DefinitionCryotherapy is a method of superfreezing tissue in order to destroy it. This article discusses cryotherapy of the skin.Alternative NamesCryosurgery - skinDescriptionCryotherapy is done using a cotton swab that has been dipped into liquid nitrogen or a probe that has liquid nitrogen flowing through it.The procedure is done in the doctor's office. It usually takes less than a minute.The freezing may cause some discomfort. Your health care provider may apply a numbing medicine to the area first.IndicationsCryotherapy or cryosurgery may be used to:Remove wartsDestroy precancerous skin lesions (actinic keratoses or solar keratoses)Rarely, cryotherapy may be used to treat some skin cancers. However, skin that is destroyed during cryotherapy cannot be examined under a microscope. A skin biopsy is needed if your health care provider wants to check the lesion for signs of cancer.RisksCryotherapy risks include:Blisters and ulcers, leading to pain and infectionScarring, especially if the freezing was prolonged or deeper areas of the skin were affectedChanges in skin color (skin turns white)Expectations after surgeryCryotherapy works well for many patients. Some skin lesions, especially warts, may need to be treated more than once.ConvalescenceThe treated area may look red afterwards. A blister will often form within a few hours. It may appear clear or have a red or purple color.You may have a little pain for up to 3 days.Most of the time, no special care is needed during healing. The area should be washed gently once or twice a day and kept clean. A bandage or dressing should only be needed if the area rubs against clothes or may be easily injured.A scab forms and will usually peel away within 1 to 3 weeks, depending on the area treated.Call your health care provide if:There are signs of infection such as redness, swelling, or drainageThe skin lesion does not appear to be gone after it has healedReferencesHabif TP. Dermatologic surgical procedures. In: Habif TP, ed. Clinical Dermatology. 5th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby Elsevier; 2009:chap 27.Ibrahim SF, Brown MD. Actinic keratoses. In: Lebwohl M, ed. Treatment of Skin Disease: Comprehensive Therapeutic Strategies. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2009.Warts, herpes simplex, and other viral infections. In: Habif TP, ed. Clinical Dermatology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2009:chap 12.Reviewed ByReview Date: 09/14/2011Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington, School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.