Solar Keratosis - Symptoms & Treatment

An actinic keratosis also known as a solar keratosis, is a scaly or crusty bump that arises on the skin surface. It occur most frequently in fair-skinned people. It is most likely to appear on the face, scalp, back of the neck, upper chest, forearm and back of the hand. Actinic Keratoses are formed in the epidermis. They are also known as Solar Keratoses. They are usually reddish in color and often have a white scale on top. It is a precancerous skin growth that occurs on sun-damaged skin often looks like a red scaly patch and feels like "sandpaper". Solar keratoses generally measure in size between 2 to 6 millimeters in diameter (between the size of a pencil point to that of an eraser). They are usually reddish in color and often have a white scale on top. In addition to feeling rough, actinic keratoses may feel sore or painful when fingers or clothing rub against them. Solar keratosis is the name given to a pre-cancerous skin change produced by sunlight exposure. Pre-cancerous means that if solar keratoses are left untreated, then after many years they may develop into a cancer. It usually occurs in the elderly. In people who have lived in tropical areas or who work outdoors, it may occur at a much earlier age. Keratoses occur in areas of maximum sun exposure. This includes the face (and the scalp in bald men), the tops of the ears and backs of the hands. In manual workers, and people who regularly use sunbeds or who have repeated sun exposure, they may occur on the body as well.

A solar keratosis is a small, rough, bump which develops on the skin. It is caused by a lot of exposure to the sun over many years. One or more may develop. It is sometimes called an actinic keratosis. They are considered precancerous. They appear as multiple flat or thickened, scaly or warty, skin coloured or reddened lesions. A keratosis may develop into a cutaneous horn. They are very common on sites repeatedly exposed to the sun especially the backs of the hands and the face, most often affecting the nose, cheeks, upper lip, temples and forehead. On the lips they are often called actinic cheilitis . They are especially common in fair-skinned persons or those who have worked outdoors for long periods without skin protection. Sun-damaged skin is also dry, discoloured and wrinkled.

Causes of Solar Keratosis

Find common causes and risk factors of Solar Keratosis :

• Extensive exposure to specific industrial chemicals such as arsenic may also cause actinic keratosis .
• Ionizing radiation such as radiotherapy may also increase of skin cancers.
• Mostly seen in pale-skinned, fair-haired, light-eyed people due to their sensitivity to the sunlight.
• A person with a weak immune system is more prone to the disease.

Signs and Symptoms of Solar Keratosis

Sign and symptoms may include the following :

• Rough and dry textured skin lesion .
• Flat to slightly raised, scaly patches on the top layer of your skin .
• Lesions on your skin ranging in color from pink to red to brown, or flesh-colored .

Treatment for Solar Keratosis

Treatment may include:

• Topical medications are also effective in completely eradicating solar keratosis.
• 5-Flurouracil (5-FU) cream may be a useful option for the treatment of the disease.
• Lasers, chemical peels,chemotherapy creams and dermabrasion.
• Patient administered cream that triggers an immune response.
• Treatment is done by freezing the affected tissue with liquid nitrogen with a special spray device or with cotton piece.