The lesions may appear as keratosis pilaris, which is a rough, scaly, patchy lesion of the skin produced by years of sun exposure. The condition occurs on the face, lips, auricles, back of the hands, scalp, or neck. The lesions are slow-growing and often have no signs or symptoms other than plaques or small spots on the skin. The lesions take several years to appear and often debut in older adults. A small percentage of actinic keratosis lesions will eventually develop into skin cancer. The risk of actinic keratoses can be reduced by minimizing sun exposure and avoiding ultraviolet light. It is not difficult to diagnose clinically by its symptoms. Signs and symptoms include: rough, dry, or scaly patches of skin, usually less than 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) in diameter; a flat or slightly raised skin surface or lumps; sometimes firm, warty growths on the surface of the skin; pink, red, brown, or flesh-colored; itching or burning of the affected skin; and occurs on sun-exposed areas, including the face, lips, backs of the hands, auricles, scalp, or neck. Neck.