Some of the most common precancerous growths include:Īctinic keratosis (AK): AK usually appears as small, scaly, or crusty patches that can be pink, red, or varying colors throughout the lesion.
Some may burn, feel tender to the touch, itch, or bleed. Lesions can feel crusty, rough, hard, and scaly. Some are discolored, appearing brown, pink, red, gray, yellow, or white. Growths are often slightly raised on the skin and small, usually measuring less than one inch in diameter. Precancerous growths on the skin can come in many different forms, including unusual bumps, blotches, and spots. Since precancerous skin can be a warning sign of future cancer, it’s important to know what to look for.
Precancerous skin growths can, however, appear at an earlier age, especially for those of us living in Florida, where we are outside in a lot of sunshine. Older adults, primarily those over the age of 40, start to develop precancerous skin growths because they’ve had a few decades of sun exposure – especially if you’re a long-time Florida resident.įor people over age 50, sunscreen wasn’t available during their childhood like we have it now, which means damage was done in their early years that can lead to these types of skin growths now. They are usually on the surface of the skin and typically develop in areas that have had a lot of sun exposure - head, hands, and forearms. Precancerous skin growths are abnormal areas that have developed on the skin that, if left untreated, could eventually turn into cancer. Still, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with what precancerous skin growths are and how they differ from skin cancer. In fact, most skin growths never cause problems and don't progress to skin cancer, especially when they are found early. Remember that a new spot on your skin doesn’t automatically mean that it’s cancer. Discovering a new spot or unusual change in your skin can be concerning.
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