Dr. Ritesh Safariya

Actinic keratosis is a medical condition in which there is a formation of rough scaly patch on your skin due to excess and prolonged exposure to the sun's rays. It is also known as solar keratosis and is commonly found in the areas of ears, lips, forearms, scalp and neck. They take years to develop and a small percentage of cases can even develop into skin cancer. Read on more to find out all about the different causes and symptoms of actinic keratosis.

Causes: The primary cause for actinic keratosis is due to frequent or intense exposure to the UV rays either from the sun or from tanning beds. It has been seen that although people of all ages can be affected by actinic keratosis, people who are above the age of 40, people who live in sunny climates, people who have a history of frequent or intense exposure to the sun or sunburn, people with a history of actinic keratosis and people with a weak immune system are more prone to be affected by actinic keratosis.  

Symptoms: Actinic keratosis has distinct features and if you have developed such symptoms, then you are more than likely to be suffering from actinic keratosis. 

1. Existence of rough, scaly or dry patches of skin concentrated in certain parts of the body. These patches are usually less than 1 inch in diameter. 
2. They are usually flat and in some cases can be slightly raised in the form of a bump on the top most layer of the skin.
3. In some instances, however, they can have the form of a hard wart like surface.
4. These bumps or lesions can be pink, red, brown or flesh colored. 
5. Intense itching and burning can occur in the affected area.
6. Actinic keratosis occurs primarily in the areas of the body, which have been exposed to the sun's rays the most. These include the face, ears, lips, back of the hands, forearms, scalp and neck.

As it is very difficult to differentiate between cancerous and noncancerous spots, it is recommended to consult a doctor and opt for treatment.

A number of factors are associated with hair fall and if someone is suffering from severe hair fall on a daily basis, then it is certainly a cause of concern. Here are five major reasons of hair loss that you need to know:

1. Scalp infections: Infections of the scalp is one of the factors that may cause hair fall at an alarming rate. Of the different scalp infections, the ringworm scalp infection is the most common. Although this fungal infection can occur in any part of your body, when it develops on your scalp, you end up losing clumps of hair. Alongside the use of anti-fungal medications, even anti-fungal shampoos and creams can provide you with respite from the problem.
2. Stress: Stress gives rise to certain conditions such as alopecia Areata, telogen effluvium (hair loss caused post-pregnancy or surgery) and trichotillomania (an impulsive need to pull your hair out), which can cause you to lose significant amount of hair. To avert a hair loss crisis caused by stress, make it a point to do some simple stress reducing exercises, such as meditation or breathing exercises.
3. Hair styling products: Using hair styling products like hair colours and straighteners can cause you to experience hair fall problems. Your hair not only becomes dull and dry due to their use, but also becomes weak and brittle, leading to a gradual loss of hair. Regular oiling and use of homemade hair masks are some of the ways you can try to counter the negative effects of these hair styling products.
4. Cancer treatment: The drugs that are used in the treatment of cancer not only destroy the fast-growing cancer cells, but also the healthy blood cells in your body. For this reason, consuming foods that possess cancer-fighting properties (like oatmeal, tomato, almonds, garlic etc) is a sure-shot way of fighting the disease as well as averting any side-effects that may arise because of the treatment.
5. Genetics: The origin of your severe hair fall or baldness can be traced back to your ancestors. So, your genes can be a factor behind your hair fall problem. If this is the cause, your body then becomes unable to produce new hair. Apart from the changes that you can make in your lifestyle to address the causes of your hair fall, there are also techniques out there that you can employ to permanently treat your problem, such as platelet rich plasma, mesotherapy, stem cell therapy, ozone activated platelet rich plasma & hair transplant. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Dermatologist.