Natural Remedies for Actinic Keratosis: Effective Home Treatments

Excellent results from apple cider vinegar. I had many sores on my bald head from sun damage accumulated over the years from overexposurer ( Actinic Keratosis). I applied the ACV with a q-tip soaked in the ACV three or four times a day for approximately four days. Scabs began to form within a few days and I was able to gently remove the scabs. So far so good. Actually, amazing .

Excellent results from apple cider vinegar. I had many sores on my bald head from sun damage accumulated over the years from overexposurer ( Actinic Keratosis). I applied the ACV with a q-tip soaked in the ACV three or four times a day for approximately four days. Scabs began to form within a few days and I was able to gently remove the scabs. So far so good. Actually, amazing .

I am in the same position as you. Have been applying ACV for over a week now and my arms are covered in very dry scabs and itchy. I shall continue to apply ACV and see what happens. I might try rubbing aloe Vera on my arms, as they are very dry.

I had liquid nitrogen used about four years ago on four spots on my cheek; they all came back. Now I have just one spot on my right cheek, about 0.5" in diameter. I use coconut oil with frankincense essential oil, about five drops to a Tbsp. of coconut oil, then cover with it several times a day. I alternate with 'DMSO liquid (dimethyl sulfoxide) 99.9% pure', from the health store. It feels 'under control'.

I pick at mine too. Been applying ACV for about 2-3 weeks 3-5x per day with q-tip, but I can't help but pick at the things, and now they are all bloody and scabby. Not sure if I should stop the ACV and let them heal? Or just keep on with the ACV and stop rubbing and picking at them. Probably that one. I think I'll try a week of ACV and absolutely NO scraping. Maybe they'll scab over and fall off!

Good luck with yours, too.

A little risky on the face.

Anon, go ahead and try the different vinegars on your keratosis and let us know what your results are. I am always interested in what actually works for people. Good luck!

A question. Why Apple Cider Vinegar as opposed to other vinegars. They are all acetic acid. Why not distilled malt vinegar, or even malt vinegar itself. The method seems to promote skin peeling (acid is corrosive) rather than a chemical effect.

Comments please.

For some years I've had a spot on my forearm that started out as a mosquito bite, but which never completely healed, forming a 1/2 inch area of thin pink skin which would almost seem to heal and then crack open again and scab over. It looked exactly like the pics of actinic keratosis. It did not seem to grow, and I was reluctant to offer it up to a dermatologist for removal.

I tried many remedies, none worked, and then I tried coconut oil, which someone recommended with the idea the problem might be a fungus. The coconut oil did seem to bring very slow improvement, so I started thinking what else I could use for a fungus, and I came up with borax. I made a paste of borax laundry detergent booster and water, applied a chickpea sized dab to the lesion, and covered it with a band aid. I kept the bandaid on most of the time, reapplying borax at night. Within a week, I knew it was working, as the scab kept shrinking and the pink skin got thicker. It's been two weeks now, and the lesion is closed, the skin, still pink, but thicker and looking resilient. I will probably always have a scar there, but I am very happy to have the skin healed over.

I did add another tweak after the first ten days. Convinced the anti fungal treatment was working, I started using Listerine (original) instead of water to wet the borax. Listerine has thymol and eucalyptol, apparently the real plant oils, which are effective against fungus. I did this because my brother claimed to have gotten rid of bad toenail fungus by painting Listerine all over his nails every night. Not to say that AK is the same fungus, but just that anti fungal treatment seems to have worked amazingly in my case.

I would love to know if this will work for anybody else!

Hi! Have you had any success with the ACV? I have been using tea tree oil and somedays it seems to look better than others my spot looks angry again.

Update - It's been 11 months since I used the eggplant/ACV paste on the four solar keratoses on my nose, and I can now say that the treatment was a complete success. There are no signs that the keratoses were ever there. The skin is smooth and soft, and there are none of the lingering red marks that often will remain for a year or so after my skin has had an injury.

Hi! I was wondering if you had success with ACV. I too am a redhead and I just started ACV on a patch on my cheek. I used tea tree oil but didn't do much.

