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    BAD Cryotherapy Update March 2018 - Lay Review March 2018

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    Kaka Shunk
    Cryotherapy is a treatment that uses extreme cold in the form of liquid nitrogen to remove superficial skin lesions. It involves spraying liquid nitrogen onto the skin lesion, which freezes and destroys the area. Common side effects include pain, swelling, and blistering at the site initially. After treatment, a scab forms over one to two weeks which can leave scarring or changes in skin color. Cryotherapy is often used to remove actinic keratoses, warts, seborrheic keratoses, and some skin cancers. Multiple treatments may be needed depending on the type of lesion.

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    BAD Cryotherapy Update March 2018 - Lay Review March 2018

    Uploaded by

    Kaka Shunk
    14 views4 pages
    Cryotherapy is a treatment that uses extreme cold in the form of liquid nitrogen to remove superficial skin lesions. It involves spraying liquid nitrogen onto the skin lesion, which freezes and destroys the area. Common side effects include pain, swelling, and blistering at the site initially. After treatment, a scab forms over one to two weeks which can leave scarring or changes in skin color. Cryotherapy is often used to remove actinic keratoses, warts, seborrheic keratoses, and some skin cancers. Multiple treatments may be needed depending on the type of lesion.

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    Hati hati dengan cryotherapy

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    Cryotherapy is a treatment that uses extreme cold in the form of liquid nitrogen to remove superficial skin lesions. It involves spraying liquid nitrogen onto the skin lesion, which freezes and destroys the area. Common side effects include pain, swelling, and blistering at the site initially. After treatment, a scab forms over one to two weeks which can leave scarring or changes in skin color. Cryotherapy is often used to remove actinic keratoses, warts, seborrheic keratoses, and some skin cancers. Multiple treatments may be needed depending on the type of lesion.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    14 views4 pages

    BAD Cryotherapy Update March 2018 - Lay Review March 2018

    Uploaded by

    Kaka Shunk
    Cryotherapy is a treatment that uses extreme cold in the form of liquid nitrogen to remove superficial skin lesions. It involves spraying liquid nitrogen onto the skin lesion, which freezes and destroys the area. Common side effects include pain, swelling, and blistering at the site initially. After treatment, a scab forms over one to two weeks which can leave scarring or changes in skin color. Cryotherapy is often used to remove actinic keratoses, warts, seborrheic keratoses, and some skin cancers. Multiple treatments may be needed depending on the type of lesion.

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    of 4

    CRYOTHERAPY

    What are the aims of this leaflet?

    This leaflet has been written to help you understand more about cryotherapy.
    It tells you what cryotherapy is, what is involved and what the potential side
    effects are.

    What is cryotherapy?

    The term ‘cryotherapy’ literally means ‘treatment using low temperature’ and
    refers to the removal of skin lesions by freezing them. The most common
    product used by doctors is liquid nitrogen.

    What is liquid nitrogen?

    Liquid nitrogen is the liquid state of gaseous nitrogen, which occupies 78% of
    the air we breathe. Liquid nitrogen is extremely cold, having a boiling point of
    minus 196°c. It is necessary to store and transport it in special flasks.

    What conditions can be treated with cryotherapy?

    A wide variety of superficial benign (non-cancerous) lesions can be treated


    with cryotherapy, but it is most commonly used to remove actinic keratoses
    (an area of sun-damaged skin found predominantly on sun-exposed parts of
    the body), viral warts, seborrhoeic keratoses, Bowen’s disease and other
    benign lesions. Occasionally, your dermatologist may suggest using
    cryotherapy to treat a superficial type of a low grade skin cancer known as
    basal cell carcinoma.

    What does the procedure involve?

    Page 1 of 4

    British Association of Dermatologists | www.bad.org.uk/leaflets | Registered Charity No. 258474


    Cryotherapy is often carried out by a dermatologist, general practitioner (GP)
    or GP nurse during the course of a routine out-patient consultation without
    any special preparation.
    Whilst liquid nitrogen is usually applied to the skin by using a spray gun, a
    metal probe or a cotton bud can sometimes be used instead.

