Information on the Causes of Keratosis

Actinic keratosis is largely a precancerous growth that develops on the skin. The development of Actinic Keratosis will mostly be blamed on excessive exposure to the sun. This can be from occasional sunburn or a lifetime of bathing under the scorching sun. However, this will depend on your general body and skin composition. Fair skinned individuals are more likely to develop Keratosis. Also, if you have previously had multiple or even severe sunburns, it is possible this will trigger actinic keratosis later in life.

There are some symptoms associated with Keratosis that you should look out for & be aware of. You can develop Keratosis should you witness rough and dry skin lesion or even from a patch or growth that appears on the skin. They are usually characterized by having the lesion limited to one area of the skin. These bumps can appear on the face, legs, arms, scalp or basically on any of the sun exposed skin areas. The bumps are also characterized by having a different color from the original skin color. They could either be gray, red, pink or white. In some rare cases, they pimples are known to retain the original color of the skin. When forming, they begin as flat and scaly areas and later on develop a hard and rough surface. Due to its characteristics of color and texture, it is best to identify Keratosis through feeling than looking.

A medical practitioner will ultimately make a diagnosis depending on the appearance of the skin as well all have different skin types and textures. There may be need to apply a skin biopsy just to detect any cancerous changes should they occur. It is best to have a doctor have a look at your Keratosis symptoms so that they can make a certain diagnosis and recommend treatment that will be effective. Self prescription is strongly disapproved as you may not be certain of your skin type and the available treatment methods are classified as per your specific skin condition.

You should never self diagnose and treat actinic keratosis as it requires medical treatment, sometimes even surgical removal to ensure all precancerous cells are removed. In some cases a topical cream can be used to treat keratosis, which is available on prescription from a doctor.

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