Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit organization. The material on this site is for informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment provided by a qualified health care provider. The vast majority of actinic keratosis cases occur when people have long-term exposure to sunlight, especially if they have a light skin tone that is prone to freckling. They are essentially very thin skin cancers that have not yet penetrated into deeper tissues. Your time with your health care provider is limited, so preparing a list of questions will help you make the most of your appointment. Rarely, it can spread to the dorsa of the . Does actinic keratosis come back after treatment? - TimesMojo They may itch or feel prickly, especially after sun exposure. With your arms raised, inspect both sides of your body making sure to examine your underarms. Actinic keratoses occur most frequently in fair-skinned people. CSANZ 2018 Annual Scientific Meeting, Brisbane: video highlights ESC 2017 Congress, Barcelona: video highlights ESC 2019 Congress, Paris: video highlights However, sometimes AKs may cause symptoms like: Due to their rough texture, AKs can also catch on scarves, hats, or masks. AskMayoExpert. Do you know which one? Lichenoid Keratosis (lichenoid keratosis, lichen planus-like keratosis) Actinic Keratosis Warning Signs - The Skin Cancer Foundation Your dermatologist will tell you how often to return for check-ups. 2005-2023 Healthline Media a Red Ventures Company. The patches are not usually serious. Duncan KO, Geisse JK, et al. This image displays multiple actinic keratoses on the face. An actinic keratosis (also known as a solar keratosis) is the most common skin condition caused by sun damage. When she's not writing, look for her out walking her dog or riding her bike in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley. If there's any doubt, your health care provider may do other tests, such as a skin biopsy. We see [actinic keratoses] more frequently on chronically sun-exposed areas like the face, forearms and the backs of the hands, said Dr. Laura Ferris. Actinic keratosis is an erythematous scaly papule or plaque that develops on sun-damaged skin as a result of chronic exposure to ultraviolet radiation, typically in elderly patients with lighter skin types. Sunscreen: How to protect your skin from the sun. The skin changes begin as flat and scaly areas. In cauterization, the lesion is burned with an electric current. Your body can heal some of the damage from the suns rays, but the effects of radiation accumulate with every exposure. Actinic keratosis lesions can appear on any part of your body regularly exposed to sun, but they frequently appear on the face. However, medical experts are still unaware of the mechanism by which these lethal virus triggers tumor growth. Have a look at some of the pictures of Actinic Keratosis for a better understanding. Limiting time in the sun helps prevent the formation of actinic keratoses. But if they are found and treated early, they do not have the chance to develop into skin cancer. Actinic keratoses are pre-cancerous, due to too much sun-exposure over years, which appear as small, scaly lesions that are rough to the touch. While using this medication, you must protect your treated skin from the sun. You cannot get this type of chemical peel at a salon or from a kit sold for home use. Cryotherapy is the most common treatment. Guorgis G, et al. When actinic keratoses are visible, they can show up in various ways, according to the AAD. Similarly, color variations range from light to dark with variations throughout the patches. Overview. Using this approach can reduce your risk of developing new AKs and possibly skin cancer. This condition is related to squamous cell carcinoma of the skin and is often described as a precursor or early form of squamous . After you finish treatment, youll see new, healthier skin. The sun constantly releases UV radiation, which, like most forms of radiation, isnt great for your skin. Limiting time in the sun helps prevent the formation of actinic keratoses. Prevention is very important. If 12 to 16 weeks is too long, you may be able to use the medication a bit differently. 