Solar keratosis is a common skin condition characterised by scaly skin lesions, usually found on sun-exposed areas of the body. It is also known as actinic keratosis, senile keratosis and solar keratosis; the name originates from Latin and means 'skin thickening due to sun'. It was first described by Dubreuilh in 1826, and for many years was known as 'keratoma senilis'. In 1958 it was finally named actinic keratosis, by Pinkus. Solar keratotsis represents dysplastic proliferations of keratinocytes, secondary to chronic sun exposure, especially ultra-violet radiation. Solar keratosis is the most common pre-malignant skin condition; however, it is increasingly thought to represent a spectrum of disease in between photo-damaged skin and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). A small proportion of solar keratosis progresses to become SCC, and the chances of progression increase with the increase in the number of lesions. Incidence of solar keratosis in the UK is increasing due to an ageing population, leading to increased burden on the healthcare system.
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