| General
Illness Information |
Medical
Term: |
Keratosis,
Actinic |
|
Common Name: |
None Specified |
| Description: |
A
small area of sun-damaged skin that is pre-cancerous. It involves
skin of exposed areas, especially the scalp, face, ears, lips, arms
and hands.
|
| Causes: |
Prolonged
exposure to the sun's radiation.
|
| Prevention: |
Protect
yourself against direct sun exposure. When outdoors, wear a hat and
protective clothing. Use sunscreen lotions and creams with SPF
rating of 15 or more. Use sunscreens liberally and often.
|
| Signs
& Symptoms |
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Brownish
or reddish scaly patches on exposed areas of skin. The patches
are painless. The patches are poorly margined. They can be
distinguished from seborrheic keratoses by their appearance,
and that they are present only on the exposed areas of the
skin. | |
| Risk
Factors |
|
|
| Diagnosis & Treatment |
Diagnosis is by clinical examination and
history.
|
| General
Measures: |
 |
If only a few actinic keratoses
are present, cryotherapy (freezing with liquid nitrogen) is
the most rapid and satisfactory treatment. If there are too
many lesions to freeze, topical 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) applied
to the affected area nightly or twice per day for 2 to 4 wk
produces dramatic results. |
|
Laser resurfacing is another therapeutic
option. | |
| Medications: |
|
Only topical medications listed
above are necessary. | |
| Activity: |
|
No
restriction. | |
| Diet: |
|
No specific
diet. | |
| Possible
Complications : |
|
Skin cancer, if
untreated. | |
| Prognosis |
| Excellent with
treatment. There is a higher chance of
recurrence. | |
| Other |
|
|