Solar keratoses
Self-help
It is important to protect your skin from the sun if you have actinic keratoses. This can reduce the risk offurther patches developing and may help reduce the number of patches you already have.
To protect yourself from the sun, you should:
- applysunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 before exposing yourself to direct sunlight
- cover up your skin with clothes anda hat during the summer months
- try to avoid direct exposure to the sun when it is at its strongest (between 11am and 3pm)
It may also be helpful toregularly use emollients on your skinto stop it becoming dry.
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018
Introduction
Actinic keratoses, also known as solar keratoses, are dry scaly patches of skin caused by damage from years of sun exposure.
Who is affected
Actinic keratoses are most commonly seenin fair-skinned people, especially those with blue eyes, red hair, freckles and a tendency to burn easily in the sun.Men are affected more often than women. Pe
Diagnosing actinic keratoses
Your GP may be able to diagnose actinic keratoses by examining the patches on your skin. In some cases, the diagnosis may need to be confirmed byremovingasmall sample of skin and examining it under t
Treatment options
If the patches are not troublesome, yourdoctor may simply recommend that you keep an eye on them and come back if they change in any way for example,if you developnew symptoms such as a patch growing
Self-help
It is important to protect your skin from the sun if you have actinic keratoses. This can reduce the risk offurther patches developing and may help reduce the number of patches you already have. To p
Outlook
Actinic keratoses that have been treated usually go away, but it islikely that more patches will develop, requiring further treatment. The development of actinic keratoses is a sign that the underlyi
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