Actinic Keratosis: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
They may want to take a skin biopsy of any lesions that look suspicious. A skin biopsy is the only foolproof way to tell if lesions have changed into SCC. Excision ensures the actinic keratosis has been completely removed, which should be confirmed by pathology.
When to see a doctor
Also known as a solar keratosis, an actinic keratosis grows slowly and usually first appears in people over 40. You can reduce your risk of this skin condition by minimizing your sun exposure and protecting your skin from ultraviolet (UV) rays. Actinic keratoses are rough, scaly, slightly raised papules on sun-damaged skin.
What are the symptoms of actinic keratosis?
Skin exams are recommended for patients who are frail and may find it hard to tolerate treatment. Some actinic keratoses may develop into a type of skin cancer. Treatment of an actinic keratosis requires removal of the defective skin cells. Epidermis regenerates from surrounding or follicular keratinocytes that have escaped sun damage.Some AKs will resolve with the frequent and appropriate use of sunscreens. An actinic keratosis often appears as a reddish spot (as shown here) that develops on skin you seldom protected from the sun over the years.
What is Seborrheic Keratosis?
This is a type of cancer that usually isn’t life-threatening mohs surgery for skin cancer if detected and treated early. An actinic keratosis (ak-TIN-ik ker-uh-TOE-sis) is a rough, scaly patch on the skin that develops from years of sun exposure. It’s often found on the face, lips, ears, forearms, scalp, neck or back of the hands. Often, people have several AKs in the same area of sun-damaged skin.
But because this risk is low, treatments are generally aimed at avoiding scars or other disfiguring marks as much as possible. If you have many AKs, it’s a good idea to be under a dermatologist’s care. Your skin has been severely damaged by UV light, so it’s likely you’ll continue get new AKs. Your dermatologist can watch for signs of new AKs and skin cancer.
