Actinic Keratosis Treatment in Wakefield

This condition is a pre cancerous area of thick, scaly or crusty skin. It is more common in fair haired people and anyone frequently exposed to the sun.

The lesions can range in size from 2 – 6 millimetres in size, but can grow to several centimetres in size if not treated. Often described as the same texture as “sandpaper”.

Commonly affected areas are those most likely to be sun exposed, such as the face, ears, neck, scalp, backs of the hands, forearms or even lips. It is usual for the condition to present in “clumps” of lesions, rather than as a single one.

Untreated lesions have a 20% chance of turning into a type of skin cancer called “squamous cell carcinoma”, so dermatologist treatment is strongly recommended.

Treatment – The Doctor will examine the size and distribution of the Actinic Keratosis lesions.

Treatment can include;

• The use of Cryotherapy to “freeze” areas of the lesions, using liquid nitrogen.
• The use of Cutterage (hot wire) to treat the condition, to carefully remove the lesions and sealing the skin carefully to prevent bleeding. Often the Doctor will use a scalp to “scrape” away the outer part and then use the cutterage to treat the “root”.

If there are any concerns regarding the lesions, it is possible for the patient to have the lesion sample sent off for examination (this will be discussed with the patient as appropriate).