ACTINIC KERATOSES



Serving Hamilton, Stoney Creek, Grimsby and surrounding areas.

Actinic Keratoses for Hamilton, Grimsby and Stoney Creek

Actinic Keratoses:

General Information:

  • Are small rough spots about 1 mm to 5 mm in diameter.
  • Are usually present on sun exposed areas such as the ears, nose, face and tops of the hands.
  • Are sometimes much easier to feel than to see.
  • Are caused by the sun exposure that occurred 10 to 70 years before the spots appear.
  • Are not skin cancer but may develop into a skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma, if left untreated.
  • DO NOT develop into melanoma.

Prevention of Actinic Keratoses, and other skin cancers:

  • Wear a hat with a broad brim and protective clothing (e.g. long sleeves).
  • Avoid the outdoors when the sun is strongest between the hours of 10 am to 3 pm.
  • Use a sunscreen year round
  • Wear a sunscreen which resists water and sweating and which protects against both UVA and UVB.
  • Reapply sunscreen every hour if you are in water or sweating heavily.
  • Wear sunscreen even if you are in the shade, it is still possible to burn.
  • Avoid tanning beds. The ultraviolet light they produce causes skin cancer.

Treatment:

Liquid Nitrogen:

  • Is a cold freezing spray that is applied in the office.
  • It causes the spots to become red, swollen and crusted.
  • The spots will heal within 7 to 14 days.
  • You can bathe or shower normally.
  • The treated areas do not need to be covered by bandages.

Prescription Creams :

  • A variety of creams are available.
  • Please talk to your doctor about your options.

Levulan Photodynamic Therapy (ALA PDT):

  • This treatment combines a medication called Levulan with either Blue Light or IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) treatments.
  • Levulan PDT may be used to treat pre-cancerous sun spots or acne.
  • Unlike creams it has the advantage of being able to treat large areas in a single visit.
  • Unlike liquid nitrogen, the treatment is not painful.
  • Levulan PDT has the advantage of treating precancerous spots before they can be seen, thus preventing skin cancer from developing.
  • As an added bonus, Levulan PDT also treats brown freckling, shrinks pores, improves sun damage and increases collagen in the skin.
  • All of these lead to smoother, younger looking skin and reduced redness at the same time.
  • The cost of Levulan PDT is partially covered on most private drug insurance plans.
  • The cost of Levulan PDT is not covered on the Ontario ODSP (OHIP) drug plan for patients over 65 years of age.

For your convenience, the services above are available in my office.


What if you are interested to learn more?


If you would like to learn more:

  • Please click on the underlined links above
  • E-Mail Us
  • Or give us a call at 905-549-1025