Cryopen

Cryotherapy is the use of extreme cold produced by liquid nitrous oxide for the fast, effective and safe solution for the controlled destruction of unwanted skin imperfections.

The CryoPen™ is an FDA and CE registered advanced cryotherapy innovation. It is a pen-like instrument which delivers a fine pin point spray of liquid nitrous oxide at a constant temperature of -127 degrees under high pressure which allows us to work with millimetre precision. This means the nitrous oxide is delivered directly to the treated area without damaging the healthy surrounding tissue.

The applicator is held as close as possible to the skin imperfection and moved quickly towards and away from it. This could be from 1 - 30 seconds, depending on the size and depth of the lesion. The CryoPen™ freezes at a rate of 1mm per 5 seconds. The nitrous oxide destroys the tissue by freezing the inter-cellular fluid in a matter of seconds, forming ice shards and crystals which rupture the membrane, thereby destroying the cell without any collateral damage to the surrounding healthy tissue.

There may be some tingling as the nitrous oxide reaches the bottom of the area during freezing  but most clients get an anaesthetic effect from the extreme freezing temperatures. More of a pinching sensation can occur as the area thaws out and it may be a little itchy for a short while after treatment. In rare cases, clients may have a little discomfort the day after the procedure but paracetamol or ibuprofen is usually adequate to alleviate this.

During the procedure the area freezes and turns white. After this white area thaws, a flushing occurs and the area will turn red and a weal will form. Approximately 2 - 4 hours after being frozen the weal may turn into a blister which may  take several days to dissolve, however this is very rare. A crust may form over the lesion, which typically, after about 10 - 14 days will fall off and the skin will then be healed. The skin may appear lighter in colour or pink, which then returns to its normal colour over a period of a few weeks. Lesions on the legs often take a little longer to heal. For larger and deeper lesions a second crust may form making the healing time slightly longer.

Although it is best to try and leave the treated area uncovered, a plaster or simple dressing may be applied if it is in an area that may lead to rubbing and aggravation. It is extremely important not to pick at the crust as this may lead to scarring.

For most conditions CryoPen™ 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 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.

Rarely. Both hyperpigmentation (darkening of the skin) and hypopigmentation (lightening of the skin) may occur temporarily after cryotherapy. Both generally last a few months. 

Several different types of superficial skin lesions can by treated with CryoPen including skin tags, milia, cherry angioma, pigmentation, warts and verrucas.

It is essential that correct diagnosis of a lesion is carried out before treatment because some lesions can be related to cancer and it is quite easy to confuse these with ordinary, benign lesions. So, the expert advice of a doctor or dermatologist is needed as CryoPen™ cannot be used to treat cancerous lesions. If you are concerned about a lesion, or it has changed in any way recently, please speak to your GP as a first port of call.

CryoPen™ may not be used if the lesions are too close to delicate structures of the body such as the eyes.

Anyone who is healthy can be treated with CryoPen™ with a few exceptions which include but are not limited to

• Pregnancy/breastfeeding
• Diabetes
• HIV and AIDS patients
• Oral blood thinning medications including Asprin
• Cold Intolerance
• Cold Urticaria
• Concurrent Treatment with Renal Dialysis
• Collagen and Autoimmune Disease such as Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Temporal Arthritis, Scleroderma
• Raynaud’s phenomenon
• Immune Suppressed
• Cryoglobulinemia
• Multiple Myeloma
• Platelet Deficiency Disease
• Pyoderma Gangrenosum

CryoPen™ cannot be used if you are taking Antihistamines and you would need to have a break from them for 2 or 3 days prior to treatment.

CryoPen™ is not recommended for darker skin types as it will kill the melanocytes in the surrounding area and the skin in that area will become lighter, basically just swapping one concern for another. 

CryoPen™ can be performed at any time of the year. During the Summer months SPF50 must be applied at least 30 mins before sun exposure and reapplied every 4 hours.

