Actinic Keratoses (AK)
AKs are evidence of long-term sun damage. They are slow-growing lesions that usually appear in people over the age of 40m, who spend or have spent a lot of time outdoors.
Actinic Keratosis is a crusty, scaly growth caused by damage to the skin from the suns rays. It’s often found on the face, lips, ears, forearms, scalp, neck, or back of the hands.
Having one AK means that it’s likely you have already developed more, this means you may have an increased risk of developing skin cancer.
I think I may have an actinic keratosis. What should I do?
Come and see one of our team who can accurately diagnose the lesion and give you an individual treatment plan. It’s best to diagnose and treat AKs early before they become cancerous.
Prevention is key – Protecting yourself from sun / Ultraviolet exposure will help prevent further sun damage.
- Avoid direct sunlight during times of peak UV radiation levels; particularly from 10 am to 4 pm between September and April and do not get sunburned.
- Protection of exposed areas of skin using appropriate, densely woven clothing, e.g. long-sleeved shirts, wide-brimmed or flapped hats, UV-protective sunglasses (ideally wrap-around style)
- Application of broad-spectrum water-resistant sunscreen (at least SPF30* and preferably SPF50+); it is recommended that sunscreen is applied 20 minutes before going outside, reapplied 10–20 minutes after going outside (the “two coat” approach), and every two hours after that
- Unnecessary UV radiation exposure via artificial tanning device use, e.g. sunbeds, should be avoided unless under medical supervision for certain health conditions, e.g. psoriasis.
See our Sunscreens page for more information.
Source: https://bpac.org.nz/
