Actinic keratoses or ‘sun spots’ are pre-cancerous lesions. They are usually found on sun-exposed skin and most commonly appear as single, scattered or clustered rough, scaly patches.
Actinic keratoses indicate your skin has been damaged by the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation and that you may be at risk of developing skin cancers.
The appearance of actinic keratoses can vary. Early actinic keratoses are often more easily felt than seen, and feel like rough sandpaper patches on the skin. Whilst actinic keratoses are often asymptomatic, they can also be sensitive, with a burning or stinging feeling especially in hot weather. People with fair skin over 40, and people who spend a lot of time outdoors are most at risk of developing actinic keratoses.
Actinic keratoses are treated because a proportion of sun spots can develop into an invasive form of skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The overall risk of this transformation is low, but tends to increase with the number of actinic keratoses you have. The progression to skin cancer may be indicated by growth, discomfort /tenderness or bleeding.
The treatment options available will depend on the location, nature and number of actinic keratosis present and include cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen, curettage and cautery, topical creams used as field treatments (eg 5 Fluorouracil, Imiquimod, etc), chemical peels and laser.