*Welcome to the OutUK series looking at gay men and their health brought to you in association with the NHS* website.**
	Each week we'll tackle a different topic in our A to Z of Gay Health. We'll have features and advice on everything from relationships, sexual health, mental and physical conditions and how to stay fit. You can follow any of links provided below for more information direct from the NHS website, or view any of our Previous A to Z Features.

You should also know that OutUK has produced a special report about: Coronavirus Covid-19.

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This Week - K : Keratoses (Actinic or Solar)

Actinic keratoses (also called solar keratoses) are dry, scaly patches of skin that have been damaged by the sun. It's not usually serious, but there's a small chance the patches could become skin cancer. Protecting your skin in the sun and watching out for changes can help.

Check if you have actinic keratoses

Actinic keratoses patches:

can feel dry, rough and scaly, or like sandpaper
are usually between 1cm and 2cm in size
can be the same colour as your skin, or range from pink to red to brown
may be itchy

The patches usually appear on areas of your body that are often exposed to the sun, such as your face, hands and arms, ears, scalp and legs.

See a GP if:

you notice new patches on your skin
the patches begin to bleed, get bigger, change colour, feel tender or develop into a lump
a patch appears on your lips

It's important to get these skin changes checked in case they're being caused by something more serious, such as skin cancer.

Treatment for actinic keratoses

If you only have 1 actinic keratoses patch, a GP might suggest waiting to see if it goes away by itself.

If you have more than 1 patch, or a patch is causing you problems such as pain and itchiness, treatment is usually recommended.

A GP may refer you to a skin specialist (dermatologist).

Treatments for actinic keratoses include:

prescription creams and gels
freezing the patches (cryotherapy) - this makes the patches turn into blisters and fall off after a few weeks
surgery to cut out or scrape away the patches - you'll be given a local anaesthetic first, so it does not hurt
photodynamic therapy (PDT), where special cream is applied to the patches and a light is shone on them

Things you can do if you have actinic keratoses

There are things you can do to stop your actinic keratoses patches getting worse and lower your chances of developing skin cancer.

Do

check your skin regularly for any changes
use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 before going out in the sun and reapply regularly
wear a hat and clothing that fully covers your arms and legs when you're out in the sun

Don't

do not sunbathe
do not use sunlamps or sunbeds as these can also damage your skin
do not go into the sun between 11am and 3pm - this is when the sun is at its strongest

Consider taking 10 micrograms of vitamin D a day if you always cover up outdoors. This is because you may not get enough vitamin D from sunlight.

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We'll have more information and advice next week on another topic in our A to Z of Gay Health. We have covered many subjects in this series and you can catch up with all of our Previous A to Z Features. If you want to find out more about this week's subject you can visit the Original article on the NHS website. If you are worried by any aspect of your health make sure you go and see your doctor or book an appointment at your local clinic.
Photos: LightFieldStudios and one of VladOrlov, Stockcube, darak77, ajr_images or rawpixel.com.