After WW II, Americans have had an intense love affair with the sun. With so much extra time on their hands and an increasing economy, many people were constantly finding new things to do or spend money on. One of the biggest booms was R & R, meaning that every day more and more people would spend their time by the pool side enjoying themselves, however, those habits soon began taking their toll on the lazy poolside crowd.

A recent dermatological study that was published in the March issue of the Archives of Dermatology stated that nonmelanoma skin cancers have doubled in less than 20 years. For the most part, this study comprehends keratinocyte carcinomas like basal cell or squamous cell carcinomas. The study was done using data from 2 Medicare databases and national surveys. The results showed that the majority of people being treated for this conditions were older adults, however, several cases of younger adults and even teenagers were also found among the data.

Too much UV exposure (from direct sun exposure or tanning beds) is the main cause of these cancers. In fact, the UV radiation can lead to other problems such as premature aging and precancerous lesions such as actinic keratosis. This type of skin condition can lead to squamous cell carcinoma if it is left untreated.

To get a better understanding we will take a look at actinic keratosis treatment and actinic keratosis prevention as a way of avoiding the development of skin cancer.

First of all, prevention is very simple: stay out of the sun. This doesn't seem like the most practical solution, which is why it is highly recommended that you use a good sunscreen lotion. Another great way to protect your skin is by wearing long sleeved shirts and wide brimmed hats that can actually help cover a larger area of skin.

Secondly, if you feel that you may have developed actinic keratosis, you should consult your doctor. In case you're wondering if you do or don't have actinic keratosis, you should look for dry, scaly patches about 1 inch in diameter. If you do spot these patches don't be too quick to think that they are only signs of dry skin, which is what most people do, make sure that you seek the professional guidance of someone that can tell the difference between dry skin and actinic keratosis.

Actinic keratosis will often recur. If you stay out of the sun long enough, these patches will go away. However, they will return once you start exposing your skin to the sun again.

Skin biopsies are a must to determine how advanced your actinic keratosis is. Anyone being treated for keratosis lesions will be asked to reduce their exposure to the sun. Some people will also require a microdermabrasion treatment or topical chemotherapy drugs to help treat their condition.

You can also compliment any treatment with the use of natural skin care products to help soothe the affected area. Biological skin creams that contain a special natural ingredient - snail serum - will help boost the rate at which your skin heals. In conjunction with dermatological treatment, these types of skin care products can restore the health of your skin.

Preventing the actinic keratosis from escalating into skin cancer is very simple, but you need to act fast. Remember, prevention cannot only help avoid more serious complications, but it can also help you avoid the high cost of skin cancer treatment.