Cryotherapy for Acne Sufferers

Cryotherapy is one option that is only available through a dermatologist. Sometimes referred to as Cryosurgery, it is in fact a form of surgery in the sense that the dermatologist is removing a layer of skin along with the acne blemishes. This method of acne treatment has been available since the 1960s and has proven to be very effective as an acne treatment option but it is not nearly as well known or as widely advertised as over-the-counter medications.

How does Cryotherapy Work?

Typically, liquid nitrogen or solid carbon dioxide is applied to an area of skin, freezing it. Light freezing causes peeling of the skin, moderate freezing causes blistering and hard freezing causes scabbing. This procedure is used as a treatment for acne as well as a method to remove scars and growths and excise some skin cancers. The freezing agent may be sprayed or swabbed on to the skin, but the end result is the same.

Freezing has been found to be a very effective, reliable and relatively inexpensive way to remove most of the surface skin lesions associated with acne. When used as an acne treatment, an area of skin is lightly frozen so that when the top layer of skin is shed, any whiteheads and blackheads that were present are also removed. A cryotherapy treatment may also be used to help pimples heal faster, which has the ultimate effect of reducing any acne scarring.

Cryotherapy treatments for acne are usually performed once a week. Side effects of cryotherapy may include stinging and redness of the skin; there may also be some pain for some period after the treatment. The painful after effects of cryotherapy may be reduced by applying a steroid to the treated area immediately after the treatment. In very rare cases, a patient with extremely sensitive skin may experience some swelling and blistering after a cryotherapy session.