What is Actinic keratosis?

Actinic keratosis can be defined as some skin condition that features rough, scaly patches onto the skin of the face, lips and ears, back of the hands and forearms, scalp and neck. Generally, the causative factor is frequent or intense exposure to UV (ultraviolet rays), typically that that come from the sun.

Many healthcare providers consider Actinic keratosis to be precancerous stage since it can then turn into skin cancer. In look, it is a small, rough spot occurs on skin that has been chronically exposed to the sunrays. Actinic keratoses is normally measured in size between 2 to 6 mm in diameter (ranging from the size that of pencil point to a medium sized eraser!). The condition is reddish in color and often has a white scale on top. In addition to featuring rough, Actinic keratoses might feel sore or painful when the fingers or even apparels rub against them.

Actinic keratoses is also known as solar keratoses that grow gradually and generally cause no signs or symptoms otherwise patches or small spots onto the skin. These lesions may take years to appear, generally first appearing in older adults. If they are left untouched/treated, about 2% to 5%t of Actinic keratoses turn into a serious form of skin carcinogenic condition known as squamous cell carcinoma.

However, one can reduce the risks of getting actinic kenoseratosis by minimizing the sun exposure and protecting the skin from ultraviolet rays.

The people at risk of Actinic keratosis

The people who develop Actinic keratoses tend to be fair-skinned public who have spent a lot of time outdoors at work or playing outdoor games over the course of many years. This means, field workers are more susceptible to suffer from this. Their skin often becomes creased, mottled, and discolored due to over sun exposure.

What sites of the body Actinic keratoses typically appear?

There are many sites. However, common locations include face, scalp, back of the neck, upper portion of the torso, as well as the tips of the hands and forearms. Men are more susceptible to develop the condition on the top of the ears since women's hairstyles frequently protect this area from the sunrays.

Risk factors for Actinic keratoses

One is most likely to develop Actinic keratosis if he or she has one or more of these risk factors:

• If there is any history of frequent or intense sunray exposure or sunburns
• If one has pale skin
• If one has blond or red hair, particularly when coupled with green, hazel or blue eyes
• If there is a tendency freckling or burning while being exposed to sunlight
• In case, if person has weak immune system due to any reason such as chemotherapy, chronic leukemia, AIDS or post organ-transplant medicines

How the condition is diagnosed?

Most of the time, healthcare professionals diagnose Actinic keratosis just by examining the condition. If that features large or thick, a biopsy might be advised to make sure that the spot doubtful is just a keratosis and has not turned to any skin cancer.

There are several spots known as seborrheic keratoses those are not caused by sunray exposure and have no relationship with any skin cancer. These are raised brown lesions that do not come out only onto the areas of the skin which are exposed to the sun. such lesions also run in families.

How Actinic keratosis is treated?

The best treatment for this condition is prevention. For individuals with fair complexion, should minimize their sun exposure. By the time the condition develops, however, the relevant radiation is generally so far in the past that responsible preventive measurements play very small role. As the luck would have it, treatment methods are generally simple and straightforward including Cryosurgery, 5-fluorouracil creams, photodynamic therapy, c hemical peeling, and scraping (curettage) or laser therapy retinoids and dermabrasion.