If you have lived in Central Florida for more than a few years, your skin has absorbed more UV than you probably realize. Actinic keratosis (AK) is one of the most common results, and it matters because a small percentage of these lesions can progress to squamous cell carcinoma if ignored. Caught early, they are straightforward to treat.
What to Look For
AKs show up on skin that gets the most sun: the face, ears, scalp (especially thinning areas), the backs of the hands and forearms, the upper chest, and the lower legs. Common signs:
- A rough, dry, or scaly patch you can feel more easily than see
- Pink, red, tan, or skin-colored spots with a sandpaper texture
- A lesion that flakes off and returns in the same spot
- Mild itching, tenderness, or stinging when the area is touched
Patients often notice them while shaving, applying makeup, or washing their face. A spot that keeps returning or refuses to heal is worth evaluating.
Why It Matters Here
Our latitude and year-round outdoor lifestyle add up. Golf, boating, gardening, walking the lake, or a Saturday at the beach all build cumulative damage over decades. Because AKs sit on the pathway between healthy skin and squamous cell carcinoma, treating them early is genuine skin cancer prevention, not cosmetic cleanup.
Most AKs are managed in the office with cryotherapy (freezing with liquid nitrogen). When there are many lesions across a broader area of sun damage, topical prescription therapies can treat visible and early, not yet visible lesions together. Day to day, use a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher each morning, wide-brim hats and UPF clothing for extended sun, and shade during the strongest midday hours.
If you have noticed a rough patch that will not resolve, or it has been more than a year since your last full-body skin exam, our physician-led team serving Central Florida is happy to see you.