Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy: Freezing Away Skin Problems

Cryotherpy is a way to freeze and destroy abnormal skin so that healthy skin can grow back. This blog will cover everything you need to know about cryotherapy in a simple, easy-to-understand way.

What is Cryotherapy?

Cryotherapy comes from two Greek words:

"Cryos" means cold or frost.
"Therapia" means healing or cure.

So, cryotherapy simply means "cold treatment." In this treatment, we freeze the skin to remove things like warts, skin tags, or sun-damaged areas.

What is Used to Freeze the Skin?

There are different freezing agents used for cryotherapy, and I use three different kinds in my practice:

Liquid Nitrogen
- This is extremely cold, with a temperature of -196°C!
- It's hard to store, but it's very powerful.
Freezpen
- This uses nitrous oxide, which is -89°C.
- It allows very precise freezing, especially useful for small spots like around the eyes.
Hydrozid
- This is a high-tech tool that delivers something called Norflourane, which freezes at -103°C.
- It’s great for freezing the inside of cells and breaking them apart.

What Can Cryotherapy Treat?

Cryotherapy is commonly used for:

Warts and Skin Tags
Molluscum Contagiosum (a type of viral skin infection)
Seborrheic Keratosis (a common, harmless skin growth)
Sun Damage (Actinic or Solar Keratosis)
Superficial Basal Cell Carcinomas (BCCs) (a type of skin cancer), sometimes along with creams.

How Does Cryotherapy Feel?

Most people handle cryotherapy really well! Here's what you can expect:

Cold Burn
- The area being treated will feel like a cold burn.
- If we're treating the face, you might feel a cool breeze from the freezing gas.
Skin Turns White
- When the freezing starts, the skin turns white.
- After the freezing stops, the skin will thaw out.

How Long Does Cryotherapy Last?

The whole process might be repeated a couple of times depending on how thick the lesion is and what type of lesion we're treating.

Burning Sensation: This can last for about 15 minutes.
Blisters: You might get a blister right after treatment, but don't worry, it will heal and scab over in a couple of weeks.
Healing Time: The healing process depends on where the treatment is done. For example, areas like the lower legs take longer to heal, so we try to avoid cryotherapy on the shins.

How to Take Care of the Area After Cryotherapy

I recommend my patients apply Vaseline daily to help the healing process. It also helps with itching and crusting. It’s important not to pick at any scabs, even though it might be tempting. Picking can slow down healing and may lead to an infection.

Side Effects of Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy is usually safe, but here are a few possible side effects:

Pain, Swelling, and Redness: This can happen right after treatment, but it’s normal.
Blistering: A blister may form right after, but it heals on its own.
Skin Color Changes: The skin might become lighter or darker after treatment.
Nerve Sensation: Sometimes, if a nerve is frozen, you might feel funny sensations in the area for a few months.
Repeat Treatment: Sometimes the lesion might not go away completely, and another round of cryotherapy might be needed.

Final Thoughts

Cryotherapy is a safe and effective way to treat many common skin problems. Although there may be some minor discomfort, the results are usually worth it.