A full consultation will be carried out prior to treatment to assess your suitability for the treatment you are considering. You will be advised how the treatment works, the cost and what to expect during and after your treatment along with any possible risks.

Treatment is very quick and normally takes just a few minutes.

No preparation is required for most skin lesions. However to gain optimum results you are recommended to treat warts and verrucas as follows:-

Pre Treatment Advice

• Soak for 5 mins every day for one week prior to your appointment 
• Gently file the surface every day after soaking for one week prior to your appointment

Further treatment may be required if the wart/verruca is large or has been present for a few years to ensure no viral cells remain

What to expect from all Cryopen treatments-

• The histamine in the area treated will create an itchy sensation for about ten minutes, do not worry this – it is perfectly normal. • The area treated will look inflamed and can also be red. • Blistering can happen with any cryotherapy treatment and is indiscriminate. You will have signed the consent form to show that you are aware of this. The blister may last anything from a few hours to a few days dependant on the area to be treated. If a blister does appear;

• Leave it alone don’t pop it, it will go down on its own… • If it pops; weeping may occur, you can use a non-alcoholic baby wipe to remove any debris from the area affected should the blister burst. It is also advisable to use a smear of Savlon or Germolene cream twice a day. An adhesive dressing such as a plaster can be used to cover the area. You can also use Savlon or Germolene if the area is tender.

What you should not do following a Cryopen treatment

• Do not pick the treated area at any time after treatment, your treatment will take longer to heal. If a wheal/scab is knocked off accidentally it will also take longer to heal, but you should still have the same outcome of a successful treatment.

What you should expect from your lesion during the healing process

Skin Tags: These turn black at the base and drop off over a period of one to six weeks. Larger skin tags 3mm+ may need a second freeze.  If the area does become tender please use Savlon or Germolene twice a day and a plaster can be used to cover the area.

Warts/Verrucae: May need more than one treatment. It is recommended if they remain, that warts and verrucas may be retreated after 4 weeks following your first treatment. There is no specific aftercare, apart from if the wart or verruca blisters as described above.

Milia: As these are superficial keratin filled epidermal cysts these normally flatten and disappear with Cryotherapy. There is no need to do anything other than follow the advice for blisters if one appears.

Pigmentation/Cherry Angiomas. The treated area may become raised, slightly inflamed and look like a bee sting. This is perfectly normal, it will go down in a few hours. Over the next 24 hours the area will go darker and create a small crust on the surface do not pick off. When it naturally falls off you will see new skin (shiny pink) this is not scarring. It will re pigment over the following weeks.

General healing expectations: If the small crust has not fallen off after four weeks please wait until it has done before contacting the clinic. Skin sometimes takes longer to regenerate. If the skin being treated is tanned please remember it will remove the tan and re pigment to the original skin colour. Any treatments that do not heal after six weeks should be reviewed by your doctor or dermatologist. If your immune system is in any way compromised, this may affect healing or possibly mean that the area treated may need further treatment. This may be as a result of a condition that you are not actually aware of or that has been formally medically diagnosed.

How to look after your treated area

• Please use a sunblock (Minimum factor 50) on any pigmentation removal until it has re-pigmented, this may take up to eight weeks. Do not pick the area. • You can continue to use make up, deodorant’s or perfumes on treated areas, but try and leave for as long as you can on the day of treatment. PLEASE CONTACT YOUR SALON IF THE TREATED AREA IS WEEPING 2 WEEKS FOLLOWING TREATMENT.

Skin Tag, Milia, Cherry Angioma includes up to 5 lesions £50

Age spots/Pigmentation includes up to 4 lesions (depending on the size) £60

Warts/Verucae
Depending on the size and depth of the wart/verruca, 2 or more sessions may be required at 4 week intervals

First Treatment - per wart/verruca £40
Second or subsequent treatments taken at 4 week intervals £30 per lesion