Actinic Keratosis (AK)

An actinic keratosis is a precancerous growth. Some, but not all, will becomes skin cancers. The majority of squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) – the second most common type of skin cancer – begin as AKs. Thus, it is important to diagnose and treat actinic keratoses early to prevent possible skin cancer development.

Actinic keratosis may show up on the skin as small individual lesions or as a larger aggregated patch. Over time, AKs can disappear, enlarge, remain the same, or progress into SCC.

There are a number of ways to treat actinic keratosis. The most common AK treatments include:

• Curettage/Cauterization – the lesion is removed from the skin by scraping (curettage) followed by cauterization to ensure the lesion is fully treated
• Cryotherapy (also known as cryosurgery) – Spraying the lesion with a freezing solution, such as liquid nitrogen, to destroy the lesion.
• Topical Therapies – Causes inflammation and destruction of the lesions.

The best actinic keratosis treatment depends on a patient’s individual diagnosis, as well as the patient’s treatment preference. For example, topical medical therapy may be prescribed when treating multiple thin lesions in one generalized area or region. The best treatment will ultimately be decided between the patient and board-certified dermatologist.

Seborrheic keratosis is a noncancerous skin growth. This common skin condition is completely harmless, so it typically doesn’t require treatment. Actinic keratosis, on the other hand, is a form of precancer that should be evaluated and potentially treated to reduce the risk of skin cancer development.