Ever run your fingers across a spot on your skin that feels a little rough, like very fine sandpaper? It might not look like much, but that small, flat, gritty patch could be your skin’s way of sounding an alarm.

These spots are called solar (actinic) keratoses. They are one of the earliest and most common signs of cumulative sun damage, the kind that builds up quietly over years of exposure.

The Quiet Beginning of Sun Damage

Solar keratoses often start quietly. Before you even see them, you might feel them: dry, rough, or slightly scaly areas that catch under your fingertips. They usually appear on the most sun-exposed areas:

• The face

• Ears and scalp (especially for those with thinning hair)

• The backs of the hands and forearms

They might seem harmless at first, but they are important to notice. Over time, some actinic keratoses can transform into squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), one of Australia’s most common skin cancers.

How Common Are They?

In Australia, they are incredibly common. Among fair-skinned adults over 40, studies estimate that will develop solar keratoses at some point.

These are not isolated spots. They are signs of cumulative UV injury, and the more you have, the higher your lifetime risk of developing skin cancer.

What You Can Do About It

The first step is awareness. Know what to look and feel for, and have regular skin checks with your GP or dermatologist.

The second is protection and repair. Daily sunscreen is your frontline defence, but your skin also needs support from the inside.

Repair From Within

Nicotinamide (vitamin B3), has been clinically shown to reduce the number of actinic keratoses and new non-melanoma skin cancers in high-risk individuals by supporting DNA repair and reducing inflammation caused by UV exposure.

When taken daily, high dose nicotinamide helps your skin:

• Support its natural ability to repair UV-induced damage

• Strengthen its barrier against future stress

• Reduce the emergence of new rough, sand-papery spots over time

Paired with your daily SPF and regular skin checks, it is a simple, evidence-based step toward keeping your skin healthy and resilient.

The Takeaway

If you are over 40 and have spent years under the Australian sun, take a moment today to feel your skin, not just look at it.
Those tiny rough spots could be your first clue that your skin needs extra care.

Protect. Repair. Repeat.
Because preventing tomorrow’s damage starts with what you do today.

References

1. Chen A.C., Martin A.J., Choy B., Fernandez-Penas P., Dalziell R.A., McKenzie C.A., Scolyer R.A., Dhillon H.M., Vardy J.L., Kricker A., et al. A Phase 3 Randomized Trial of Nicotinamide for Skin-Cancer Chemoprevention. New England Journal of Medicine, 2015; 373:1618-1626. 

2. Reinehr C.P.H., et al. Actinic keratoses: review of clinical, dermoscopic, and therapeutic aspects. Archives of Dermatological Research, 2019; (article available via PMC).

3. “Actinic keratoses: review of clinical, dermoscopic, and therapeutic aspects” discusses prevalence in Australia of 40-60% for Caucasians over 40. 

4. “Effect of Nicotinamide in Skin Cancer and Actinic Keratoses” systematic review/meta-analysis showing reduction in skin cancers with nicotinamide. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2023.

5. DermNet NZ. Actinic keratosis (solar keratosis). [Online resource].