Actinic Keratoses 

Actinic keratosis (also called solar keratosis, or AK) are dry, scaly, rough-textured patches or lesions that form on the outermost layer of the skin after years of exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, such as sunlight. It is most common in fair-skinned people who are frequently exposed to the sun, because their pigment isn't very protective. These lesions typically span in color from skin-toned to reddish brown and in size from that of a pinhead to bigger than a quarter. On Occasion, a lesion grows to resemble an animal horn and is called a cutaneous horn.

It is important that anybody with Actinic keratosis be under a dermatologists attention. AKs are considered the initial stage in the development of skin cancer and have the ability to progress to squamous cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer that can be terminal. Since some of these pre-cancers progress to squamous cell carcinoma, they should be treated.

Everyone who develops AKs has extensive sun-damaged skin. This makes one more susceptible to other forms of skin cancer, including melanoma. Melanoma is considered the most lethal form of skin cancer because it can quickly spread to the lymph system and internal organs.