Glossary Term:

Title

actinic keratosis

Phonetic

ak-TIH-nik KAYR-uh-TOH-sis

Description

A rough raised area of skin that can develop after a lot of sun exposure. They are benign (not cancer), but over time a few can develop into squamous cell cancer. It is often found on areas of the skin that are frequently exposed to the sun like face, scalp, neck, forearms, and the back of the hands. Also called solar keratosis.