Are my sunspots AKs?

by Cory Tromblee

When you are 20 years old and you look in the mirror, chances are you are seeing a face with clear skin. By the time you are 40, your skin may start showing the appearance of some pigmentation commonly known as “sunspots” that will probably increase in number as you age. The questions you would naturally ask are “What are they, where are they coming from and how do I get rid of them?”

The “sunspots” you are seeing may actually be actinic keratosis (AKs). AKs are rough-textured, dry, scaly patches on the skin that can range in color and vary in size, and they are considered to be the most common form of precancer. They are the result of overexposure to the sun and most often appear on parts of the body that are exposed to sunlight such as the face, scalp, ears, neck, hands and arms. Even if you don’t suntan much, years of just doing simple tasks outside such as walking the dog, going out to the mailbox, playing an outdoor sport, can add up to a significant amount of sun exposure.

“More than 10 million Americans have actinic keratoses (AKs), and they have the potential to progress to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), the second most common skin cancer,” said Ellen Marmur, M.D., of Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York. “While most AKs remain benign, approximately 5 percent to 10 percent develop into SCC within an average of two years. Since there is no way to know ahead of time which ones will become cancerous, it is very important to seek a dermatologist’s care. Frequent skin examinations are the key to early detection and prevention.”

For more information about treatments that can be administered by your healthcare provider, contact your dermatologist.

Cory Tromblee represents DUSA Pharmaceuticals, which develops dermatological products.