Medicines and medical devices

Actinic keratosis may be the first stage in the development of skin cancer and is therefore considered a precancerous skin condition. The presence of actinic keratosis denotes an injury caused by the sun that promotes the development of various types of skin cancer.

Actinic keratosis evolves slowly, over years, and usually appears on the face, ears, scalp, neck, back of hands and forearms, and lips. It is flat on the skin of the head and neck, and a little raised on the arms and hands.Often affected subjects have more than one actinic keratosis lesion. Such lesions are often not life-threatening if detected and treated in the early stages. However, if this does not happen, they can increase in size and invade surrounding tissues and, in very rare cases, metastasise or spread to the internal organs.

Source: Fundación Piel Sana