What causes them, and what you can do about them. The base of an actinic keratosis may be light or dark . It can appear during pregnancy, or if youve had hormone replacement therapy. The UV rays damage the DNA in your skin cells, leading them to become cancerous. (2020). An actinic keratosis is a precancerous growth on the skin. A dermatoscope is a handheld lens that allows a dermatologist to view intricate details, under magnification, of the lesion of interest. All rights reserved. See additional information. Immunotherapy for melanoma skin cancer. They may be oval spots a fraction of an inch across, or form long Christmas tree like . But a new one can still appear somewhere else on your body. Seborrheic keratosis is a common, benign skin condition. . Scraping (curettage) or shaving the skin's surface. Its better to be too cautious than ignore a potentially serious problem. A growth has borders that are blurred, jagged, or otherwise irregular. In most cases, the growths will not spread very far or grow too extensively. Individual and family medical and dental insurance plans are insured by Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (CHLIC), Cigna HealthCare of Arizona, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Illinois, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Georgia, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of North Carolina, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of South Carolina, Inc., and Cigna HealthCare of Texas, Inc. Group health insurance and health benefit plans are insured or administered by CHLIC, Connecticut General Life Insurance Company (CGLIC), or their affiliates (see It is the result of skin damage from UV exposure. However, its always best to have any new skin growth examined by a dermatologist. Our website services, content, and products are for informational purposes only. Seborrheic keratosis: Symptoms, treatment, and causes - Medical News Today Speaking with a doctor annually for a skin and mole check should help reduce the risk of having advanced cancer. A novel Nitrizinc Complexsolution for topical treatment of seborrhoeic keratosis: An interventional clinical study. Seborrheic keratoses grow slowly, in groups or singly. Seborrheic keratoses are very common on the back. The only place seborrheic keratoses wont develop is on the palms of hands and soles of feet., Seborrheic keratosis can develop at any time on any person. What are the symptoms of actinic keratosis? It tends to lie flat against the skin of the head and neck, but appears as a bump on arms and hands. They generally arent painful or tender to the touch, unless theyve become irritated from rubbing or scratching against your clothing. Experts don't completely understand what causes a seborrheic keratosis. Molecular Markers of UV Exposure and Cancer Risk in Skin, Melanoma Margins Trial-II - A Phase III, Multi-centre Randomised Controlled Trial Investigating 1cm v 2cm Wide Surgical Excision Margins for AJCC Stage II Primary Cutaneous Melanoma (02.18 MelMarT-II). Details, E. Gregory Thompson MD - Internal Medicine. The keratinocyte is the most common type of skin cell in the epidermis (the . Darker skin tone those with deeper skin tones may be at greater risk to develop these growths around the eyes.