Management of Actinic Keratosis

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Approaching treatment for actinic keratosis must start with defining the disease, often as a point in a spectrum of disease between normal skin and progression of cumulative photoexposure. With many of the available topical therapies, dermatologists are fixated on reactions and not on outcomes, which influences patient expectations and long-term strategies, instead of understanding the mechanisms of action of therapies, integration into combination regimens with lesional destruction, and long-term maintenance to reduce skin cancer risks.

Recent Findings

New vehicles and percentages of active ingredients, new photodynamic therapy protocols, and systemic chemoprevention with nicotinamide and retinoids are also going to be reviewed in this article.

Summary

Considerations for treatment of actinic keratoses start with answers to questions about SCC and the greater assessment of the precursor disease of photodamage.