What is Actinic keratosis

Actinic keratosis (AK), or solar keratosis, or senile keratosis is a precancerous skin condition that develops in the skin when exposed to sun, hydrocarbons, and arsenicals and is more common in light-skinned people. When the human skin is exposed to the sun, the UV-B rays from the sun damage the dermis and epidermis. The epidermis is thinned and damaged cells calls fibroblasts cause synthesis of abnormal dermal elastic fibers within the superficial dermis that give the characteristic appearance of actinic keratosis. Actinic are small red or brown patches accompanied by itching and burning.The lesions occur is clusters, and generally occur in sun exposed areas like face neck and hands. Actinic keratosis has physical characteristic that allow dermatologist to visually identify them.