Actinic keratosis is a rough, scaly patch on the skin that develops from years of exposure to the sun. It is most commonly found on sun exposed areas such as the face, lips, ears, back of your hands, forearms, scalp or neck. These lesions are precancerous, and if left untreated, there is a small risk that they can turn into a type of skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma. In most cases, actinic keratosis can be treated and cured. Treatment options include the following: Topical creams, cryotherapy (freezing), electrosurgery (use of an electric current), laser resurfacing and Photodynamic therapy (PDT). PDT uses a cream applied to the skin and a special light to destroy pre-cancer cells of the skin.