Actinic keratoses

Actinic keratoses usually occur in the areas of the skin that are most exposed to the sun and that are sometimes also referred to as the 'sun terraces' of the skin. These include:

• Forehead, temples, nose, lower lip, cheeks, ears
• Back of the hands, lower arms, cleavage
• Scalp (bald patch on men)

Actinic keratoses do not always look the same, but can usually be described as follows:

• Rough, dry or scaly patches, lumps or plaques with a size of between 1 mm and approx. 2 cm that can occur individually or disseminated in larger areas.
• The colour varies from skin-coloured to reddish or reddish-brown.
• Older lesions can be substantially thickened, with yellow-brownish cornification deposits.
• Sometimes, it is easier to feel rather than see the sandpaper-like rough actinic keratoses.
• There are usually no signs of discomfort such as itching or burning.

Even if only individual keratoses can be detected or felt, the surrounding area of skin can be affected as well (see figure).