skin disorders
Actinic Keratoses
Treatment of Actinic Keratoses
Physical removal or products applied to the skin People should take precautions to minimize the damaging effects of the sun (see Prevention ). Damage that is already done is difficult to reverse. Actinic keratoses are treated depending on the number of growths, where the growths are located, and what therapy people can tolerate. If a person has only a few growths or is unable to tolerate other treatments methods, doctors usually remove them by freezing them with liquid nitrogen (cryotherapy) or scraping (curetting) them off. These treatment options are the quickest but have a higher risk of leaving a scar compared to other treatment options. If a person has many growths, doctors give people creams, gels, or ointments they can apply to their skin (topically). A liquid or cream containingfluorouracil(a chemotherapy medication applied to the skin) is commonly used. Often, during such treatment, the skin temporarily looks worse becausefluorouracilcauses redness, scaling, and burning of the keratoses and of the surrounding sun-damaged skin. Imiquimodis useful in treating actinic keratoses because it helps the immune system to recognize and destroy precancerous skin growths and early skin cancer.Imiquimodcream is applied to the skin.Imiquimodcauses redness, scaling, and burning similar to that caused byfluorouracil. Diclofenacgel is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that is applied to the skin for 2 to 3 months. It may cause mild to moderately severe skin problems such as rash, redness, itching, dry skin, and skin irritation. It is less effective thanfluorouracilandimiquimod. Tirbanibulinis a newer medication that works by killing fast-growing abnormal cells. The ointment is currently recommended to be applied to the face or scalp for 5 days. It may need to be applied for a longer period of time because it is common for keratoses to return after using this treatment.Tirbanibulinmay cause itching and pain where applied. Another treatment is photodynamic therapy, in which a chemical preparation is applied to the skin and then artificial light is applied to the growths. This therapy causes a sunburn-like appearance. The main advantage of photodynamic therapy is that it typically entails fewer days overall of skin redness, scaling, and irritation. People may need more than one treatment session. If a person is not helped by any of these treatments, doctors may do a biopsy to rule out Squamous Cell Carcinoma . 