska^1♦, Julia Urbańska¹, Kamil Nieczaj¹, Julia Sztubińska¹, Marta Urszula Marciniak¹, Marta Tortyna¹, Natalia Sioch¹, Julia Krotofil¹, Paula Szarek², Olga Samsel¹, Maciej Trzciński¹, Wojciech Modzelewski³

¹Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, M. Skłodowskiej-Curie 3a Street, 80-210 Gdańsk, Poland
²Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Collegium Medicum of the University of Zielona Góra, 28 Zyta Street, 65-046 Zielona Góra, Poland
³Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, 61 Żwirki i Wigury Street, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland

^♦Corresponding author
Danuta Borowska, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, M. Skłodowskiej-Curie 3a Street, 80-210 Gdańsk, Poland

ABSTRACT

Stucco keratosis is a benign, asymptomatic skin condition characterized by small, white-to-gray papules, typically observed on the lower extremities of older adults. It is a relatively common dermatological finding in elderly populations, especially in males. Nonetheless, it remains under-declared in the literature, with limited consensus regarding its etiology, pathogenesis, and optimal management. The clinical importance of stucco keratosis is questionable, including its potential misdiagnosis as other keratotic lesions, such as seborrheic keratoses or actinic keratoses. Furthermore, data on effective outcomes and rates of recurrence are limited. This review aims to summarise current evidence in order to clarify diagnostic criteria and examine the range of interventions. It also synthesizes and critically appraises the existing literature on stucco keratosis in terms of epidemiology, clinical features, differential diagnosis, and treatment approaches. There are no existing systematic reviews addressing this topic, which underscores the need for a comprehensive summary. This systematic review includes case reports, observational studies, clinical trials, clinico-pathological studies, molecular studies, and reviews related to stucco keratosis. Data from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases on incidence, diagnostic accuracy, intervention efficacy, and recurrence have been extracted and narratively synthesized. A better understanding of stucco keratosis may help dermatologists differentiate it from clinically similar lesions and select appropriate management strategies, particularly in elderly patients. Findings from this review can support future research and clinical guidelines.

Keywords: stucco keratosis, keratosis alba, seborrheic keratosis, elderly dermatology

Medical Science, 2025, 29, e180ms3630

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v29i163.e180ms3630

Published: 27 September 2025