Keratin does not grow on skin, and once it does, it could be keratosis. Actually, keratin is the main part of hair, toe nails and fingernails. But if it grows on skin, it could cause thickness, lumping and wart like growths. There are several types of keratoses, actinic keratosis, pilaric keratosis, hydrocarbon keratosis and seborrheic keratosis. Our focus will be on actinic keratosis and its surgical removal. It is one of the most common kinds of keratosis, and is also known as solar keratosis. It usually occurs on skin areas that are most exposed to the sun, such as the face, neck and arms. The disease most likely occurs on people with fair skin. Since it could lead to cancer, it must be treated at once.
Actinic keratosis employs prolonged exposure to the sun as its main factors. It’s size spans from 2 millimeters-6 millimeters, almost the shape of a mole. Keratosis gets thicker and a bit bigger while moles don’t. Upon diagnosis, a dermatologist may offer various treatments. This also depends on the severity of one’s keratosis. For mild cases, there are creams and gels which can be applied on the affected area for about 2-3 months. The gel or cream would loosen and soften the affected area and it will be removed easily. There are also surgical options, like cryosurgery.
Extremely cold temperature is employed to skin to get rid of abnormal tissues. Liquid nitrogen or carbon dioxide foam is applied to the affected area. It hardens the affected area more to make it easier to remove. Through this, the cost, pain and scar can be minimized. However there are also risks such as damage to nerve tissues and damage to nearby areas of the treated parts.
Another type of surgery is laser surgery. Scalpel is not used in this type of surgery. Laser surgery burns out bad tissues, and it could be costly. Laser surgery also has benefits such as quick healing and less pain.
In case of tight budget, traditional surgery could also be chosen. Since keratosis does not penetrate deep within the skin, it could be removed on the skin surface by softening the affected part with a cream or gel, then, a dermatologist would do the rest of the surgical procedure. This could be painful but removing a health risk is worth it.