    Although there is slight local pain felt, cryotherapy does not normally require a
    local anaesthetic, and the procedure itself lasts a matter of seconds; the
    precise time depends on the thickness and size of the lesion. The frozen skin
    becomes white and takes one to two minutes to thaw back to normal skin
    temperature. Your doctor may suggest that the process be repeated once the
    skin has thawed. After a few days, a scab will form, and this will take one to
    two weeks to fall off (occasionally a little longer, especially on the legs).
    Usually, the treated area will eventually look normal, although scarring and
    discolouration is possible, and rarely ulceration, particularly on the lower legs.

    Depending on the nature of the lesion, more than one treatment may be
    necessary, and this is usually repeated at regular intervals.

    How should the treated area be cared for?

    Your doctor will explain how they would like you to care for the treated areas
    and may suggest applying Vaseline to the affected skin. If the scabs become
    wet, they should be patted dry with a soft towel or tissue.

    It is important not to pick the scab as this will encourage scarring. A dressing
    or plaster is not usually necessary but may be advisable if the treated area is
    likely to be knocked or rubbed by clothing.

    What are the side effects of this treatment?

    Immediate side effects:


    • Pain - cryotherapy is usually well-tolerated but can sometimes be
    painful if a deep freeze has been necessary (i.e. to treat a basal cell
    carcinoma). This discomfort can occur both at the time of treatment and
    for a variable time thereafter. Painkillers (such as paracetamol) taken
    for the first 24 hours may relieve the discomfort; also taking a painkiller
    an hour or so prior to the anticipated treatment may reduce the
    discomfort.
    • Swelling and redness - this is a normal immediate response to freezing
    the skin and usually settles after two to three days. For a short while
    the treated area may ooze a little watery fluid. Cryotherapy close to the
    Page 2 of 4

    British Association of Dermatologists | www.bad.org.uk/leaflets | Registered Charity No. 258474


    eyes may induce prominent puffiness of the lower eyelids which settles
    within days.
    • Blistering - this is also a common consequence of cryotherapy and
    blisters settle after a few days as the scab forms. Some people blister
    more easily than others and the development of blisters does not
    necessarily mean that the skin has been frozen too much. Occasionally
    the blisters may become filled with blood; this is harmless and should
    only be punctured if a blister is painful and very uncomfortable, using a
    sterile needle. We would suggest you gain advice from your GP or
    doctor who performed the treatment before doing this.
    • Infection - uncommonly, infection can occur, resulting in increased pain
    and the formation of pus: this may require topical antiseptic or antibiotic
    therapy from the doctor who performed the treatment or your GP.

    Subsequent side effects:


    • Scarring - rarely, a scar will form, especially if a deep freeze has
    been necessary (i.e. to treat a basal cell carcinoma).
    • Hypertropic/Keloid scarring – very rarely a raised scar can form
    following treatment with cryotherapy which appears as a rounded,
    hard growth on the skin. These are harmless lesions, more
    common in dark skinned individuals compared to Caucasians.
    • Pigmentation changes - the skin at and around the treatment site
    may lighten or darken in colour, especially in dark-skinned people.
    This usually improves with time but may be permanent.
    • Numbness - if a superficial nerve is frozen, it may result in
    numbness of the area of skin supplied by that nerve. Normal feeling
    usually returns within a matter of months.
    • Treatment may not be effective, or the condition may recur.

    Where can I get more information about cryotherapy?

    http://www.patient.co.uk/health/liquid-nitrogen-treatment
    http://dermnetnz.org/procedures/cryotherapy.html

    Page 3 of 4

    British Association of Dermatologists | www.bad.org.uk/leaflets | Registered Charity No. 258474


    For details of source materials used please contact the Clinical Standards
    Unit ([email protected]).

    This leaflet aims to provide accurate information about the subject and
    is a consensus of the views held by representatives of the British
    Association of Dermatologists: individual patient circumstances may
    differ, which might alter both the advice and course of therapy given to
    you by your doctor.

    This leaflet has been assessed for readability by the British Association of
    Dermatologists’ Patient Information Lay Review Panel

    BRITISH ASSOCIATION OF DERMATOLOGISTS


    PATIENT INFORMATION LEAFLET
    PRODUCED JULY 2008
    UPDATED OCTOBER 2011, NOVEMBER 2014,
    MARCH 2018
    REVIEW DATE MARCH 2021

    Page 4 of 4

    British Association of Dermatologists | www.bad.org.uk/leaflets | Registered Charity No. 258474

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