Causes of Actinic Keratosis

Causes of Actinic Keratosis


What causes Actinic KeratosisAK was recognized almost 100 years ago, the name AK was not introduced until 1958. The name literally means thickened scaly growth (keratosis) caused by sunlight (actinic). An actinic keratosis site commonly ranges in between 2 to 6 millimeters, and can be dark or light, tan, pink, red, a combination of all these, or the same pigment of ones skin. It may appear on any sun-exposed area, such as the face, ears, neck, scalp, chest, back of hands, forearms, lips etcsome of these lesions may progress to invasive squamous cell carcinoma with metastatic potential. They can be safely and effectively eradicated, and therefore therapy is warranted.. It is by far the most common lesion with malignant potential to arise on the skin. AK is seen in fair-skinned persons in areas of long-term sun exposure, with an estimated frequency of 40-50% of the adult population older than 40 years in Australia, the country with the highest skin cancer rate in the world. Actinic keratosis can be the first step in the development of skin cancer, and, therefore, is a precursor of cancer or a precancer. It is estimated that up to 10 percent of active lesions, which are redder and more tender than the rest will take the next step and progress to squamous cell carcinomas.It is lifetime sun exposure, not recent sun-tanning that adds to your risk.
Ultraviolet rays bounce off sand, snow, and other reflective surfaces; about 80 percent can pass through clouds. The thinning of the ozone layer may be allowing more ultraviolet rays reach the earth. Those who develop actinic keratoses tend to be fair-skinned people who have spent a lot of time outdoors at work or at play over the course of many years. Their skin often becomes wrinkled, mottled, and discolored from sun exposure.AKs range from barely perceptible rough spots of skin to elevated, hyperkeratotic plaques several centimeters in diameter. Most often, they appear as multiple discrete, flat or elevated, keratotic lesions.