Will Keratosis Treatment Hurt?

Several treatments are available for treating actinic keratosis. Ointments and creams are the methods considered least invasive. On another hand, cryotherapy and chemical peel are only mild or moderately invasive treatment procedures. Conversely, dermabrasion, curettage and laser methods are most invasive modes of treating keratosis.

Topical treatments, which are utilized during chemotherapy, form the usual prescription for actinic keratosis. Fluorouracil ointment which is in ointment or cream form is such an example, together with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory gels. Topical drugs destroy precancerous cells lying within the affected area. This takes place through blocking of cellular synthesis activity. Diclofenac gel is an effective anti-inflammatory treatment option for actinic keratosis. However, topical drugs show side effects, such as sun sensitivity and skin irritation.

In cryotherapy, liquid Nitrogen or related solution is used to freeze off actinic keratosis lesions on skin. The frozen region begins peeling off, while new skin forms. This mode of therapy is a most popular actinic keratosis treatment. Just as does cryotherapy, chemical peeling happens by chemotherapeutic means. These promote new formation of skin, while eliminating skin lesions through peeling or blistering processes.

Dermabrasion, laser therapy and curettage all utilize physical means in removing actinic keratosis lesions of skin manually. This method precipitates varying degrees of pain on affected areas, thus requiring anaesthetization. A surgeon will use a surgical curette tool when performing curettage. In electrosurgery, an instrument produces electric current, which cuts and annihilates lesion residues retained after scraping is over.

Special laser instruments like the carbon dioxide kind are applied at times when undertaking actinic keratosis treatment. Laser therapy has the advantage of accuracy during treatment on affected regions. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) also appropriates a laser beam in order to effect treatment. During this process, a drug that is sensitive to light is used to treat skin lesions arising from actinic keratosis. It is then allowed to sit for between minutes and days, before activation is done with laser or other fitting light source.

Dermabrasion is suitable as a form of therapy in actinic keratosis. This procedure applies a brush that is in rapid motion for removing affected areas of skin and promoting skin growth. There are many demerits involved in this type of treatment. Among these is the extended time required for healing to occur. The other one is that skin might undergo changes in pigmentation. Such are quite rampant on people who have mid-range skin varieties.

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