Understanding Actinic Keratosis Medical Author: Nili N. Alai,
MD, FAAD Medical Editor: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
What are actinic keratoses? Actinic keratoses (AKs) are small,
red, rough, scaly, flat spots that feel like dry skin patches.
They often occur on sun-exposed areas, such as the nose, ears,
face, chest, forearms, and back of the hands. Other common names
include AK, AKs, solar keratosis, precancers, and pre-skin
cancers. At what age do AKs develop? Experts agree that AKs are
most common in older adults and seniors. AKs are extremely rare
in children or adolescents. What are my chances of my precancers
becoming skin cancers? Anywhere from 5%-10% of AKs can
potentially go on to become skin cancers. It is not possible to
tell which ones will do this. Some AKs will never develop into
anything else. Some AKs go away without treatment. Do actinic
keratoses ever turn into melanoma (a deadly form of skin
cancer)? No. While AKs may give rise to skin cancers like
squamous cell carcinomas, they do n