[5] It is a premalignant condition,[6] as it can develop into squamous cell carcinoma (a type of mouth cancer).

[2] With months and years of sun exposure, the lesion becomes chronic and may be grey-white in color and appear dry, scaly and wrinkled.

Rarely it may represent a genetic susceptibility to light damage (e.g. xeroderma pigmentosum or actinic prurigo).

[12] Treatment options include 5-fluorouracil, imiquimod, scalpel vermillionectomy, chemical peel, electrosurgery, and carbon dioxide laser vaporization.

Topical 5-fluorouracil (5-FU, Efudex, Carac) has been shown to be an effective therapy for diffuse, but minor actinic cheilitis.

The typical response includes an inflammatory phase, followed by redness, burning, oozing, and finally erosion.

[13] Imiquimod (Aldara) is an immune response modifier that has been studied for the treatment of actinic cheilitis.

It promotes an immune response in the skin leading to apoptosis (death) of the tumor cells.

However, the dose and duration of therapy, as well as the long-term efficacy, still need to be established in the treatment of actinic cheilitis.

Electrosurgery is an alternate treatment, but local anesthesia is required, making it less practical than cryosurgery.

With both techniques, adjacent tissue damage can delay healing and promote scar formation.

[11] More extensive or recurring areas of actinic cheilitis may be treated with either a shave vermillionectomy or a carbon dioxide laser.

The shave vemillionectomy removes a portion of the vermillion border but leaves the underlying muscle intact.