Actinic keratosis
(Redirected from Keratosis)
| Actinic keratosis | |
|---|---|
| Synonyms | Solar keratosis, senile keratosis |
| Pronounce | |
| Specialty | Dermatology |
| Symptoms | Rough, scaly patch on the skin |
| Complications | Squamous cell carcinoma |
| Onset | |
| Duration | |
| Types | |
| Causes | Ultraviolet light exposure |
| Risks | Fair skin, immunosuppression, age |
| Diagnosis | Clinical diagnosis, biopsy |
| Differential diagnosis | Seborrheic keratosis, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma |
| Prevention | Sun protection, sunscreen |
| Treatment | Cryotherapy, topical chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy |
| Medication | 5-fluorouracil, imiquimod, diclofenac |
| Prognosis | Good with treatment |
| Frequency | Common in older adults |
| Deaths | N/A |
Actinic keratosis (AK), also known as solar keratosis, is a rough, scaly patch on your skin that develops from years of exposure to the sun. It's most commonly found on the face, lips, ears, back of your hands, forearms, scalp, and neck.
Causes[edit | edit source]
The primary cause of actinic keratosis is prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, either from sunlight or from tanning beds.
Symptoms[edit | edit source]
- Actinic keratoses start as thick, scaly, crusty skin patches. These patches are often less than 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) in diameter. They might be hard to see at first but are usually easier to feel. Other signs and symptoms include:
- Rough-textured skin
- Skin color changes
- Itching or burning in the affected area
Risk Factors[edit | edit source]
- Factors that increase your risk of actinic keratosis include:
- Having fair skin, blue or light-colored eyes, and blond or red hair
- Older age
- Chronic sun exposure
- History of sunburns
- Having a weak immune system
Treatment[edit | edit source]
- Treatment options for actinic keratosis include:
- Topical medications
- Cryotherapy (freezing the lesion with liquid nitrogen)
- Photodynamic therapy (a special light activates a chemical that kills the cells)
- Curettage (scraping off the lesion)
- Laser resurfacing
Prevention[edit | edit source]
To help protect yourself from developing actinic keratosis, minimize your sun exposure and protect your skin from UV radiation.
See Also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- "Actinic keratosis". Mayo Clinic.
- "Actinic Keratosis". American Academy of Dermatology Association.
- "Actinic Keratosis". American Cancer Society.
 | |
|---|---|
 |
 |
| Diseases of the skin and appendages by morphology | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Radiation-related disorders / Photodermatoses | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Skin cancer of the epidermis | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
|
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
| Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates, categories Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
