Cryotherapy
Also called Cryosurgery, Liquid nitrogen treatment
Freezing unwanted skin lesions with liquid nitrogen, a simple office procedure that usually needs no anaesthetic.
Seen by
At a glance
- Who it affects
- People with lesions that may be suitable for freezing.
- What you notice
- Warts, skin tags or other lesions need examination first.
- What helps
- May destroy a selected lesion with liquid nitrogen; healing and sessions vary.
What we do
Cryotherapy may be used for selected lesions after diagnosis. Suitability and response vary case by case.
What you can do
- Do not pick a blister or crust.
- Follow wound-care instructions.
- Ask about pain relief.
Read the full page on Cryotherapy
What it is
Cryotherapy is a form of treatment in which freezing temperatures are used to destroy tissue. Liquid nitrogen, which reaches temperatures of −189 °C, is the refrigerant used.
What it treats
A variety of lesions can be treated by cryotherapy, including warts, molluscum contagiosum, keloids, skin tags, seborrhoeic and actinic keratoses, pyogenic granuloma, cystic and keloidal acne, and a variety of tumours.
What to expect
In the majority of patients cryotherapy can be performed without anaesthesia. During the procedure liquid nitrogen is sprayed on the lesions for a duration of 5 to 20 seconds. You will experience a burning sensation and slight pain during the procedure and for a little while afterwards, which is well tolerated by most patients. Each lesion may have to be frozen two or three times per sitting.
Afterwards
You may develop a blister at the site within a day. It will gradually form a crust and a scab in seven to ten days. If it is a wart it may fall off in a week or two. Bigger lesions may need multiple sittings at an interval of one to two weeks before there is a response. You may have to take a painkiller immediately afterwards, and use a cream for some time.
Safety
Healing generally produces a satisfactory cosmetic result, and any pigment changes usually fade over a few months. Cryotherapy is a simple office procedure, and whether it is suitable for you is assessed case by case.
Dr Satish wrote the chapter on cryotherapy in the IADVL Textbook of Dermatology, published in 2015.
“Cryotherapy is a fairly safe procedure and complications are few and rare.” — Dr. D. A. Satish, patient leaflet
Reviewed by Dr. D. A. Satish · date to be confirmedUnder clinical review
This page is being updated. The clinical information here comes from the clinic’s own patient leaflet and is under review by the doctor. Please ask at your consultation.
The information on this website is for general education only. It is not a substitute for a consultation, a diagnosis or a prescription. Always see a qualified doctor about your own condition.
Results of any medical or cosmetic treatment vary from person to person. This clinic does not guarantee a cure or a specific outcome.