Services - cryotherapy

It is the use of extreme cold to freeze and remove abnormal skin tissue.  It is applied to the abnormal cells which then die.  New healthy skin growth then occurs.  This procedure can be used for a few different skin issues such as warts/varruccas, skin-tags, seborrhoeic keratosis and actinic keratosis. 

Warts and verrucas

Warts and verrucas are caused by a virus. They can be spread to other people from contaminated surfaces or through close skin contact. You're more likely to spread a wart or verruca if your skin is wet or damaged.  It can take months for a wart or verruca to appear after contact with the virus.  It can also take months of treatment to get rid of them.  

Warts do not cause you any harm, but some people find them itchy, painful or embarrassing. Verrucas are more likely to be painful – like standing on a needle or a stone.

Most GPs do not offer cryotherapy for these conditions, as again the NHS deem them to be soley cosmetic.  Unfortunately most treatments fail to work on these annoying little bumps.

Seborrhoeic Keratosis (seb-o-REE-ik ker-uh-TOE-sis)

These are really unsightly, but benign skin lesions.  It's something that tends to occur to older skin, and skin that has a history of sun damage.  They are caused by a build up of skin cells in the epidermis (top layer of the skin).  They often feel like a waxy wart stuck to the skin surface.

Actinic Keratosis (ak-TIN-ik ker-uh-TOE-sis)

An actinic keratosis  is a rough, scaly patch on the skin that develops from years of sun exposure. It's often found on the face, lips, ears, forearms, scalp, neck or back of the hands.  Although still benign, these are pre-cancerous skin changes.  Left untreated, the risk of actinic keratoses turning into a type of skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma is about 5% to 10%.

These conditions (depending on severity) can be treated with cryotherapy.  

As with all my treatments a thorough consultation will be carried out before offering any treatment.  If you come and see me and I feel your lesion is something more sinister, I will tell you and advise you to see your GP.  I can also write to them on your behalf with my consultation notes.  THIS DOES NOT ABSOLVE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTACT YOUR GP.