Cryosurgery is the use of extremely cold liquid nitrogen to treat skin lesions. It is used for the treatment of benign skin growths, pre-cancerous solar keratoses and certain superficial skin cancers.
The liquid nitrogen is precisely sprayed onto the treatment area from a special ‘cryogun’ device until the desired degree of freezing has occurred. This results in a ‘frostbite’ type of injury to the unwanted skin lesion which gradually crusts, dies and falls off the skin, allowing new skin to heal from the sides and underneath.
Healing is usually rapid and for lesions that are treated on the face, make-up can usually be worn within a week.
