Actinic Keratosis

The “precancerous” scaly or crusty growths (lesions) are caused by damage from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. They typically appear on sun-exposed areas such as the face, bald scalp, lips, and the back of the hands, and are often elevated, rough in texture, and can resemble warts. Most become red, but some will be tan, pink, red, and/or flesh-toned. Untreated AKs can advance to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), the second most common form of skin cancer. Some experts believe that actinic keratosis is actually the earliest stage of SCC.