Dear Shellie. My husband is fair-skinned and doesn't use sunblock so he gets actinic keratoses a lot. Have found: (1) exfoliate often..can use a rough washcloth or charcoal sponge (2) apply aloe vera gel AM and PM (3) always use sunblock.

Good Luck, Rose

How long did you use the ACV? I have been using it for 3 weeks and the scabs seem to come back so I'm thinking the area needs more work. ANY thoughts?

Hi!!! .I have just started using the apple cider vinegar on the small spots on my nose. I originally tried Tea Tree oil but that didn't seem to help. Sometimes the scabs seem to come off on their own but they always come back so I'm trying this. How long should I expect this to take to work? I have also heard iodine works. I just don't want it cut off on my nose!!

I'm 61 and a redhead and have had solar keratosis for about 5 years. Initially one on my face and some on my back and then several on my chin I've been treated with cryotherapy but it takes ages to heal and has always returned. I started treating myself with 'diluted ' cyder vinegar but again it came back. In the last 3 months I have been mixing the vinegar with aubergine and I think I'm finally seeing normal skin.

I have stopped and started and almost given up on several occasions as it got worse and new areas appeared . It's not easy having to burn your face time and time again knowing it will scab over and praying it will heal and not return. I have to virtually perform surgery on my face every day before it's smooth enough to wear make up before I can go out. I'm lucky I'm retired now. That's maybe why it's taken so long but it was either that or be a total hermit. I've stayed in for days to avoid picking the scabs and allow it to heal but to no avail. My husband thinks I'm self harming but what choice do I have when it's on my face.

Anyway, am keeping my fingers crossed and will keep posting. Am not sure if I'll be left with scarring. I also had a biopsy about a month ago and have to wait 6 wks on the result. The dermatologist said she couldn't diagnose my condition because I couldn't leave my skin alone. I need to be checked on a regular basis in future as obviously now high risk for squamous cell carcinoma. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I will be able to show the dermatologist a positive result.

This is my first time posting and I'm unsure if this is the right place to post about this cure. So my apologies if it's not.

I've had 3 rough red spots on the bridge of my nose for a number of years. Doc said they were actinic keratosis (ak) and to keep an eye on them since they can occasionally turn into cancer. They were unsightly and would sometimes get inflamed a little and peel, so I wanted to get rid of them. It's not uncommon for bruises, cuts and other injuries to leave marks on my skin for a long time after they've healed up, so I didn't want to do the cut or burn approach and have marks from that for a year, so I started looking for alternative treatments.

I read about using eggplant and ACV on AKs, so I blended up an eggplant with raw ACV and let it sit in the fridge for a day. Then I'd apply a thick layer of that paste to the lesions and leave it on overnight (uncovered). In the morning the paste would be dried up and firmly attached to the AKs and I had to peel them off or wash them off with lots of water and patience. The AKs got pretty inflammed and sore after a couple of days, then they started to weep and bleed a little. But only the AKs reacted. The rest of the skin in the treated area showed absolutely no reaction to the paste. About 5 days into the treatment the area was pretty sore and inflamed, so I stopped treatment for a couple of days to let it rest. Then I resumed treatment.

There was one spot on the right side of my nose that had been slightly pink, but had never had a visible AK. It got inflammed and sore too, so I assume it was an AK that hadn't surfaced yet.

About a week into treatment the AKs started going away. The AKs started sloughing and the redness and inflammation subsided. Four small pimples popped up on the edge of a couple of the AKs. They were small but quite sore. They lasted for about a week, then they peeled and fell off too. I continued to apply the paste for another week. But when the AKs started peeling the skin stopped reacting to the paste and nothing more happed, so I quit using it.

It's been about 4 weeks since I started the treatment, and at this point the areas where the AKs were are a light pink color, but all of the skin there is soft and smooth now. So for me the eggplant/ACV paste was a success. And it was cheap and easy too. Just one eggplant and about a half of a cup of raw ACV vinegar.

Thanks so much for the advice! I'm only 26 but found a small rough patch on my forehead (about the size of a pencil eraser) that fits the description for this condition. I'm red haired and very fair skin and live in California where I guess it's more common because of the constant sun. I'm going to try this treatment and hope it clears up in 4-8 weeks before dragging myself to the dermo. Time to start using that sun block religiously. I'm so glad I found this site. Will let you know my results.

