CRYOTHERAPY

Cryotherapy is a treatment method that uses extremely low temperatures. The name is derived from the Greek words "kryos" (cold) and "therapeia" (treatment). Cryotherapy is an application where cells are frozen and destroyed using extremely cold substances, such as liquid nitrogen. It can be used in the treatment of skin lesions, warts, moles, and even certain types of cancer.The temperature of liquid nitrogen is -196°C and this liquid nitrogen is applied directly or indirectly to skin lesions. The cold application quickly freezes the water within the cells and disrupts the integrity of the cell membrane. Consequently, cells undergo necrosis and die. This triggers the body's immune system and the damaged tissue is cleared.

Skin lesions, especially warts, can be treated with cryotherapy. This treatment method is often preferred by dermatologists. In wart treatment, cryotherapy is typically one of the first chosen treatment methods. Liquid nitrogen is applied directly on the wart. This application causes the wart cells to freeze and die, causing the wart to fall off after a few sessions. Cryotherapy can also be used to eliminate skin lesions such as moles and solar keratosis.

Cryotherapy is a treatment method that is performed by spraying liquid nitrogen onto the designated area. During this process, as liquid nitrogen can damage the surrounding tissue, the healthy tissue around the lesion can be protected with protective tapes or creams. Nitrogen is sprayed onto the lesion from a tube containing liquid nitrogen. This process usually causes the cells to freeze and then die. The freezing time, usually within seconds, depends on the type, size, and depth of the lesion. The frozen area returns to normal temperature within a few minutes and during this time, the frozen cells die and are excreted by the body. Cryotherapy, which is painless at the time of the procedure, can unfortunately cause pain during the stage where the tissue returns to normal temperature. After a few weeks, the area heals; the treated area may crust and eventually peel off, giving way to new, healthy skin cells. Your doctor will check the treated area a few weeks later, and if the lesion has not completely disappeared, the procedure is repeated. There may be a slight color change in the skin after cryotherapy.

Cryotherapy is usually an effective treatment method, and warts mostly disappear after the treatment. However, recurrence of warts is possible. Recurrence of warts usually stems from the virus still being present in the deeper layers of the skin. Cryotherapy typically destroys parts on the upper layer of the skin. It cannot effectively impact the root part of the wart. Hence, warts with deep placements recur after treatment. The recurrence of warts is always a possibility, if warts recur after cryotherapy or do not disappear despite cryotherapy, you should consult with your doctor again and consider other treatment options such as fractional laser.

The healing process after cryotherapy can vary from person to person and depending on the size, type, and location of the treated lesion. Generally, it takes a few weeks for the treated area to heal. During this time, the frozen area may crust and then peel off, giving way to new, healthy skin cells.

The interval between cryotherapy sessions should be at least 2 weeks. It is not recommended to perform the next cryotherapy session before the treated area has completely healed. This period usually lasts 2-4 weeks.

Despite cryotherapy often being a non-invasive and effective treatment method, it has some potential disadvantages. Firstly, the effect of cryotherapy often exceeds the borders of the lesion and also causes destruction on the surrounding healthy tissue. This wide surface destruction both prolongs the healing process and causes local pain and discomfort. In addition, the effect of cryotherapy on deep tissue is limited; although it is effective in the treatment of superficial warts, it cannot completely destroy lesions that have settled into deeper tissue layers. This leads to a higher recurrence rate in wart treatment compared to other methods. It can also cause unwanted color changes in the treated area. This situation is especially pronounced in individuals with dark skin and can be aesthetically disturbing.

Cryotherapy can be applied during pregnancy. It does not harm the pregnancy or the baby.

Cryotherapy products for home use are available on the market and can generally be effective for the treatment of small warts. These products usually come in the form of an aerosol spray and are applied directly to the wart, creating a freezing effect that destroys the wart. However, applying cryotherapy at home carries certain risks. If used improperly, it can cause burns on the skin. Furthermore, warts that are large or located in sensitive areas such as the face should not be treated at home. Large and deeply positioned warts that cannot be sufficiently treated with home cryotherapy may spread further. In conclusion, if cryotherapy is to be applied at home, it should be done according to a doctor's recommendation.

Cryotherapy prices vary depending on the number and size of the lesions. Since it's uncertain how many sessions will be applied, it's not possible to give a definitive price. In our wart treatment center, we prefer not to choose cryotherapy treatment due to its high recurrence rate and disadvantages. Therefore, we do not provide any pricing. Our patients seeking cryotherapy treatment can request price information from other centers.