Actinic keratoses (AKs) are areas of epithelial dysplasia usually caused by cumulative sun exposure. They tend to affect older people with fair skin types. Around one-in-five people aged over 60 in the UK has at least one AK, so they are commonly seen in primary care, either noticed incidentally when patients present with other problems, or because patients present with skin lesions. AKs are important as they indicate increased risk of sun-related skin cancer, and because a small proportion of AKs progress to invasive squamous cell cancers. This article aims to describe the clinical features of AKs and summarise the management options in primary care.
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