Did you also drink ACV to work on the issue from the inside out? If you put duct tape next to vinegar, the vinegar might be leeching chemicals from the duct tape, thus creating a less than ideal mixture for your skin.

Diagnosed with pre-cancerous Actinic Ketosis on my back. Read here, (thank you Earth Clinic for this site and all of you! ) that ACV could help this. Since I'm up for experimenting on myself, I tried it.

I used the ACV straight on the Ketosis after I took a picture of it. It is now healed completely. Also used the ACV straight, no dilution, on my face, and any bumps that I have on my body and under breasts. A small skin nodule under my lip fell off in one day. At first, my skin seemed to get very red, but I think that was the stuff coming out that needed healing. All other bumps (moles, etc.) are getting better but not healed yet.

My husband had a rash on the back of his knee and has been using ACV for the past month and it is much better but not healed yet. ACV rocks!

I just wanted to reinforce the previous comment - do not use any oil based product on the area of skin you are treating with ACV. It prevents the healing process. I was treating Solar Keratosis for 6 weeks with only a little success. When I stopped using anything else the process took only two weeks!

Thank you Blindedbyscience for your update. I've got something similar and have been very frustrated by some things causing the affected area to enlarge.

I am finally seeing some progress in halting the spread and seeing the bumpy area get a bit lower, by using Epsom Salt and French Green Clay. Once in a while I also dab on wet Baking Soda. None of these things are causing spreading so I am finally breathing easier on this!

Maybe I'll add Tea Tree Oil, although in the past it did nothing for me.

Finally some progress, I decided to only use tea tree oil. I dropped the oil over the spot frequently for the last couple days, it's nice because it dries it up. Well today after my shower I used peroxide to clean and then pulled on the dry skin which peeled off leaving a pretty clean looking pink ulcer. Luckily its only about 2mm so not so scary. Believe me I've had my share of scary. This spot was biopsied as Actinic keratosis 3 yrs ago but the report said it permeated all layers and might be something worse underneath. At that time I was using CO/melatonin paste. I'm gonna continue to tx with tto. And maybe moisture it with CO/TTO/melatonin. One nice thing about this treatment is it doesn't appear to spread things around like some of the other things seem to do. I don't know why the vinegar started giving me problems this time, but I would recommend TTO.

I'm disappointed to have to report that for some reason two tiny areas appeared on the lower edge of the old spot, like little white heads (after soaking with vinegar). I really thought I had it knocked out. I've decided to switch over to a "dryer" approach and start applying Sunspot Es to dry and peel them off. I used Sunspot on the old spot before and it seemed to work but I applied nothing for 4mos and it came back. I'm not sure what is exacerbating things.

ACV for solar keratosis, basal cell.

If you are not getting results with this, I suggest applying the ACV and leaving it open to air as much as possible. Also try not using oils (even coconut! ) for a while. For me my problem just continued when I used oils. Hydrogen peroxide seems fine. I'm getting much better result this way. You can use a soaked ACV cotton ball to cover the area or expose the problem but then it needs to dry out I believe. I have been messing with a spot for over 3 yrs. I feel I had a setback when I applied orange oil 3 months ago but I've almost knocked out the new area using the above. Yes I've tried almost all the home remedies including Efudex, twice daily x 3wk (probably should have done it longer). BTW I only recently quit applying oil completely because it dawned on me that the times I had the most improvement was when I didn't use oil. I just started experimenting with hemp oil on my good skin to see if it helps with age spots.

I gave ACV an good 8 weeks, applying 2 to 3 times a day, on a keratosis on my face. It was on the side of my nose, right under my left eye, right where the pads for your glasses would sit. It was the size of the pads of glasses, too.

It didn't work for this keratosis. I had had it biopsied, since I didn't know what it was, at first. Having those two puncture marks in it, I believe made it more difficult to treat, because it wasn't in one piece anymore, and had little grooves and difficult to get at areas.

