Actinic Keratosis
Description of Actinic Keratosis:
Actinic keratosis (also called solar keratosis, or AK) is a premalignant
condition of thick, scaly, or crusty patches of skin. It is more common in fair-skinned
people. It is associated with those who are frequently exposed to the sun, as it
is usually accompanied by solar damage. Since some of these pre-cancers progress
to squamous cell carcinoma, they should be treated.
When skin is exposed to the sun constantly, thick, scaly, or crusty bumps
appear. The scaly or crusty part of the bump is dry and rough. The growths start
out as flat scaly areas, and later grow into a tough, wart-like area.
An actinic keratosis site commonly ranges between 2 and 6 millimeters in size,
and can be dark or light, tan, pink, red, a combination of all these, or have
the same pigment as the surrounding skin. It may appear on any sun-exposed area,
such as the face, ears, neck, scalp, chest, backs of hands, forearms, or lips.
Specific Actinic Keratosis Information
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