Management and clinical practice of multiple face and scalp actinic keratosis in France

Background: Actinic keratosis (AK) is characterized by the occurrence of thick and scaly skin areas caused by damage from ultraviolet radiation. The management of AK aims to reduce lesions and prevent their recurrence by regular monitoring. French guidelines, last updated in 2009, reflect European guidelines for the management of face and scalp AK. However, they do not address all current, available options. Objective: To assess the management of face and scalp AK in French clinical practice. Methods: A two-part online questionnaire comprising a survey among French dermatologists and an analysis of patient medical records was performed to describe AK patients treated with topical therapy, patients' profiles, and characteristics of the affected lesion areas. Results: Decisions for topical treatments for face and scalp AK made by dermatologists were mainly driven by the lesion size. According to the last 10 patients they have seen, dermatologists were prescribing physical therapy in 53% of the cases, a combination of topical and physical therapy in 27% and topical only in 20%. Patient records revealed the average surface area targeted for treatment was 139 ± 113cm². Conclusions: Discrepancies between the guidelines on the treatment of face and scalp AK and clinical practice exist. Further research may help to standardize the treatment.