They call it keratosis: rough, stubborn patches your moisturizer can’t fix, born from years of quiet sun damage or a buildup of keratin your skin can’t shed. It shows up where the light has lived the longest—your face, arms, hands, scalp—small places that whisper rather than scream. Most stay harmless, just a reminder of time. But actinic keratosis is different; it’s the warning flare before some skin cancers, a message you cannot afford to ignore.

A dermatologist can read what your skin is trying to say. With medicated creams, precise freezing, or targeted laser treatments, those risky spots can be removed before they become something far more dangerous. The real danger isn’t the roughness you can feel, but the delay you allow. When dry, crusty, or persistent patches refuse to heal, the bravest choice is simple: let someone look, now.