Prepared by Rhianna Flanagan, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy
Liquid nitrogen (LN2), sometimes called cryotherapy, a cold, liquefied gas with a temperature of 196° below Celsius (-321°F), is used primarily to freeze and destroy superficial skin lesions such as warts and keratoses. It causes stinging and mild pain as the growth is being frozen and then thaws. The discomfort usually lasts a few minutes when keratosis are being treated, but considerably longer when it is warts, since warts need to be frozen for longer than keratosis.
After LN2 treatment your skin will become swollen and red; it may even blister. Then a scab (crust) will form. It will fall off by itself in 1 - 3 weeks. The skin growth will come off with the scab, leaving healthy new skin.
No special care is needed after the liquid nitrogen treatment. Just ignore it. You may wash as usual and use makeup and other cosmetics. If your clothing irritates the area, cover it with a small bandage..
Sometimes the cryotherapy treatment fails. If the growth is not cured by LN2 , please make a return appointment.
See handouts on warts and actinic keratosis.