Prevention and Treatment Options for Actinic Keratosis

The first step for preventing actinic keratosis, is good skin care and adequate protection from the sun and UV rays. Daily sunscreen use is actually shown to reduce the number of keratoses and anti-aging skin care products can help improve their appearance.

There are prescription topical treatments which can smooth the skin and slow down the appearance of new lesions. Specifically imiquimoid and 5-fluorouracil are the mainstay treatments with new treatments just around the corner.

Other options for actinic keratosis treatment include procedures such as cryotherapy which is a freeze spray, photodynamic therapy or laser resurfacing to get rid of these lesions. In all cases a visit to the dermatologist is highly recommended.