Psoriasis Healing and Treatment Options: a blog about the different types of psoriasis and its treatments.
Actinic keratosis is a skin condition that occurs when the skin cells grow out of control. They can occur anywhere on your body, but they’re most common on areas that are exposed to the sun, such as your face, lips, ears, neck, scalp, forearms, and back of your hands.
Actinic keratoses may look like warts or small scaly spots. They vary in size and color. They can be rough or smooth. You may have just one lesion or many(hundreds). Over time they may become raised or crusty. They may itch or cause a burning sensation. If you have a lot of lesions you’re at risk for developing skin cancer.
Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease that causes scaling and inflammation. About 7.5 million Americans have psoriasis, including about 20,000 children. Psoriasis affects all races and both sexes equally. It tends to appear between the ages of 15 and 35; however, it can develop at any age.
Psoriasis is a noncontagious disease that most often affects the knees, elbows, scalp, palms, and soles of the feet. In some people it can also affect the fingernails, toenails, genitals, inside the mouth, and soft tissues such as the eyes or inside the nose.
There are five types of psoriasis: Plaque (the most common form), Guttate (small, drop-like spots), Inverse (found in skin folds), Pustular (small white blisters surrounded by red skin) and Erythrodermic (widespread reddening of the skin).
Actinic keratosis (AK) is a condition of rough, scaly patches on the skin. They are caused by years of exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun and often appear on sun-exposed areas like the head, neck, hands, and arms. AKs can sometimes turn into squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), which is a type of skin cancer.
There may be more than one AK patch in an area, but they are always found on sun-damaged skin. AKs may be hard or soft, crusted or smooth. They may feel like sandpaper or hurt when touched. They range in color from pink to flesh-toned to brown or black. They can also change size and shape over time.
Actinic keratosis is a skin condition that can be seen in people of all ages, but tends to affect older individuals the most. It is caused by overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) light. This can result from tanning beds, sun lamps, or spending too much time in the sunlight. Actinic keratosis also contributes to an increased risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma, particularly in people with fair or light-colored skin.
Most frequently appearing on the face, ears and forearms, actinic keratosis usually begins as a small bump on the skin’s surface. The bump may feel rough and is often scaly or dry. At first, it may be very small and only appear slightly red or pink in color. Eventually, the area may grow larger and become more noticeable as it develops a raised texture and thickened appearance. Actinic keratosis can appear either singly or in groups.
There are several treatment options for actinic keratosis that include prescription medication, freezing the affected area and surgical removal of the growths. Each treatment option has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it is important to discuss the best course of action with a dermatologist before choosing a method of treatment.
The most common treatments
Actinic keratosis is a rough, dry, scaly patch on the skin that develops from years of exposure to the sun. The skin lesion forms on the face, ears, back of the hands, forearms, scalp and lips. If left untreated, actinic keratosis may develop into squamous cell carcinoma.
The risk of developing actinic keratosis is higher in people with light skin (skin type I and II) and especially those who have fair hair or blue eyes. Actinic keratosis can be prevented by wearing protective clothing when exposed to the sun.
Although it can be treated at home with special creams and ointments prescribed by a doctor, actinic keratosis may also require surgical removal.
Actinic keratosis (AK) is a precancerous skin condition that appears as dry, scaly patches on sun-exposed areas of the body. It is caused by many years of exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun and from indoor tanning beds.
Actinic keratoses (plural of keratosis) are rough, dry, scaly patches or growths that form on your skin. They’re an early sign of skin damage and can develop into cancer over time.
The changes in your skin may be so small and subtle you barely notice them at first. But actinic keratosis can progress to a more serious type of skin cancer known as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Therefore, it’s important to seek treatment if you have one or more lesions.
Actinic keratosis (AK) is a skin condition that starts as a rough, dry, scaly patch or bump. AKs are caused by long-term exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun and tanning beds. AKs are often seen on skin that has been exposed to the sun for many years, such as the face, ears, back of hands, arms, lips, and scalp.
If left untreated, AKs may become squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), a type of skin cancer. It is not possible to tell which AK lesions will become SCC; treatment is recommended for all visible lesions.
AK is common in fair-skinned people over age 40 years who have had significant exposure to the sun over their lifetime. The risk of developing AK increases with age and with greater levels of sun exposure. People who have received radiation therapy or who have other medical conditions such as organ transplantation are at increased risk of developing AKs.