FREEZPEN®/CRYOTHERAPY FAQ
What is Cryotherapy?
Cryotherapy is a procedure that uses extreme cold to destroy unwanted tissue – most
unwanted skin lesions can be treated in this way, including warts, moles, skin tags and
verrucas amongst others.
How does it Work?
Tissue cells are destroyed during the procedure when they are rapidly brought down to a
low temperature forming ice crystals. The ice crystals break down the structure of the cell
and water then fills the surrounding area creating a blister. Healing occurs within 2 to 6
weeks depending on the depth of the freeze.
Is it painful?
There may be some tingling with the initial freezing, but most patients get an anaesthetic
effect from the extreme freezing temperatures. More of a pinching sensation occurs when
the area thaws out. Some patients may have some discomfort the day after the first
procedure but paracetamol or ibuprofen is usually adequate to alleviate this.
Will there be scarring?
Typically FreezPen® leaves the least amount of scarring of any form of lesion removal because it causes the least damage to the connective tissue. The area of skin treated will appear lighter than the surrounding skin which usually darkens over time.How many treatments are required?
For most conditions, FreezPen® is a permanent removal. Some conditions are harder to
remove than others, and in delicate areas a shorter freeze time with repeat procedures may
be required to achieve a final result with the least damage to surrounding skin. In other
cases, where the condition is deep (such as stubborn warts or verrucas) several aggressive
treatments may be required to achieve total removal.