Many different factors can contribute to skin cancer. There are different types of skin cancer and various early forms of skin lesions. Actinic keratosis (AK) is a precursor lesion to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), a type of skin cancer. AKs are due to chronic sun exposure when the skin is damaged by ultraviolet rays over decades of time. At Precision Medical Specialists, our highly-experienced dermatologist, Dr. Katherine Chiang, offers accurate diagnosis and actinic keratoses treatment at our medical center near West Palm Beach, FL.

Symptoms of AKs

Actinic keratoses can present as individual lesions or as large patches. The most common areas for AKs are the face, scalp, ears, forearms, hands and shins – areas that are commonly exposed to the sun. It is important to identify and treat AKs when they appear before they become skin cancers. AKs and abnormal moles are two of the skin conditions that should be identified in regular full body examinations as part of preventive skin cancer methods. AK symptoms include:

Any skin lesions with these symptoms should be examined by a dermatologist for identification. Dr. Chiang can determine whether a skin lesion is actinic keratoses and whether treatment or removal is needed.

Treatment for AKs vary from cryotherapy (freezing with liquid nitrogen), topical chemotherapy, curettage and photodynamic therapy (PDT). Your treatment will be tailored to the severity of your AKs, the areas of involvement, your skin cancer history, skin type and other variables. Dr. Chiang and our medical team will ensure you receive the best treatment for your actinic keratoses at our state-of-the-art medical center in Wellington.

If you are concerned about a skin lesion that may be actinic keratoses, contact us at Precision Medical Specialists to make a dermatology appointment. Contact our office to schedule your skin consultation or exam with Dr. Chiang at our facility near West Palm Beach.