How to Prevent Actinic Keratosis

If you have rough, scaly spots on your skin that don’t go away, you could have actinic keratosis. It’s a common skin condition in people over 40, and it’s caused by excessive, unprotected exposure to the sun. You can do a lot to prevent actinic keratosis, and your dermatologist can help. Dermatologist Dr. Clifford Lober offers a wide range of dermatology services, including diagnosis and treatment of actinic keratosis. He has two convenient office locations in Kissimmee, and Ocoee, FL, to help you.

What You Need To Know About Actinic Keratosis

Actinic keratosis is a slow-growing skin condition, often developing when you are over 40. It can look like a wart, elevated, rough, and hard. Actinic keratosis can develop on the top layer of skin of your hands, forearms, neck, ears, face, lips, or scalp.

You can do a lot to prevent actinic keratosis by following some basic guidelines for protection against skin cancer. You need to remember to:

• Always wear a sunscreen with at least SPF 30 when you go outside
• Wear a sunscreen with at least SPF 50 if you have fair skin, freckles, burn easily, or spend a lot of time outside
• Wear a hat, sunglasses, and protective clothing when you are outside
• Try to stay out of direct sunlight between 10AM and 4PM when UV rays are the most harmful

If you have actinic keratosis, you need to protect your skin and visit your dermatologist regularly. Actinic keratosis has a 5% to 10% chance of turning into squamous cell carcinoma, which is a type of skin cancer.

Actinic keratosis may be treated with medicated creams, laser therapy, freezing, or photodynamic therapy. Photodynamic therapy uses light sensitive medication and light application to fade and remove actinic keratosis.

Want To Know More?

To find out more about prevention of actinic keratosis, call Dr. Lober, dermatologist in Kissimmee, and Ocoee, FL. You can reach him in the Kissimmee office by calling (407) 846-7166, or in the Ocoee office by calling (407) 656-9700, so call today.