Sun exposure is causing a slew of skin problems in this era. Actinic Keratosis or AK is one of them. It is quite widespread among the people in the United States. Millions of people are suffering from it.
In Addition, Actinic Keratosis or Solar keratosis both can use to describe precancerous cells or papules which cause because by sun exposure. This can happen anywhere in your body.
Actinic Cheilitis refers to AKs that develop on the lips. If you are experiencing this, You can visit our comprehensive blog on the Actinic Cheilitis.
In this Blog, we will cover the ultimate guide to Actinic Keratosis skin. You will find 5 W and 1 H. Therefore, scroll down to get all of the answers.
Keratosis
Term keratosis may appear new to many people, but we are here to get ourselves educated about it. Thus, Let’s understand the meaning of it
What actually actinic keratosis is?
On the very smooth ground, it is commonly a skin condition where the patient finds rough, dry, craggy, or scaly patches on the surface of the skin.
Usually, these patches are in the form of tiny bumps but they are not painful.
What is Solar keratosis?
People may think Solar Keratosis Skin and actinic keratosis are two different conditions, but let me clear this thing to my audience. These are not apart in fact actinic keratosis is also termed as Solar keratosis.
Now it becomes clear that here Sun has some vital importance in this particular condition. Sun damage causes skin damage, and UV rays are the prime cause of actinic keratosis.
Observed affected body parts may include;
- Thighs
- Cheeks
- Face
- Lips
- Ears
- Forearms
- Scalp
- Neck
- Back of the hands
Why does it happen?
As we know the growth of hair on the human body is quite a natural phenomena. Every hair growth comes out of a pore which we called a hair follicle. We have numberless hair follicles on our bodies. When the dead skin cells block these follicles we get these bumps on our skin.
Is actinic Keratosis a Cancer?
According to Sean R. Christensen, Ph.D., a Yale Medicine dermatologic surgeon, about 90% of this type of skin does not turn into the state of cancer, but still, the very minute percentage remains at risk to become cancer.
Should you worry about it?
Well! these craggy parches are not life-threatening and if you see your doctor as soon as you find them and get an early treatment then they do not turn into skin cancer.
Now let’s proceed towards the treatment!
What is the actinic keratosis treatment?
The very first thing that comes along the way of actinic keratosis treatment is Cryotherapy.
What is Cryotherapy?
It refers to the use of low temperatures in medical therapy, either locally or generally, which is highly recommended in many burnt skin conditions.
It is possible to remove it by freezing them with liquid nitrogen. Your consultant applies the preferred substance to the damaged skin growth. As your skin starts to heal, the affected cells slough off which allows the new skin cells to appear.
Most of the time people try to scratch the dull skin as its treatment but it gradually grows again. The thing that needs to be done is to see your dermatologist.
Other actinic keratosis treatment ways are,
- Use of prescribed ointments
- Surgery to cut the affected skin (In particular conditions)
- Use of a method named photodynamic therapy (PDT), where the special ointment is applied to the patches and a light is shone onto them to kill abnormal skin cells.
Things to avoid further damage,
- Proper use of Sunblocks and sunscreens having the proper amount of SPF to form an effective layer on your skin against the UV rays.
- Try to wear clothes that completely cover your body to avoid sun exposure.
- Avoid using sunbeds because they can also cause skin damage.
- Moreover, stay under shades especially during the afternoon when the UV rays are at their peak.
Final Thoughts
Sometimes it is necessary to perform skincare in order to avoid skin diseases. You are here which means you are aware of what actinic keratosis is and the difference between solar keratosis skins. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms, you can follow the above-given actinic keratosis treatment.
Not only actinic keratosis but there are a lot of other skin diseases as well. If you don’t know how and what to do for skin care then Easy Peasy Skincare has your cover.