Areca palm scale?

Hi All

Can anyone confirm my theory? This is scale right? Or am i going mad lol
Just picked this up from someone and seems to be suffering a little.

 

I don't think it is. You do mean the dark coloured mottling don't you?

 

Hi, thanks your reply. Yes. I rubbed at it a little with a neem oil treat the other night and some of it came off so thats why i was leaning towards it. Haven't tried rubbing alcohol yet. I don't usually keep palms so im not familiar with them.

 

I think its just how the stems grow, they get a kind of brown material left on the stems as they elongate.

 

ok thats good to know, appreciated