Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy is a treatment in which skin lesions are frozen and destroyed using liquid nitrogen or other cryogens of very low temperature. Healthy cells will regrow and replace those that were frozen and destroyed.

The treatment stings and may be painful, at the time and for a variable period afterwards. There may be immediate swelling and redness. Treatment near the eye may result in a puffy eyelid. The treated area is likely to blister within a few hours and a scab usually forms. Usually no specificl attention is needed during the healing phase. Keep the treated area clean and dry. Topical antibiotic (powder or ointment) may be advised in some cases. The scab peels off after 5-10 days (face), 3 weeks (hand), or as long as 3 months on the leg. Secondary infection is uncommon. When it occurs it may cause increased pain, swelling, discharge and redness around the treated area. Antibiotics may be necessary.

Cryotherapy is used for removing:

• Warts
• Seborrhoeic keratoses
• Benign lesions
• Solar keratoses in sun damaged skin
• Aging skin
• Small skin cancers
• Comedonal acne
• Acne scarring
• Keloids