Cryotherapy

From ArticleWorld

Cryotherapy involves the use of cold either systemically or topically for the treatment of skin conditions. The most common use of cold in dermatology is for the treatment of minor, self-limited skin conditions.

Local cryotherapy

Cryotherapy with the use of liquid nitrogen is for many types of dermatological conditions. Warts, genital condylomata, pre-cancerous conditions of the skin (actinic keratoses) and some localized skin cancers are treated with this method. Deeper skin cancers or those that metastasize should not be treated with this method as it can fail to rid the area of the cancerous cells.

The application of cold can be through the use of a cotton swab that absorbs small amounts of the liquid nitrogen before being applied to the skin. This is often repeated several times to assure complete freezing of the lesion. Some specialists have a type of wand that delivers a constant application of liquid nitrogen for as long as it takes to freeze the area.

The lesion being treated can do one of three things. The freezing procedure may be insufficient so that the skin repairs itself and will need to be treated again. The lesion can sustain a significant freezing burn so that the cells actually die and the wart or other tissue sloughs off after about a week. Lastly, the application of cold to some lesions, such as warts caused by viruses, can fail to freeze off the lesion but can trigger an immune response against the virus so that the body rids itself of the abnormal tissue.

Systemic cryotherapy

Systemic therapy involves the use of a cryogenic chamber that is cooled to -110 C. The individual is placed into the chamber, sometimes with the use of a -60 C pre-chamber, and allowed to remain there for up to three minutes.

When the patient emerges from the chamber, they often feel a pleasant warm feeling throughout their body. This is likely due to the sudden release of body endorphins when exposed to the cold. The effect is an energized, pain-reduced feeling that is used for those who suffer from pain conditions such as fibromyalgia and inflammatory conditions.