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What Do
AKs Look Like?
Actinic keratoses (AKs) are found on areas of the body that have
received long-term exposure to sunlight, such as the face, ears,
lip, scalp, neck, forearms, and back of the hands.
Appearance
While AKs share common characteristics, such as being dry, scaly,
and rough textured, not all AKs look alike. Some are skin-colored
and may be easier to feel than see. These lesions often feel much
like sandpaper. Others can appear as red bumps; scattered, thick red
scaly patches or lesions; or crusted lesions varying in color from
red to brown to yellowish black.
When an AK undergoes rapid upward growth, it becomes a “cutaneous
horn,” so named because it resembles the horn of an animal. The size
of a cutaneous horn may range from that of a pinhead to a pencil
eraser, and the shape may be straight or curved. Sometimes skin
cancer hides below a cutaneous horn.
If an AK forms on the lip, it is called “actinic cheilitis” and
appears as a diffuse, scaling lesion on the lower lip that dries and
cracks.
The skin around an AK tends to show evidence of sun damage, such as
wrinkles and furrows (deep wrinkles). The size of an AK ranges from
a pinhead to larger than a quarter.
The photographs below show several diagnosed cases of AKs and
illustrate the fact that AKs appear in various sizes, colors, and
shapes.
Click on the thumbnail for an enlarged image.
AKs Common on the Hands
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A fair-skinned
elderly patient with numerous crusted papules on the backs
of both hands and other chronically
sun-exposed parts of the body. |
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This 45-year old fair-complexioned patient is a
kidney-transplant recipient who has both AKs and squamous cell
carcinoma, a type of skin cancer, on his hand.
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AKs Frequently Appear on Face and Ears
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One of the
most frequent places AKs appear is the face as shown in this
photograph. |
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This retired
construction worker developed these slightly tender papules
and crusts on his ears over an eight to 10-year period. |
Actinic Cheilitis Occurs on the Lip
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This elderly
farmer gradually noticed a white discoloration on his lower
lip that was accompanied by occasional crusting and
tenderness. |
Cutaneous Horn: A Type of AK
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Sometimes the
skin cells making up an AK lesion undergo rapid upward growth
and form a cutaneous horn as shown on this patient’s forehead.
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The cutaneous
horn often appears on an ear as shown in this photo.
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(Photos used with permission of the
American Academy of Dermatology
National Library of Dermatologic
Teaching Slides)
Be sure to see a dermatologist if you
notice a lesion that looks like any of the above or a lesion that
begins to thicken, bleed, itch, or grow.
All
content solely developed by the American Academy of Dermatology |
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AKs are a common, potentially serious skin condition
that may be characterized by rough, scaly patches,
crusts or sores, ranging in size from a pinhead to
larger than a U.S. quarter.
American Academy of
Dermatology |
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