If you spent long hours in the sun without sunscreen while you were young, you could be at risk of skin cancer. — dpa
Do you have scaly, reddish-brown patches of skin that feel rough, like sandpaper?
They could be actinic keratoses, also called solar keratoses since they’re areas of skin that have been damaged by the sun.
While quite common and usually not serious, there’s a small chance they can turn into a type of skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma, or spinalioma, says dermatologist Dr Dirk Schadendorf.
The patches usually appear on parts of the body that are often exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight over a person’s lifetime, such as the forehead, nose, backs of the hands, arms, cleavage or bald spot.
”This is why the condition typically appears after the age of about 50 or 60,” explains dermatologist Dr Marion Moers-Carpi.
”The more you protect yourself from the sun, the better it is for your skin,” says Dr Schadendorf.
So ideally you should apply sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 50 and wear a wide-brimmed hat on sunny days.
Years-long neglect of such precautions puts you at risk of developing one or more patches of actinic keratosis.
“The longer actinic keratosis exists, the more critical it becomes,” warns Dr Moers-Carpi, since the damaged skin can develop into a malignant, localised tumour.
”This isn’t to be taken lightly, as it can penetrate deep into the skin and is comparatively hard to treat,” she says, and advises having a dermatologist examine scaly, reddish patches of skin early.
There are various ways to treat actinic keratosis, for instance with a prescription cream or gel that’s applied to the affected skin areas.
“Another treatment option is a chemical peel,” Dr Schadendorf says.
There’s also cryotherapy, in which the actinic keratoses are frozen with liquid nitrogen, turning them into blisters that eventually fall off.
The drawback of this procedure, according to Dr Moers-Carpi, is that “it often leaves white spots.”
In her view, it’s better to use a solution to chemically burn the affected skin, “which works well when the actinic keratoses are small.
”Or a doctor can remove the damaged skin by scraping or lasering it away. But first a tissue sample should be taken to determine how deeply the skin is damaged, Dr Moers-Carpi says.
Anyone who suspects they have actinic keratosis should see a dermatologist. — dpa
If damage is rather deep, the tissue can be removed surgically.
A further option, Dr Schadendorf notes, is photodynamic therapy.
A cream or gel is dabbed onto the skin and allowed to soak in for up to four hours.
Then the skin is exposed to a special light for several minutes.
It may be painful, sting and partially weep immediately afterwards, but ultimately becomes smooth and scar-free for a while.
The treatment that’s best depends on the individual case.
“And you’ve got to realise that no matter the treatment, it won’t bring a permanent cure, but usually provides temporary relief,” says Dr Schadendorf.
The skin smooths out, but the condition can recur.
If you want to avoid having to treat actinic keratosis, you should take precautions early and protect yourself from the sun.
It’s best to avoid ultraviolet (UV) radiation when it’s strongest, which is often between noon and 3pm.
”It’s also helpful to check the UV index,” says Dr Moers-Carpi.
This is a daily forecast of the expected intensity of UV radiation from the sun.
The higher the index number, the faster a sunburn can occur when skin is not protected.
An index number of 0 to 3 is on the safe side, but if it’s 4 or higher you should use sunscreen.
And if it’s around 8 or higher you should protect yourself well against sun damage, for example by remaining indoors during midday hours. – dpa
