If you have small, scaly patches on your skin, you may have a serious condition called Actinic Keratosis. Most dermatologists consider it precancerous, and there is a very real chance that it can develop into skin cancer. Following some key steps can improve your chances of preventing more keratoses and skin cancer down the road.

First and foremost, you must limit your skin's exposure to the sun. Also, use sunscreen with SPF and cover up your skin with clothing if you must be in the sun. Finally, using a natural skincare product is very helpful in preventing more sun damage.

The most helpful thing you can do is stay out of the sun. Try to put a limit on the number of hours you spend outside, even if there are clouds in the sky. Remember, the sun is most powerful between 10am and 4pm, so try to stay inside if possible during those hours. Also, the sun's rays are more harmful at a higher altitude, or around snow, ice or water.

Actinic Keratosis Prevention:

It's helpful to use sunscreen and clothing to protect your skin if you can't stay indoors. Use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, preferably 30-50. Put on sunscreen 20-30 minutes before you go out into the sun. Avoid getting into water immediately after applying sunscreen. Also, make sure you reapply sunscreen every 1-2 hours, even on cloudy days. Don't forget to put sunscreen on your lips!

Another way to protect your skin is with clothing. 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. Also, wide brimmed hats will help shield your face and neck from the sun's damage.

Using an effective skin care cream is helpful for caring for your skin and protecting it from sun damage. Research on actinic keratosis shows that effective skin creams can peel away the existing keratosis and reveal new, healthier cells. Creams using trichloroacetic acid for actinic keratosis help peel away the skin lesions and generate new, brighter skin cells.