What is actinic keratosis?
Actinic Keratosis are small scaly spots on the skin. They sit on skin that is often in the Sun. For example on the face, the hands, the forearms or on a bald head. The spots are skin-colored, rose-red or light brown. They are a few millimeters to several centimeters in size. The spots feel rough.
Usually a doctor can see if a place an Actinic Keratosis. When in doubt they can take away some skin for research.
Some places are getting restless. They are red, they grow or there is a wound that heals. Even then your doctor examines a piece of your skin.
From Actinic Keratosis can cause skin cancer. You must always remove a place. These may include by freezing, scraping away, a cream with an anticancer or light therapy.
After the treatment you should protect your skin from the Sun. Check your skin regularly. You will get new spots? Make an appointment with your family doctor or skin doctor.
Actinic Keratosis is common in people over 40. Half of the fifty year olds has them. Especially people with fair skin are at risk to get the spots.
Another name for Actinic Keratosis is sunlight damage.
What causes actinic keratosis?
Actinic keratosis is caused by sunlight or light from the sun. Too much of this light will damage the skin cells. The skin cells can then no longer update. There is a layer of dead skin cells. This is called hardening (keratosis).
Who are more likely to actinic keratosis?
- People with light skin type.
- People who have lived long in the tropics.
- People who have long used drugs that suppress the immune system.
Actinic Keratosis Treatment
You must always remove Actinic Keratosis. That can be done in several ways:
- A cream with A vitamin A-like substance inside it. This treatment usually works only for starting spots.
- Freezing with liquid nitrogen. Freezing gives a painful, tingling sensation. This feeling pulls away quickly. Immediately after the freeze you will get a red swollen place. The place looks like a gall. One such place usually heals within two weeks. There is no patch on, air drying works best.
- A cream with an anticancer in it. Such a cream you will get if you have a lot of places. You need the cream once or twice a day thin in places. Where spots are formed superficial wounds. Then you still have 3 days continue with the cream. In total the treatment takes two to four weeks. After the skin heals without scarring. The spots often stay long gone.
- Other creams with drugs in it.
- Chemical peel. This is a treatment with acids.
- Light therapy. You get a cream on the actinic keratosis. A few hours later highlights the skin doctor the area with a special lamp. The abnormal cells go beyond death. This treatment can be very painful.
- Scrapes away the spots with a sharp spoon. You will receive a local anesthetic. Then Sears the doctor the blood vessels shut.
- Surgery. Sometimes it is necessary to cut away the entire place. You will receive a local anesthetic.