Natural Treatment for Actinic Keratosis

The sun is a wonderful thing, but it can wreak just as much havoc as joy. Take your skin for example, and consider the number of conditions which sun damage can contribute towards. One of those is a condition called actinic keratosis.

Actinic keratosis appears as patches of skin which are rough and have a scaly appearance. These are a direct result of sun exposure. They usually appear on the ears, head, arms, hands, and on the neck. Actinic keratosis begins as odd small patches and spreads to larger areas.

Thankfully, actinic keratosis might be a nuisance. If you catch it early enough, you can say goodbye to it over a short period of time. Let’s check out 7 of the best ways to do just that.

Topical Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is a natural treatment for many different conditions. Actinic keratosis is one of them. All you need to do is:

1. Take a cotton wool ball and soak it in the apple cider vinegar.
2. Place the ball over the area you want to treat and wrap a bandage around it to hold the ball in place.
3. Leave the bandage on for a few hours, preferably overnight.
4. Remove it. Repeat this regularly over a period of around three weeks, and the area should clear up on its own.
   

Directly Applied Virgin Coconut Oil

Another useful method is to use virgin coconut oil, but organic is best for this use. All you need to do is apply the virgin coconut oil directly to the area once every day and continue to do so until the area clears up. This method is best for the face, nose, head, neck and forehead, and isn’t so effective on arms and hands usually.

The reason that organic is best in this regard is because you can be sure you’re getting the purest product possible. That means no added extras which may otherwise aggravate your skin, and therefore making the actinic keratosis worse.

Drink Green Tea

Green tea is known for its antioxidant and astringent powers, and you can either drink it or apply it topically to help actinic keratosis. If you are drinking green tea, never consume more than five cups in a day, as it can have a few side effects for some people. If you’re going for the topical route, simply soak a green tea bag in warm water and apply it to the area. This is a good option for general sunburn too.

Diluted Tea Tree Oil

Essential oils are known for their powers, and they can help with many different skin problems. Tea tree oil, in particular, has powerful anti-inflammatory properties as well as being antimicrobial. However, you should never use tea tree essential oil without diluting it with a carrier oil. Make sure you do this before you apply it to the area topically. Virgin coconut oil is a good way to dilute the essential oil and will give you an extra boost of power also. You should apply the mixture to the area of actinic keratosis a few times every day.

Drink Plenty of Water

It might sound a simple option, but drinking plenty of water will also work wonders. This is because you are not only hydrating your body but your skin too. There is some debate over how much water we should be drinking on a daily basis, but the 8×8 rule is the general consensus. This means 8 x 8oz glasses of water daily.

Of course, fluids don’t just mean water and you can drink fresh fruit juice, unsweetened teas and coffees in order to reach your hydration quota too. For your skin however water is best, and you can flavour this with a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice if you prefer.

Topical Castor Oil

Another option is to use castor oil, something which most people use for other conditions. Simply apply to a cotton wool pad and then hold it against the area you want to treat.

You’ll need to repeat this on a regular basis, and it may take some time to show improvement. Despite that, many people have found success with using castor oil.

As with any of these topical treatments, if you notice any extreme singing, burning, rashes, or anything adverse, make sure that you stop using it and seek medical attention.

Whilst most of these methods are safe, it doesn’t mean they are without side effects completely. Everyone is different and nobody can be 100% sure how a topical method is going to affect them until they have tried it for themselves.

Assess Your Diet

Whilst the above methods are all useful for reducing the appearance of actinic keratosis and helping to eradicate it completely, you should also look at what you’re putting into your body. Avoiding sun damage in the first place will help. Make sure that you get a good balance of different nutrients will help you prevent actinic keratosis.

The 5 a day rule is in a debate, as many people think it should be more but ensuring that you get 5 savings of fresh fruits and vegetables on a daily basis will not see you far wrong.

The brighter the better, because this means they’re packed with healthy antioxidants and these will help to regenerate your skin cells. They also give your immune system a welcome boost. Make sure that you get plenty of omega 3 fatty acids, which are abundant in oily and fatty fish.

Summing up

Actinic keratosis is an unpleasant and upsetting condition to deal with, and when left unchecked it can occasionally develop into more serious issues, such as skin cancer. Thankfully, when tackled early, the condition is easily treated and will disappear out of sight.

These 7 methods will help you achieve that aim, and provided you avoid sun damage in the future. You should be free of actinic keratosis from that point onwards.

Further Reading

https://www.dermnetnz.org/topics/actinic-keratosis/

https://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/actinic-keratosis

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/actinic-keratoses/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/actinic-keratosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20354969

https://www.medicinenet.com/image-collection/basal_cell_nevus_syndrome_picture/picture.htm