Actinic Keratosis
Alternate Names : Solar Keratosis
What are the treatments for the condition?
Treatments for actinic keratosis include:
chemical peeling, which uses trichloroacetic acid or phenol to cause the
top layer of skin to slough off
cryosurgery, which uses extreme cold to destroy abnormal cells
curettage and desiccation, which involves scraping of the lesion followed
by electrocautery to control bleeding
dermabrasion, which involves sanding off the top layers of the lesion
laser surgery, which
removes the lesions
shave removal with a scalpel, followed by electrocautery to stop
bleeding
topical medicines, such as 5-fluorouracil or masoprocol, which remove the
lesions
What are the side effects of the treatments?
Medicines may cause loss of pigmentation in the treated skin area
or allergic reactions.
Surgical procedures can cause bleeding, infection, or allergic reaction to anesthesia.
What happens after treatment for the condition?
After treatment, the sites usually heal into smooth skin and are unnoticeable.
The person will still have a tendency to develop precancerous lesions. The
person should follow skin cancer prevention guidelines for the
rest of his or her life.
How is the condition monitored?
A person with actinic keratosis is much more likely to have true skin cancer
than most people. He or she should have regular skin checks with the healthcare
provider. Any new or worsening symptoms should be reported to the
provider.
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