Actinic Keratosis has been confused with psoriasis because of
the similarities in the outward appearance on your skin. Both conditions
are marked by dry, flaky, raised, scaly, rough, red skin. Of course,
not all those symptoms need be present, but very often most of them are.
As you know, psoriasis is the result of a defect with your immune
system. Hence it is classified as an auto-immune disorder, whereby your
body turns against itself. On the other hand, actinic keratosis is the
most common precancerous condition of your skin. If left untreated, it
can develop into squamous cell carcinoma which is the second most common
type of skin cancer behind basal cell carcinoma.
While there is no way to avoid psoriasis, it is entirely possible to avoid actinic keratosis. That is because the former is probably in your genes and out of your control while the latter is self-inflicted! By that I mean it is the result of long-term exposure to ultraviolet light commonly found in sunlight. People who work outdoors and those who enjoy much time in the sun need to always be aware of wearing skin protection. Fair skinned individuals are even more susceptible to the damaging rays of the sun. As such, they need to apply a quality sun screen as well as re-applying it after spending much time in the sun.
The actual color appearance of the lesions in patients with actinic keratosis is not only limited to a red color. The lesions which are often felt before they can be seen, may also appear pink or grey. Some people say they have sun spots or age spots, but the bottom line is that these spots, if left untreated can become fatal which can be avoided in the first place if you use a little bit of caution before going outdoors.
The treatment options for psoriasis consists mainly of ointments, creams, lotions, some internal medicine, photo therapy and the newest class of medications called immuno-modulators which work to calm down the immune system. Treatment for actinic keratosis utilizes several of the same modalities as does psoriasis but the actual medications are often different. Physicians use cryosurgery, photo-dynamic therapy and topical medications that are more aggressive than what is usually used in psoriasis. The three most popular agents are imiquimod, diclofenec and fluorouracil.
The use of any agent on the skin for long periods of time can bring about a whole new set of problems such as side effects and other allergic dermatology reactions. Therefore, the goal of any therapy is to make sure that the positive benefits outweigh any potential unwanted effects. Fortunately, actinic keratosis can usually be avoided in the first place. Just be sure to stick to the age-old adage when going outside: "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure".
While there is no way to avoid psoriasis, it is entirely possible to avoid actinic keratosis. That is because the former is probably in your genes and out of your control while the latter is self-inflicted! By that I mean it is the result of long-term exposure to ultraviolet light commonly found in sunlight. People who work outdoors and those who enjoy much time in the sun need to always be aware of wearing skin protection. Fair skinned individuals are even more susceptible to the damaging rays of the sun. As such, they need to apply a quality sun screen as well as re-applying it after spending much time in the sun.
The actual color appearance of the lesions in patients with actinic keratosis is not only limited to a red color. The lesions which are often felt before they can be seen, may also appear pink or grey. Some people say they have sun spots or age spots, but the bottom line is that these spots, if left untreated can become fatal which can be avoided in the first place if you use a little bit of caution before going outdoors.
The treatment options for psoriasis consists mainly of ointments, creams, lotions, some internal medicine, photo therapy and the newest class of medications called immuno-modulators which work to calm down the immune system. Treatment for actinic keratosis utilizes several of the same modalities as does psoriasis but the actual medications are often different. Physicians use cryosurgery, photo-dynamic therapy and topical medications that are more aggressive than what is usually used in psoriasis. The three most popular agents are imiquimod, diclofenec and fluorouracil.
The use of any agent on the skin for long periods of time can bring about a whole new set of problems such as side effects and other allergic dermatology reactions. Therefore, the goal of any therapy is to make sure that the positive benefits outweigh any potential unwanted effects. Fortunately, actinic keratosis can usually be avoided in the first place. Just be sure to stick to the age-old adage when going outside: "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure".
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