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Welcome to Solar Keratosis!
A solar keratosis is a tiny, thick, scaly lump or growth on one’s skin that is caused by much exposure to the sun over many years. In fact, if one has had a lot of exposure to the sun, then several of these spots may develop. Fortunately, these spots are usually harmless, although it is usually recommended to treat these spots because there is a small risk that the spot may eventually turn into a type of skin cancer. Sometimes these spots are also referred to as “actinic keratoses.”
Each of these spots could range from the size of a pin head, up to 2-3 centimeters in diameter. The color can be dark, light, red, pink, the same color as your skin, or even a combination of all of the above. The top of the spots might have a yellowish white, scaly crust. These spots feel rough and dry, and they are raised somewhat from the surface of your skin. In fact, it’s usually easier to feel them than to see them. Some redness might develop in the area around the spot, and sometimes a growth of hard skin might come out of the spot, looking sort of like a finger.
You may develop several of these spots as about the same time, and usually in the same area of the skin. They may join together and develop into a large, flat, rough area of the skin. As mentioned before, these spots usually come about on the areas of your skin that are commonly exposed to the sun, like on your neck, face, ears, back of the hands, and even on bald patches on the skin. If you sunbathe frequently, then they could also appear on your back, chest, or legs. Generally, there are no other symptoms associated with solar keratoses, other than the trademark spot that develops on the skin.
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These spots are caused by damage to the skin that comes from ultraviolet light. Your skin is usually good at repairing any minor damages, but over the years, some areas of the skin are unable to repair the damage sufficiently, and repated exposure to the sun for long periods of time will often cause solar keratoses on these spots.
Usually, people with fair complexions who do not tan easily are the most likely to be affected by this condition. This is because their skin does not have as much protective pigment as those who have darker skin, and the skin is therefore more susceptible to sunburn and other types of damage from the sun. Since it usually takes a very long time for this condition to come about, older people are the most commonly affected. However, younger folks who spend a lot of time in the time, or who use sun tanning beds are also more susceptible to solar keratosis.
Solar keratoses themselves are not cancerous, and they do not cause any harm to the skin, other than being rather unsightly. However, for people who have several spots on the skin, there is about a 10% chance that these spots will turn into a form of skin cancer.