How does skin heal after cryotherapy
At the clinic, the agent used for cryosurgery is N 20, a gas which has been adopted as an alternative to liquid nitrogen. Cryosurgery is a safe, non-invasive treatment for unwanted skin growths and blemishes. Immediately during and after the treatment, you may feel a stinging sensation as the tissue is frozen and thawed. Some may only notice this during the treatment, for other this sensation may linger for a few hours after, especially if multiple lesions were have been treated in the same area. A mild analgesic ointment can be applied to relieve the sensation.
The healing process following your Cryopen treatment
The skin’s reaction to cryotherapy is very similar to that of a burn. Just a few hours after treatment a blister may develop, in rare cases a blood blister. You can protect the blister with a plaster or dressing, especially if it is likely to get knocked. The area can be cleaned with soap and water twice a day and an antiseptic cream can be used. If during this period the blister bursts, a mild antiseptic cream should be used twice a day. Gradually and usually within 3 days, the blister will dry up and form a scab. As the scab dries, Vaseline can be applied.
Between 1-2 weeks after treatment the scab will fall off. The risk of infection is extremely low. However, any pain, redness or swelling which appear in the days following the treatment is usually a sign of infection. So too is a blister filled with thick yellow fluid, or a discharge from the treated lesion. In such a case you should contact your GP. Infection can be cleared up quickly with appropriate topical antibiotic treatment.
The appearance of the skin after cryotherapy is usually very good. After the scab has fallen off, the fresh skin underneath will usually look slightly pink/red. This is normal, and will quite quickly blend with your natural skin tone. Rarely, hyper-pigmentation may develop over the treated area. Hyper-pigmentation is a temporary darkening of the skin following an injury. It usually takes between 3-12 months for hyper-pigmentation to fully fade, depending on your skin tone.