Skin Cryosurgery
GENERAL INFORMATION:
What is it? Skin cryosurgery (kri-o-sir-jer-e) is freezing of the skin with a very cold liquid gas called liquid nitrogen. The liquid nitrogen freezes the water in your skin. This makes the abnormal skin cells die within 30 minutes. Cryosurgery is usually done to get rid of growths on the skin. These growths may be warts, non-cancer growths, and some kinds of pre-skin cancer.
Treatment:
- There are 2 ways to freeze the skin. A large cotton-tipped swab is dipped in liquid nitrogen. It is then put on the growth until it is frozen and destroyed. Or, liquid nitrogen is sprayed on the skin until the skin freezes or dies. You may feel stinging or burning pain as the skin thaws. It usually hurts the most at about 3 to 10 minutes after the skin is frozen.
- The treated skin becomes red and swollen shortly after this is done. A blister blood or fluid in it forms over the area within 2 or 3 days. The blister will break by itself in about 3 to 10 days and may leave a scab. This scab usually falls off after 2 weeks. Do not pick at the scab or try to remove it. You should have little or no scarring after the area is totally healed.
Care: The most important part of your care is to keep the treated skin clean. This will help keep it for becoming infected. Your caregiver may or may not want the blisters to be covered with a bandage. Do not open the blisters unless your caregiver tells you to. The frozen growth will fall off on its own in about 2 weeks. Be sure not to pick at the scab. Do not put any medicine, creams, or lotions on the area.
Do's and Don'ts:
- Keep the treated skin clean.
- Do not pick at the blisters or scabs. This could cause you to have a scar.
- Call your caregiver if the blister becomes painful.
Are there any risks from cryosurgery? If the lesions are pre-cancerous, they may become cancer if left untreated. You may have a little bit of scarring from the treatment.
CARE AGREEMENT:
You have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan, you must learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. You can then discuss treatment options with your caregivers. Work with them to decide what care may be used to treat you. You always have the right to refuse treatment.
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