Actinic keratoses are spots characterized by rough colors that can be found on the body. These spots differ from pin-sized spots to coin-sized spots. Leaving this skin condition untreated may lead to having a cancer.
People who are 40 years old or above and have light skin colors are prone to having actinic keratoses. There are also cases wherein teenagers are affected by this condition. It is very important to have actinic keratoses removed off the skin in order to prevent the development of cancer cells. Your health is primarily at stake if you are just going to ignore this skin condition. However, suffering from actinic keratosis does not automatically mean that you will develop cancer cells.
You might be wondering about how to know if you have actinic keratosis. The appearance of actinic keratosis in a person may not be the same as how it is for another person. Given the fact that the spots may have the same color as that of your skin, it is typical that this skin condition is not immediately attended. There are also times when the spots are too small to be noticed.
One sign of having actinic keratosis is discoloration—the spots may vary from red to brown and even pink to gray. The texture of the affected part of the skin is usually rough. The body parts that are typically overexposed to the sun are the affected locations such as the scalp of bald people, nose, ears, lower lips, arms, and the back of the hand. Its growth is considerably slow and it can give you the idea that it is already vanished only to reappear at the very same part of the skin later on. Actinic keratosis can even trigger bleeding and itchiness.
Being exposed to the sun for the past years may bring about the appearance of actinic keratosis. The scaly appearance of the skin can be attributed to the overexposure to the sun that damages the epidermis. Not only will the skin be rough, there will also be noticeable spots.
It has to be taken into consideration that seeking the help of a doctor is very necessary especially if there are spots on your skin that seem to be due to actinic keratosis; nonetheless, this skin condition is not hereditary nor is it a contagious disease that can affect other people. Those who have fair skin tones and are abruptly burnt under the sun are the ones who are most likely to experience this skin condition. If you are being troubled by the spots on your skin, feel free to ask your doctor about what the problem is for you to have the best solution to your problem.