Keratoacanthoma Hampshire UK
- A keratoacanthoma is a fast growing tumour that can behave like an aggressive skin cancer.
- It usually stops growing after six weeks
- Dr Fairris has been treating keratoacanthomas since the 1980s
What is a keratoacanthoma?
This name is given to two conditions that look almost identical when examined by the naked eye or under the microscope.
One condition will, if left for eighteen months or so, go away by itself, leaving an unsightly crater in the skin.
The other behaves like a rapidly growing, locally very aggressive, skin cancer.
What causes keratoacanthoma?
The cause of keratoacanthomas is unknown but they appear most commonly in fair-haired individuals who tan poorly in response to sunlight.
How can keratoacanthoma be treated?
Smaller keratoacanthomas can be successfully removed by a technique called curettage. This leaves a shallow graze in the skin to heal by itself.
Larger ones are removed surgically.
How can keratoacanthoma be prevented?
Wearing a sunscreen may help. 2ml of sunscreen with SPF 20 and **** UVA protection should be applied to the face every morning.
A hat protects the scalp and forehead only.
