An early warning sign of skin cancer is the development of an actinic keratosis. Actinic keratoses are precancerous skin lesions that result from chronic sun exposure. They are typically < 0.5cm in diameter, pink or red in color and rough or scaly to the touch. They occur on sun-exposed areas of the skin (face, scalp, ears, backs of hands or forearms). Actinic keratoses may start as small, red, flat spots but grow larger and become scaly or thick, if untreated. Sometimes they are easier to feel than to see. There may be multiple lesions next to each other.

Early treatment of actinic keratoses may prevent their change to cancer. These precancerous lesions affect more than 10 million Americans. People with one actinic keratosis usually develop more. Up to 1% of these lesions can develop into a squamous cell cancer.

Actinic keratoses are most common in people older than 40, but can also appear in younger individuals with extensive sun exposure. Because they can turn cancerous affected areas should be regularly examined and treated by a primary care physician or dermatologist.




Images (click on an image for a larger view)

Actinic keratosis Pink scaly skin lesion on sun-damaged cheek.

Actinic keratoses Multiple pink skin lesions on the back of a hand.

Microscopic view of an Actinic Keratoses