Please select from the list of medical conditions from the below drop-down list:

• Acne
• Actinic Keratosis
• Albinism
• Alopecia (Baldness)
• Athletes Foot
• Atopic Dermatitis
• Birthmarks
• Cheilitis
• Cold Sores
• Eczema
• Hair Loss
• Hemangioma
• Herpes
• Hyperhidrosis
• Melanoma
• Melasma
• Onychomykosis (Nail Fungus)
• Port Wine Stain
• Psoriasis
• Seborrhea
• Seborrheic Keratosis
• Skin Cancer
• Skin Checks
• Skin Tags
• Vitiligo
• Warts

Actinic Keratosis

What is an actinic keratosis?

An actinic keratosis (AK), also known as a solar keratosis, is a small, rough spot occurring on skin that has been chronically exposed to the sun. Actinic keratoses generally measure in size between 2 to 6 millimeters in diameter (between the size of a pencil point to that of an eraser). They are usually reddish in color and often have a white scale on top.

In addition to feeling rough, actinic keratoses may feel sore or painful when fingers or clothing rub against them.

Who is at risk for an actinic keratosis?

Those who develop actinic keratoses tend to be fair-skinned people who have spent a lot of time outdoors at work or at play over the course of many years. Their skin often becomes wrinkled, mottled, and discolored from sun exposure.

Where on the body do actinic keratoses typically occur?

Common locations for actinic keratoses are the face, scalp, back of the neck, upper chest, as well as the tops of the hands and forearms. Men are more likely to develop AKs on top of the ears, whereas women's hairstyles often protect this area.

What is the significance of an actinic keratosis?

Actinic keratoses are precancerous (premalignant), which means they can develop into skin cancer. However, relatively few of them actually become cancers, a process that typically takes years. When a malignant change does occur, the cancer is called a squamous cell carcinoma.

It takes many years or even decades for these keratoses to develop. Typically, the predisposing sun exposure may have occurred many years prior. Short periods of sun exposure do not generally either produce AKs or transform them into skin cancers. Prevention is by minimizing sun exposure and using sunscreen.

How is an actinic keratosis diagnosed?

Most of the time, doctors can diagnose an actinic keratosis just by examining it. If the AK is especially large or thick, a biopsy may be advisable to make sure that the spot in question is just a keratosis and has not become a skin cancer. Treatments include freezing them with liquid nitrogen, cutting them away, burning them or putting 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) on them. Epionce is also an effective treatment for treating AK's.

There are other spots, called seborrheic keratoses, that are not caused by sun exposure and have no relationship to skin cancers. These are raised brown lesions that can appear on all areas of the skin.