So, I gave in and let my doctor freeze it with the liquid nitrogen. It was quick, and much less painful than the ACV treatments were. I am still waiting for the freezing to heal, and will let you know how it goes, but I think it does look much better than what I was doing with the ACV.

If I had another one to deal with, and didn't get the biopsy, I might try ACV again. I think that I had let this one go on too long, as it had been there for a couple of years. So, I'm not down on using ACV, but would def use it much sooner, if I ever had to....and hope I never, never need to deal with it again.

My doctor has a special 'freezing' clinic for solar keratosis. His nurse uses liquid nitrogen to freeze/burn off the lesions. They just then scab over and the eventual scar fades over time. I've just had my second lot done (52 of them) and it does feel like a lot of bee stings for a while, but that passes quickly enough. It only costs me $12, but I would pay more to get rid of the little blighters.

Ciao, Nick

My Dr. recommended the 5-fu for the solar keratosis on my face. I have 7 or so spots. I hesitated using the cream because of the pics and awful testimonials I read. Untreated and scared, I googled natural remedies for AK. I decided to try the apple cider vinegar so this is how I do it. 1. wash face air dry 2. apply Apple Cider Vinegar on a cotton pad rubbing over entire face and rub a little extra on spots 3. when skin stops burning, apply moisturizer. I use plain coconut oil at night, boy does it feel good and calms my skin. Day? I use a mild natural cream that is less greasy. After 3 weeks, my spots have sluffed off several times and are still not healed but I have seen 50% improvement. I will continue this process until the skin is all healed from this stuff. Maybe another 3 weeks! God forbid anyone use that 5-fu cream when there is a natural remedy that will leave our skin stronger and healthier! I'm a believer!!!

Apple Cider Vinegar for Actinic Keratosis:

About 9 years ago I hit my quite bald head on a lump of rough wood while on holiday. It bled but healed as any other cut would. Then 9yrs or so later (I'm 36 now) after a shower I notice some blood on the towel after drying my slightly balder head. I checked it out and the scar tissue was bleeding, ever so slightly. I didn't think much of it at the time but after a week or so it wasn't getting much better so I had it checked by a derm and he said it was Actinic Keratosis (AK) and prescribed Aldara cream. I didn't go for the cream due to side effects and the fact that I don't place a lot of faith in modern medicine. Instead I did some research which included this website and another one on skin cancer and came up with the ACV alternative treatment which I started immediately because we already had some, with a rather large mother as it was a couple of years old. I started to douse the area with a cotton bud 2-3 times per day and also supplemented with ACV morning and evening (two desert spoons in a glass of water). When the derm had looked at it he pushed and pulled it about and left me with big scab which I was a bit uncomfortable with. I read that you have to be persistent but I was beginning to lose faith a bit after 3-4 weeks and then last night while dousing, the large scab just floated off to reveal what appears to be unblemished new skin! I still have a couple of much smaller scabs an hope these will go the same way so will carry on treating it. I will probably continue to supplement (in water) even when they are gone because I read that these conditions sometimes occur when your body is too acidic and ACV helps to alkalize it. It might be worth mentioning that I have suffered with Candida, a long standing toe nail fungus, for all of my adult life and I believe this contributed to it as well.

Hopefully this will encourage others to try the alternatives but remember that it won't happen overnight and keep going!

I was prescribed Efudex for my first solar keratosis in 2008, using it for 6 weeks, and whilst it did work, it left me with a pale mark on my cheek. I recently developed another keratosis, this time on my nose, and my search for a kinder alternative remedy brought me to this website. I used apple cider vinegar and am relieved and happy to be able to say that it has worked. After about four days of applying Raw ACV, a scab developed, and just over two weeks later it has fallen off leaving no sign of the keratosis. Do try it, for me the whole treatment was so quick and now I have plenty of vinegar left over to use for salad dressing!

Tracy, it has been my experience that the growths will get inflamed, turn black, hurt, etc. Before they get better. I compare it to what happens when the body fights an infection from a cut and the area gets swollen, red and painful as the body's immune system does battle. Judging from my own experience and readings about treating skin growths with alternative treatments, what you are seeing is pretty much to be expected.

Tracy, slow down with your applications. Do much less even if it will take longer to heal.

