Things To Know About Precancerous Skin Growths

by Vivek Choudhary Nice life

A precancerous skin growth means that the skin has been severely damaged by the sun, indoor tanning, or both. It is the changes in the skin cells that make them more likely to develop cancer. Dermatologists may refer to it as Actinic Keratosis or AK. This condition has not developed into cancer yet, but if left untreated, it may develop into squamous cell carcinoma, a type of non-melanoma skin cancer. It is also known as solar keratosis. Timely treatment can prevent AK into developing into cancer and for this, you must know what AK is and how it can be treated.

The following are mentioned a few things that you should know about precancerous skin growth.

1. Symptoms and early signs

Usually, actinic keratosis appears as small crusty or scaly growth that is in the form of multiple rough spots. They are present on sun-exposed skin and most become red, but some can even be the colour of your skin. Actinic Keratoses develop slowly and then reach a big size. They start small and sometimes can only be felt and not seen. To know more about the symptoms, visit a dermatologist in Panchkula.

2. Causes and risk factors

Almost all Actinic Keratosis is caused by chronic and cumulative sun exposure to the skin. Usually, people over the age of 50 are seen with AK, but it is now becoming much more common in people in their 20s and 30s. People with fair skin and light coloured hair are more prone to the problem. The use of sunbeds and tanning also increases a person’s risk of developing Actinic Keratosis.
It can also be sometimes caused due to a weak immune system or excessive exposure to X-rays.

3. Treatment

Since not all actinic keratosis develops into squamous cell carcinoma, the treatment depends on the number of abnormal areas and their location on the body. This also makes it important to effectively treat it. Some of the common treatments include cryosurgery, active surveillance, curettage and electrodesiccation, surgical excision, photodynamic therapy (PDT), chemotherapy, and laser treatment.If it is suspected to be a form of early cancer, then a biopsy is done and studied and the treatment is then advised.To get a diagnosis and the suitable treatment, visit a skin doctor in Chandigarh.

4. Precautions

Prevention is better than cure, and although most precancers are curable, it is always better to prevent them. Precaution can help avoid 80-90% of all skin cancers. A few of the ways to avoid AK are to avoid tanning, not allow the skin to burn, examine your skin properly every month for any irregular growth, not use indoor tanning devices, and visit a dermatologist in Chandigarh if you notice any irregularities in your skin. For people who have already suffered from a precancer, particular care and attention are needed from the harmful rays of the sun.

Precancerous skin growths can be much more dangerous than they look, but if the doctor’s advice is followed and proper care and precautions are taken, it can be treated before it transforms into skin cancer.