Solar keratosis; Sun-induced skin changes - keratosis; Keratosis - actinic (solar)

Because about 5% of actinic keratoses go on to develop into squamous cell skin cancer, have them examined promptly. Follow your health care provider's advice for treatment.

Growths may be removed by:

• Burning (electrical cautery)
• Scraping away the lesion and using electricity to kill any remaining cells (caled curettage and electrodesiccation)
• Cutting the tumor out and using stitches to place the skin back together (called excision)
• Freezing (cryotherapy, which freezes and kills the cells)

When many actinic keratoses are found, treatments that cause irritation and redness over a larger area are used:

• A laser treatment called photodynamic therapy
• Chemical peels
• Creams such as 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and imiquimod

Actinic keratosis itself is harmless ( benign), but about 5% develop into skin cancer.

Removal of the growth is usually effective.

• Irritation and discomfort of the skin growth
• Scarring from the treatment
• Squamous cell carcinoma

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if areas of persistent roughness or scaliness develop in sun-exposed skin.

Images

Actinic keratosis - close-up

Actinic keratosis on the forearms

Actinic keratosis on the arm

Actinic keratosis on the scalp

Actinic keratosis - ear

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Actinic keratosis Symptoms

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Actinic keratosis Prevention

Review Date: 10/08/2010
Reviewed By: Linda Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by Kevin Berman, MD, PhD, Atlanta Center for Dermatologic Disease, Atlanta, GA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)