Actinic Keratosis
Actinic keratoses (AKs), also referred to as solar keratoses (SK), are precancerous lesions of the skin,4 induced by ultraviolet irradiation emanating from sunlight and artificial light sources.5 While a proportion of AK lesions will spontaneously resolve (estimated at about 26%),4, 5 progression to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is also a potential outcome in up to 20% of untreated cases.5
AKs are characterised by rough, red, scaly patches, crusts or sores on the top layer of skin. They are usually detected on sun-exposed surfaces of the forearms, back of hands, head, upper back, the ‘V’ of the neck, lower legs and the dorsal aspect of the feet. When they appear at the lips, they are called Cheilitis actinica.
