What are common treatment options for actinic keratosis?

• A. Cryotherapy or 5-fluorouracil cream
• B. Oral antibiotics
• C. Systemic steroids
• D. Laser hair removal

Answer: (A)

Actinic keratosis results from sun-damaged keratinocytes, and treatment aims to remove or destroy those abnormal cells to reduce the risk of progression to squamous cell carcinoma. Cryotherapy, which uses liquid nitrogen to freeze and destroy the lesion, is a quick, in-clinic method that works well for individual spots. Topical 5-fluorouracil cream treats the whole affected area (field) by inhibiting DNA synthesis in rapidly dividing atypical cells, helping clear multiple lesions and the surrounding damaged skin. Together, these approaches address both discrete lesions and surrounding sun-damaged tissue.

Oral antibiotics treat infections, not premalignant skin changes; systemic steroids are anti-inflammatory or immunosuppressive and not used for actinic keratosis; laser hair removal targets hair, not actinic keratosis, so they aren’t appropriate treatments for this condition.