Liquid nitrogen (dry ice) is often used to “freeze off” lesions such as actinic keratoses (precancerous skin lesions), warts, molluscum contagiosum, small skin tags, and seborrheic keratoses.  The object of cryotherapy is to lower the temperature of the skin in an area, causing necrosis, blistering, and cell death in the area.

Side effects of liquid nitrogen cryotherapy include pain, blister, sore spots for several days, dark or light discoloration of the skin, and scarring.  It often must be done repeatedly, especially for thicker lesions.  This treatment is somewhat painful in the office and is not generally used in young children.

The longer the liquid nitrogen is applied, the more painful it is, the better it works, and the more likely it is to cause a scar.  For very thin lesions, the liquid nitrogen may be applied with a Q-tip rather than with the spray gun.  Treating a lesion conservatively decreases the risk of scarring, but increases the risk that the lesion will not be completely treated and will still be present and visible.  Thicker lesions such as warts are usually treated with the spray gun liquid nitrogen.

After you have had liquid nitrogen cryotherapy, you should expect to have a red, sore spot, and likely a water filled blister.  It is fine to cover the spot with a bandage, but this is not necessary.  You can continue to wash the area as normal and can even wear makeup over the areas treated.  You should expect to be sore in the area treated for several days.

If you have questions about liquid nitrogen cryotherapy, please feel free to call Dr. Abdul Hameed for advice.