If you have skin lesions that look like scaly, dry bumps or patches on your skin, you may have Actinic Keratosis. Actinic Keratosis is a serious skin condition that can take years to develop, and can show no symptoms except for the dry patches. Long term exposure to the sun is the cause of this skin condition. It is a precancerous condition, meaning it can lead to skin cancer. It's essential to take care of your skin and try to prevent further damage, including skin cancer. Take these necessary steps to take care of your skin and prevent more damage.

At the top of the list is staying out of the sun as much as you can. It's important to limit your time in the sun every day. The sun's rays are most powerful between 10am and 4pm, so stay inside if you can during those times. If you stay out long enough to get a suntan or sunburn, it is too long. If you are at a higher altitude, or if you are around snow, ice or water, the sun can be even more damaging. Even during cloudy days, the sun's harmful rays can still do damage if you stay out for too long.

Actinic Keratosis - How to Protect the Skin

If you have to go out into the sun, it is essential that you try to protect your skin with sunscreen and/or clothing. Use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, preferably 30-50. Apply sunscreen 20 minutes before you go outside. Don't enter the water immediately after putting on your sunscreen. Also, make sure you reapply sunscreen every 1-2 hours, even on cloudy days. Don't forget - apply sunscreen to your lips too!

In addition to wearing sunscreen, protective clothing will help shield your skin from harmful sun rays. Try to wear long sleeves, pants, hats, and sunglasses to protect yourself from both UVA and UVB rays. Clothing that is tightly woven is best to keep the sun out. Hats with wide brims will keep your face and neck protected.

Don't use creams with tanning accelerants and do not use tanning beds. Even though they only emit UVB rays, tanning beds can still be very damaging to your skin. If you want an alternative for getting a tanned look, you can use bronzing lotions that do not require sun exposure, or spray tans. It's also important to use a natural skin care product to regenerate healthy skin cells.