Solar keratosis. Close-up of a patient's skin showing solar keratosis, a red, wart-like skin growth which appears as a result of overexposure to sunlight after a period of years. Solar keratoses may develop into skin cancer and for this reason must always be removed. Removal is performed by cryosurgery or by curettage with a spoon-shaped surgical instrument. The solar keratosis shown here was found on an elderly man.