When Is Skin Cancer Screening Recommended for Actinic Keratosis?

Actinic keratosis is a rough, scaly area linked with cumulative ultraviolet exposure. One lesion may be treated in the clinic, but nearby skin can also show sun damage that is easier to notice during a full examination. A clinician may inspect the scalp, face, ears, lips, forearms, hands, and other exposed areas. A lesion that becomes thicker, tender, crusted, or persistently irritated may need closer assessment, and a biopsy can help distinguish actinic keratosis from skin cancer when the appearance is uncertain.

Arrange a dermatology appointment if you have a new rough patch, several similar lesions, or a treated area that has not settled. Note when you first noticed it and whether its colour, surface, size, bleeding, or tenderness has changed. Bring details of previous treatments and medicines that affect healing or immune function. Until reviewed, protect exposed skin with clothing, shade, and broad-spectrum sunscreen, and avoid picking or scraping the area.

Seek prompt dermatology advice for a spot that bleeds without an obvious injury, forms a repeated crust, becomes painful, grows, or fails to heal. Arrange earlier review for a change on the lip, ear, eyelid, scalp, or another area that is difficult to monitor. Urgent care is appropriate for heavy bleeding that does not stop with firm pressure or for signs of spreading infection such as increasing warmth, swelling, and fever.

Ask whether the lesion needs treatment, observation, or biopsy; whether other sun-exposed areas should be examined; how to check your skin at home; and when a follow-up visit is sensible. You can also ask which sunscreen and protective clothing suit your skin and how to recognise a recurrence.