Cryotherapy is the use of liquid nitrogen at -196 °C to remove or "freeze" small skin lesions that may develop into skin cancer.
Cryotherapy is a reliable and inexpensive dermatological method. During the procedure, nitrogen is applied directly to the skin lesion. Cryotherapy can be somewhat painful during administration and for a short time after the procedure. Immediately after the procedure, redness and swelling occur.
Cryotherapy is the most practical way to remove potentially dangerous skin lesions.
The most common lesions treated with cryotherapy are: solar keratoses, seborrheic keratoses, actinickeratoses, viral warts, calluses and moles.
Cryotherapy is not used in the treatment of melanoma or dark moles with a risk of melanoma.
Cryotherapy is a long-time treatment method for dermatological diseases. In the treatment in which liquid nitrogen is mostly used, it is aimed to freeze the problematic cells by applying cold air to the sick area.
For cryotherapy treatment, it is important to establish the correct diagnosis first. After the correct diagnosis is made, the most appropriate cryotherapy application should be selected according to the patient's condition. Although almost all cryotherapy applications are completed with a similar procedure, there may be differences in the application and the materials used.
In which diseases can cryotherapy be applied?
Cryotherapy applications provide positive results for many skin diseases.
Warts: Warts occur as a result of damage to the skin caused by the virus called HPV. HPV is a contagious virus and it is important to treat the disease. It is seen that the formation of warts decreases and disappears by applying it to the relevant area and freezing the damaged cells.
Fleas: Fleas are dark-colored, rounded, curved structures that form on the skin. They can occur according to age, weight, environmental and genetic conditions. They are harmless. They are mostly treated with cosmetic complaints. It can be treated in 2-3 sessions with cryotherapy application. After the treatment, side effects are not expected in the application area.
Cervical Wounds: Small wounds on the cervix can be treated with cryotherapy. This treatment is not applied for larger wounds. The treatment is completed in a few sessions. In some cases, it may be recommended to take painkillers after the application, as it may cause short-term abdominal pain.
What should be considered after the treatment?
Cryotherapy can usually take 2-3 sessions, in some cases up to 5 sessions. It is recommended to wait two weeks before starting the next session. The application area should be washed with soapy water 3 times a day. Antibiotic ointment can be used if the hard part formed when the treated wound crusts is too close to the skin.
The Future of Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy is also used by some specialists in the treatment of simple skin cancers. However, since the disease is likely to reoccur, frequent and comprehensive controls are required. Thanks to the development of the techniques applied in the treatment and the technological advances that can be seen in the future, it can become an effective treatment for cancer patients.
Cryotherapy Ice Laser application in Adana, Dr. Made by Pınar Bozkurt.
