Advice needed... My diagnosis?

[Archive]

Originally posted by scsponger

Ok. I diagnoised myself as having KP. Mainly through research and pictures provided on the Internet. I'm 22 now and until about 2 years ago, I never noticed I had any skin problem. An occasionaly pimple here and there, but thats about it. Thinking that the sun and sal****er (I live by the beach) would clear up my pimple problem, I worshiped the sun. I mean seriously, I had a job were I was out in the sun 6-7 hours a day, without sunscreen. I did this for about three months. I've always loved the outdoors, I love to surf, and love being tan, so I've always been in the sun. After that summer, when the tan started to fade, I began to notice that my skin wasn't right. Thinking that it was acne, I tried about everything known to man. I spent a small fortune, thinking that I would stumble on the right solution for me. Well, needless to say I never found one. So I went to the derm, she told me I had acne vulgaris. I tried to explain to her that before all my sun exposure, it had never been a problem. Also, I was only broken out in the areas were i was really sun-burned. (ie. my face, my left arm and my upper back.) I know this was due to the sun because I used to drive with my window down and my left arm out the window. Thats when I noticed the "red rash." Anyway she put me on benzoyl peroxcide and retin-a and sent me on my way.

What I'm wondering now is this: With all this newly found discussion on actinic keratosis, I'm thinking my KP might really be AK. Does AK affect you people too? What are some indications of having it? Does it clear up? And does solarze, which is very expensive, really work?

Also, interstingly enough, I read somewhere on the internet that AK is precancerous indicator. I have alot of moles on my body, none that are growing or anything, but when I do go to the derm, I always end up walking out without three handouts on skin cancer. I guess the doctor, recognizes that because I have moles I am potentially more surceptiable? Skin cancer runs in my family. I'm just thinking that what I think might be KP, might actually be AK. - which has a solution, right?

Any Help is appreciated. Thanks. And god bless you all.

Matt

[Archive]

Originally posted by Kim

Have you seen pictues on the different sites about AK? I'm sure there are different stages to it. You really should be very careful if skin cancer runs in your family. If you are going to go into the sun, wear a sunscreen.