Overview
An actinic keratosis (ak-TIN-ik ker-uh-TOE-sis) is a rough, scaly patch on the skin that develops from years of sun exposure. It’s often found on the face, lips, ears, forearms, scalp, neck or back of the hands.
Actinic keratosis
Actinic keratoses are scaly spots or patches on the top layer of skin. With time they may become hard with a wartlike surface.
Also known as a solar keratosis, an actinic keratosis grows slowly and usually first appears in people over 40. You can reduce your risk of this skin condition by minimizing your sun exposure and protecting your skin from ultraviolet (UV) rays.
Left untreated, the risk of actinic keratoses turning into a type of skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma is about 5% to 10%.
Symptoms
Actinic keratoses vary in appearance. Symptoms include:
- Rough, dry or scaly patch of skin, usually less than 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) in diameter
- Flat to slightly raised patch or bump on the top layer of skin
- In some cases, a hard, wartlike surface
- Color variations, including pink, red or brown
- Itching, burning, bleeding or crusting
- New patches or bumps on sun-exposed areas of the head, neck, hands and forearms
When to see a doctor
It can be difficult to distinguish between noncancerous spots and cancerous ones. So it’s best to have new skin changes evaluated by a health care provider — especially if a scaly spot or patch persists, grows or bleeds.