I have been trying apple cider vinegar for about 5 days. Applying twice daily and sleeping in my legs wrapped in gauze soaked in ACV. I have about 4 spots that look like a hole has been burned in leg and is yellow and very swollen. Should I keep applying to these spots or stop? Thank you for help! I have been using chemotherapy cream for almost a year with no change at all! I can already tell they are getting better but just worried about these spots that look really bad. Thanks for any advice!

I was diagnosed with solar keratosis in March 2013 and prescribed a Diclofenac Sodium gel (Solaraze) for 90-day application to treat the itchy rashes on my forehead.

The 90-day use was somewhat effective but upon stopping (as the prescription was then expired), the rashes came back with a vengeance.

I looked for a natural alternative and found this website, for which I'm now very grateful. I washed Apple Cider Vinegar into the affected areas morning and night and also took a tablespoon of ACV with sweetening and healing Manuka Honey morning and night too. Straightaway I could see and feel the rashes healing. Now, two months on, I've just been back to the dermatologist who found that all but a small patch on my nose was completely healed. There's some barely visible scarring which I imagine is because the keratosis damages the skin quite deeply. I hadn't been paying so much attention to the patch on my nose but I am doing now, applying the ACV.

Throughout this time I've worn a baseball cap when I go outside if there's any sun to aggravate the rashes. Early on, I forgot my cap one sunny day and the rashes were aggravated so today I'm still using the cap for protection, probably best to do so, I guess.

I got tired of my Dermatologist poo-poohing then suggesting cutting, scraping, freezing or burning the solar keratosis on my left cheek. Not on my face! This very site turned me on to the apple cider vinegar cure. Applying religiously for three weeks has caused the red patch, originally the size of a pencil eraser, to almost completely disappear. Apply several times daily (more on weekends or when one isn't working) with a q-tip, be patient, and watch the magic slowly happen. The key is to not quit, no matter how bad the keratosis looks, because the apple cider vinegar will attack vigorously at first, even sting and burn. I can't wait to crow about this simple, cost-effective, at-home, remedy when I see the Dermatologist next May. Keep in mind that often times doctors are looking out for their own wallets, not your personal well-being. Who wants to be cut, scrapped, burned, or frozen when, with a little patience, the results can be this rewarding? Thanks to everyone who posted before me about this amazing cure! It's great to have my confidence back and be able to look at myself in the mirror again!!!

Hi all, I would just like to say I have used ACV on several solar keratosis over the last few months and Yes it definitely works a treat. It takes a good while sometime 4-8 weeks to clear them up but it is definitely worth it. I started applying the vinegar on two on my temple and after a week more appeared and all went crusty, I kept applying the ACV day and night week after week and eventually they all fell off. So the key I found was not to give up and keep at it until they clear. O yeah I also drink it and will continue to do so, have had a cold or been sick in the last year. Thanks Earthclinic brilliant website.

Twelve days ago, the doctor diagnosed a 'scab' patch on my nose as solar keratosis. I checked the internet and discovered the apple cider vinegar method of treatment. I applied a. C. V. Several times a day and drank a glass with one teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar each day. On the 11th day I noticed the scab - which had been becoming firmer, shrunken, then whitish, had dropped off, leaving just a pink mark.

I've not been back yet to find if there are any other suspicious patches, but none are visible, as far as I can see...

After asking my doctor to look at a rough patch on my face for 6 years, and dealing with his constant... don't touch it and you'll be fine, I treated my solar keratosis with Apple Cider Vinegar. I soaked a piece of cotton ball in it and placed it over my keratosis with a bandaid at night while I slept. The site I read up on said to do this for 3-4 weeks. After a couple of days it gets red and looks like a bee sting on your face. Then it begins to dry and crack, mine even bled a bit. I was going to give up but kept persevering. After the 3 week the dry scab fell off and my skin was completely smooth. I couldn't believe it. the following summer I was in the sun and the spot began to reappear so I did it again only not as long. I think were people doubt this remedy if it is a solar keratosis is that they don't do it long enough. Or they see it turning red or dry and stop. I think the key is to keep going for several weeks. I swear by it.

Biff