When your skin is damaged by the sun, you might get small patches that look different from the skin around them. Doctors call these solar keratoses. They are also called actinic keratoses.

If you've got solar keratoses, you may have flaky patches of skin.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Marks R.
Squamous cell carcinoma.
Lancet. 1996; 347: 735-738.

 

 

 

 

 

¹

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Brash DE, Bale AE.
Cancer of the skin.
In: DeVita VT Jr, Hellman S, Rosenberg SA (editors). Cancer: principles and practice of oncology. 6th edition. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia, U.S.A.; 2001.

 

 

 

 

 

²

The patches usually appear on areas of your skin that get the most sun, such as a balding scalp, your forehead, your face and the backs of your hands.

Doctors aren't sure whether these patches are harmful. Some doctors think that they're an early form of squamous cell skin cancer.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Marghoob AA.
Basal and squamous cell carcinomas: what every primary care physician should know.
Postgraduate Medicine. 1997; 102: 139-42, 146, 152-4.

 

 

 

 

 

³

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Jerant AF, Johnson JT, Sheridan CD, et al.
Early detection and treatment of skin cancer.
American Family Physician. 2000; 62: 357-368.

 

 

 

 

 

⁴ And some studies show that solar keratoses can turn into skin cancer. But the chances of this happening are very low: less that 1 in 1,000 in a year.

The more of these patches you have, the more likely it is that one will turn into skin cancer.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Marks R, Rennie G, Selwood TS.
Malignant transformation of solar keratoses to squamous cell carcinoma.
Lancet. 1988; 1: 795-797.

 

 

 

 

 

⁵ So, some doctors think all solar keratoses should be treated.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Jerant AF, Johnson JT, Sheridan CD, et al.
Early detection and treatment of skin cancer.
American Family Physician. 2000; 62: 357-368.

 

 

 

 

 

⁴

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Marks R, Rennie G, Selwood TS.
Malignant transformation of solar keratoses to squamous cell carcinoma.
Lancet. 1988; 1: 795-797.

 

 

 

 

 

⁵

Even so, treatments for solar keratoses may sting or hurt, especially if you've got lots of them or if they're large.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Brash DE, Bale AE.
Cancer of the skin.
In: DeVita VT Jr, Hellman S, Rosenberg SA (editors). Cancer: principles and practice of oncology. 6th edition. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia, U.S.A.; 2001.

 

 

 

 

 

² Solar keratoses may get better without treatment, especially if you protect that area of your skin from the sun.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Marks R, Foley P, Goodman G, et al.
Spontaneous remission of solar keratoses: the case for conservative management.
British Journal of Dermatology. 1986; 115: 649-655.

 

 

 

 

 

⁶ So, many doctors now don't recommend treating solar keratoses apart from keeping them out of the sun.

If you think you have a solar keratosis, you should talk with your doctor. If you know you have a solar keratosis, you should check your skin regularly. If one of your keratoses becomes thicker or is sore when you touch it, see your doctor.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Marks R.
Squamous cell carcinoma.
Lancet. 1996; 347: 735-738.

 

 

 

 

 

¹

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