Avoiding exposure to the sun is the best way to prevent skin cancer,But there's more you should know about early diagnosis of suspicious areas on the skin.

The best way to remove actinic keratosis is using intense freezing (cryotherapy) with a single application of liquid nitrogen. This is a pretty painless procedure, and very effective. Occasionally, surgical removal is used for large lesions. Chemical destruction (with a drug called 5-fluorouracil) is an alternative if there are many lesions involving the head and neck; application is twice daily for 2 to 5 weeks, and there may be a risk of infection and inflammation. More cosmetic approaches include chemical peeling and facial dermabrasion.