According to the Mayo Clinic, an actinic keratosis is a rough and scaly sore on the skin of the face, lips, ears, back of the hands, forearms, scalp or neck. Actinic keratosis is caused by excessive exposure to the ultraviolet rays of the sun, and carries with it the possibility of developing into skin cancer. Actinic keratosis usually occurs in older adults, and there are a variety of treatment options available.
Freezing
In this procedure, known as cryotherapy, a doctor applies liquid nitrogen directly to the skin sore, says the Mayo Clinic. This process cools the skin to approximately minus 320 degrees Fahrenheit which results in blistering and peeling. The healing process then begins and the keratosis sore is replaced by new skin. This is the most common treatment for actinic keratosis, and it is usually administered in the doctor's office.
Curettage and Electrodesiccation
According to the University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine, curettage and electrodesiccation is a surgical technique for the removal of actinic keratoses. In this procedure, a doctor or other healthcare professional uses an instrument called a curette, which is shaped like a spoon and has a slightly sharp edge, to scrap away the sore. The doctor then uses an electric needle to close any broken blood vessels and destroy any remaining precancerous cells.
Topical Medications
For patients who have multiple actinic keratoses, medicated creams and solutions applied directly to the sore are a very effective treatment option, according to The Skin Cancer Foundation. The most commonly prescribed topical medication for actinic keratoses is 5-fluorouracil ointment or liquid. This drug is approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and is available in strengths ranging from 0.5 percent to 5 percent. Patients apply the medication to the sore once or twice a day for two to four weeks, and it works successfully in over 90 percent of actinic keratosis cases.
Imiquimod 5 percent cream is another FDA-approved topical medication for the treatment of actinic keratoses. Patients apply the cream to the sore twice a week for four to sixteen weeks. It works by inducing the immune system to make interferon, which is a substance that attacks and kills cancerous and precancerous cells. Side effects of this medication may include redness and ulcerations.
Photodynamic Therapy
The Skin Cancer Foundation reports that photodynamic therapy is a useful technique for removal of actinic keratoses on the face and scalp. In this method a doctor applies the photosensitizing agent aminolevulinic acid, a light-absorbing substance, to the sores and then exposes the medicated area to a strong light. The aminolevulinic acid becomes activated by absorbing energy from the light and kills the precancerous cells of the actinic keratosis. The medicated area becomes swollen and red as a side effect of this treatment.