2. This treatment freezes the lesion. People with fair skin are more likely to develop actinic keratoses on sun-exposed areas like the face, arms, hands, back of the neck, and upper chest. They may be oval spots a fraction of an inch across, or form long Christmas tree like . They are extremely common. Actinic keratosis: Pictures, causes, and prevention - Medical News Today The lesson learned here is just because a freezing chemical spray can cause a skin lesion to fall off, doesn't mean that there should necessarily be any dramatic changes in appearance (as there often is with actinic keratoses). These can include the face, ears, bald scalp, neck, backs of hands and forearms, and lips. In severely chronically sun-damaged individuals, they may also be found on the upper trunk, upper and . Laser surgery. Seborrheic keratoses are often mistaken as skin cancer. It can smooth out deep wrinkles and lines, but the results arent permanent. Its best to use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) rating of at least 30. Compared to the general public, people with actinic keratoses were: While many actinic keratoses pose no medical risk, theyre worth paying attention to, just in case one turns cancerous. Some AKs need more than one cryosurgery treatment before they fall off. Quaedvlieg PJF, et al. After the completion of treatment, patients must avoid exposure to sun or fluorescent light for two days to prevent complications. Wear protective clothing: Cover your . Youll sit in the office with this on your skin for about 60 to 90 minutes. https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/BuyingUsingMedicineSafely/UnderstandingOver-the-CounterMedicines/ucm239463.htm. Actinic keratoses can be removed surgically by cutting, freezing (cryosurgery), or burning. There are many options for the treatment of disseminated superficial actinic porokeratosis, including topical diclofenac, photodynamic therapy (PDT), 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), imiquimod, vitamin D analogs, retinoids, and lasers. This is actually one of the most common conditions that dermatologists diagnose and treat, so these doctors have a lot of experience with AKs. The condition typically occurs on the scalp and back of the hands. They come in many colors: red, pink, gray, or a slightly darker shade of your skin color. Jill Biden and Skin Cancer: What to Know About Risks, Screenings, and Surgery, Basal Cell Carcinoma of the Nose: Types, Identification, and Treatment, Skin Cancer: New Moderna Vaccine Shows Promise for Melanoma Treatment, Glycemic Index: What It Is and How to Use It. So in my case, it took four weeks on the dot. 6th ed, pp. For the next 2 weeks, youd give your skin a break. Actinic keratoses, also known as solar keratoses, are small rough or scaly areas of skin due to damage from sun exposure. Actinic keratosis is often referred to as a pre-cancer, and when left untreated, these skin lesions can develop into skin cancer. I see them multiple times a day in my office, said Dr. Allison Arthur, a dermatologist and dermatopathologist at Sand Lake Dermatology Center in Orlando, Florida, and a member of the American Academy of Dermatology. RF 2CBAP9F . It tends to lie flat against the skin of the head and neck, but appears as a bump on arms and hands. The base of an actinic keratosis may be light or dark, tan, pink, red, or a combination of these. . This image displays an actinic keratosis in an unusual location, the side of the finger. Cryotherapy is often used to treat skin lesions. Thisparticular version of keratosis is characterized by circumscribed, firm, scaling plaques with rich supply of inflammatory cells beneath the skin. What is actinic keratosis? For actinic keratoses, some basic questions to ask include: Questions your health care provider may ask you include: Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. A real-world, community-based cohort study comparing the effectiveness of topical fluorouracil versus topical imiquimod for the treatment of actinic keratosis. J Am Acad Dermatol 2018;78:710-6. Accessed Dec. 23, 2020. There are certain herbalremedies like green tea and milk thistle that help in alleviating the painful symptoms of this condition. Here's how to tell them apart. In many cases, its not easy to tell which lesions will become cancerous and which will stay benign. Sometimes it looks scabby or wart-like. The treatment that is right for you depends on several considerations, including: Your other medical conditions, such as living with a transplanted organ. Learn. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our. Actinic keratosis: Diagnosis and treatment - American Academy of Those who have had a lot of sun exposure in their youth are at a high risk as well. Removing actinic keratoses helps reduce the risk of skin cancer. Heres how long botox tends to last. Post-treatment, patients must go for annual check-up to make sure that the problem does not recur or the minute lesions are not growing bigger. Freedberg, Irwin M., ed. Later, they may become hard and wart-like or gritty and . It is characterized by abnormal premature keratinization within individual or groups of cells below the stratum corneum. Last medically reviewed on December 5, 2022. