AK usually appears as a small crusty, scaly, or crumbly bump on the skin surface.  It can be hard to locate because it may be light or dark, tan, pink, red, or a combination of the above.  It can even be in the same color as the skin.  Because the scale or crust is dry and rough, in which case spotting them through touch is quite effective.

Occasionally, you might find AK bleeding, or having surrounding skin swollen with different shades of red.

They generally grow very slowly into a size of about a quarter inch in length. The usual places that they would appear include the face, lips, ears, scalp, neck, backs of the hands and forearms, shoulders, and back.  The one found on the lips, called actinic cheilitis, could evolve into a type of squamous cell skin cancer that can spread rapidly to other parts of the body.

Sun damage remains the key factor giving rise to AK’s.

The AK lesions can be eliminated quite easily if treated early.  It is safe as they haven’t developed into skin cancers yet.  However, if left untreated, about 10% may progress to squamous cell carcinoma.