{"id":496,"date":"2020-10-29T00:35:49","date_gmt":"2020-10-29T00:35:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/susongderm.com\/newsite\/?p=496"},"modified":"2020-10-29T00:38:45","modified_gmt":"2020-10-29T00:38:45","slug":"actinic-keratosis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/susongderm.com\/actinic-keratosis\/","title":{"rendered":"Actinic Keratosis"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
Also called solar keratosis<\/strong><\/p> Actinic keratoses (AKs): AKs form on skin that soaks up lots of sun over the years. An actinic keratosis (ak-ti-nik ker-ah-TOE-sis), or AK, is a rough, dry, scaly patch or growth that forms on the skin.<\/p> An AK forms when the skin is badly damaged by ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun or indoor tanning. Most people get more than one AK. When you have more than one AK, you have actinic keratoses, or AKs.<\/p> AKs are very common and one of the most frequent reasons for seeing a dermatologist.<\/p> Anyone who has many AKs should be under a dermatologist\u2019s care. Most people who have many AKs continue to get new AKs for life. AKs are considered precancerous. Left untreated, AKs may turn into a type of skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma.<\/p> By seeing a dermatologist for checkups, the AKs can be treated before they become skin cancer. If skin cancer does develop, it can be caught early when treatment often cures skin cancer.<\/p> \u00a0<\/p> \u00a0<\/p> Most people who get AKs do not have any symptoms. They only notice changes to their skin. Symptoms can occur. A few symptoms to watch for are:<\/p> An AK can come and go. An AK can appear on the skin, remain for months, and then flake off and disappear. The skin can suddenly feel smooth. Many AKs re-appear in a few days to a few weeks. They often re-appear when the person goes outdoors without sun protection.<\/p> Even if an AK does not re-appear, you should see your dermatologist. AKs form when the top layer of skin is badly damaged. You can get more AKs. If the damage grows deeper, skin cancer can develop.\u00a0<\/p> People who are most likely to get AKs have one or more of the following traits:<\/p> AKs usually appear after age 40. People who live in places that get intense sunlight all year, such as Florida and Southern California, may get AKs earlier. AKs also often appear much earlier in people who use tanning beds and sun lamps.<\/p> Ultraviolet (UV) rays cause AKs. Most people get exposed to UV rays from being outside during the day or using tanning beds.\u00a0<\/p> You can prevent AKs by protecting your skin from the sun and never using tanning beds or sun lamps.<\/p> When UV rays hit our skin, the rays damage our skin. When we are young, the body can repair some of the damage. Over time, the damage accumulates, and the body is less able to repair itself. We eventually see UV-damaged skin. If UV rays continue to hit the skin, people get AKs.<\/p> How do dermatologists diagnose actinic keratosis?<\/strong><\/p> Dermatologists diagnose an actinic keratosis (AK) by closely examining the skin.<\/p> If your dermatologist finds a growth that is thick or looks like skin cancer during the exam, your dermatologist will likely perform a skin biopsy. Your dermatologist can safely perform a skin biopsy during an office visit.<\/p> When found early and treated, skin cancer is often cured.<\/p> There are many treatments for AKs. Some treatments your dermatologist can perform in the office. Other treatments you will use at home. The goal of treatment is to destroy the AKs. Some patients receive more than one type of treatment. Treatments for AKs include:\u00a0<\/p> Your dermatologist may prescribe a medicine that you can use at home to treat AKs. Medicines that dermatologists prescribe include:<\/p> \u00a0<\/p> Yes. Susong Dermatology offers a topical solution and light treatment called Levulan<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What is Actinic Keratosis? Also called solar keratosis Actinic keratoses (AKs): AKs form on skin that soaks up lots of sun over the years. An actinic keratosis (ak-ti-nik ker-ah-TOE-sis), or AK, is a rough, dry, scaly patch or growth that forms on the skin. An AK forms when the skin is badly damaged by ultraviolet […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_glsr_average":0,"_glsr_ranking":0,"_glsr_reviews":0},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/susongderm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/496"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/susongderm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/susongderm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/susongderm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/susongderm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=496"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/susongderm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/496\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":498,"href":"https:\/\/susongderm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/496\/revisions\/498"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/susongderm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=496"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/susongderm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=496"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/susongderm.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=496"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Actinic keratosis: Signs and symptoms<\/h3>
Actinic keratosis: Now you see it, now you don\u2019t<\/h3>
Actinic keratosis: Who gets and causes<\/h3>
What causes AKs?<\/h3>
Actinic keratosis: Diagnosis, treatment, and outcome<\/strong><\/h3>
How do dermatologists treat AKs?<\/h3>
In-office procedures:<\/h3>
Prescription medicine:<\/h3>
Is there a treatment for Actinic Keratosis?<\/h3>