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, sun exposure is a major factor in the development of actinic keratosis. Some AKs look and feel inflamed. The goal is to get the AK to fall off after a few days. (2020). When you see a board-certified dermatologist about AKs, your dermatologist will: Ask questions about your health, medications, and symptoms. Actinic keratosis can sometimes turn cancerous, so its important to monitor and treat these spots when you find them. Symptom checkers like Aysa can help narrow down possible skin conditions by analyzing a skin photo. What Does Skin Cancer Look Like? - Verywell Health Natalie tried many acne products without success. The forearm is a very common area for sun damage and actinic keratoses. Your doctor may be able to diagnose AK simply by looking at it. Chemical peel: This is a medical-grade chemical peel used to destroy the top layers of skin. Steeb T, et al. Actinic keratosis (AK), sometimes called solar keratosis or senile keratosis, is a pre-cancerous area of thick, scaly, or crusty skin. Actinic keratoses are lesions in the outer skin layer caused by too much exposure to the ultraviolet rays of sunlight. Answer C is an essential feature of actinic keratosis as it has well established its link in the development of squamous cell carcinoma either in the classical or differentiated pathways. While the rough, gritty scale of actinic keratoses is sometimes easier to feel than see, it can also be very obvious to the naked eye as with this lesion on the forehead. Actinic keratosis: Signs and symptoms - American Academy of Dermatology Laser resurfacing: This may be a treatment option for actinic cheilitis, a precancerous growth on the lip. However, they can be felt by stroking the skin. The size of actinic keratosis varies from tiny to an inch or more in diameter. The sun-exposed areas of the face, scalp (where balding), ears, neck, forearms, and backs of the hands are most commonly affected with actinic keratoses, but any skin area frequently exposed to sun can be involved. The growths may be gray, pink, red, or the same color as your skin. Several different kinds of actinic keratosis treatment exist. LK occurs almost always as a solitary skin growth; however, two or three lesions can occasionally be present. A few basic tips to prevent actinic keratosis include: Even if you already have a few spots, preventing future actinic keratoses can still lower your cancer risk. Some people need a check-up once or twice a year. During the test, examiners usually detect these lesions on sun-exposed areas of the skin like bare scalp, face and hands. They are believed to form when skin gets damaged by UV . Actinic keratosis treatment depends on a few factors, according to the AAD: You can have actinic keratosis treated in a dermatologists office, or you can treat them at home. A dermatologist or other doctor can help diagnose these spots and recommend the best treatment plan for your needs. Excision involves cutting the lesion from the skin. This type of keratosis appears only in areas that are sun-exposed especially the face and neck. These can include the face, ears, bald scalp, neck, backs of hands and forearms, and lips. This freezes the cells upon contact and kills them. Actinic keratosis is a rough, scaly patch or bump on the skin. They typically feel like sandpaper. It feels thick and flaky, almost like a scab that never quite heals. Cutaneous horns are much more likely to become cancerous than other types of actinic keratosis, so if you have one of these on your face, a dermatologist should examine it right away. Actinic keratosis is often caused by sun damage and results in scaly or crusty skin growths. It should block both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) light. Carbon dioxide or Er:YAG lasers can repair the sun damaged skin in a short span of time. Actinic keratosis is usually found on the face, scalp, back of the hands, chest, or places that are often in the sun. In a few instances, inflammatory cells permeate the epidermal layer and exhibit actinic elastosis, in which accumulation of elastin occurs in the dermis. Most people who have AKs (or think they may have an AK) see a dermatologist. Similarly, the following conditions are also segregated from the pre-cancerous disorder: Further progression of thedisorder should be stopped, as the lesion is still in the premalignant stage. You can also develop keratoses along the rim of your ear. With your back to the mirror and holding a hand mirror, inspect the back of your body, including the back of your neck, shoulders, legs, and buttocks. Photodynamic therapy: This may be recommended for a patient who continues to get new AKs or has AKs that return after treatment. The epidermis, which is the upper or outer layer of the skin, is made up of flat, scale-like cells.