What criteria should I use to decide whether to refer a patient with actinic keratosis to a dermatologist?

Guideline-aligned answer with reasoning, red flags and references. Clinically reviewed by Dr Kola Tytler MBBS CertHE MBA MRCGP.

Posted: 16 August 2025 Guideline-Aligned (High Confidence) Clinically Reviewed
Dr Kola Tytler MBBS CertHE MBA MRCGPClinical Lead • iatroX

The provided UK guidelines do not explicitly list specific criteria for referring a patient with actinic keratosis to a dermatologist . However, actinic keratosis is a precursor to squamous cell carcinoma . Therefore, if a skin lesion raises the suspicion of a squamous cell carcinoma, a suspected cancer pathway referral should be considered [1. 7. 4].

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