Cryosurgery is a standard therapy for both benign and malignant conditions of the skin. This handout hopes to answer or anticipate any questions you have.
After The Procedure
You will note swelling and redness around the site. This is normal.
Your “sharp” feeling of discomfort will continue for a few more minutes, and then give way to more of a “sore” feeling. As the area begins to swell, some patients find that they continue to have this “sore” feeling for several days.
For this discomfort, you may take acetaminophen (Tylenol©) unless you have been instructed otherwise by your physician.
Over the next few days, you may develop a blister at the treated area, or the area may begin to weep or drain. If the blister is tense and uncomfortable, you can pop it with a sterile (heated under a flame or cleansed with alcohol) needle. If the blister does not bother you, no treatment is needed. However, do NOT peel off the top of the blister roof. It will act as a dressing on top of your wound.
Wound Care
You may bathe of shower as per your regular routine.
Cleanse the site twice a day with soapy water, and then apply a thin film of white petrolatum (Vaseline©).
You do not need to cover the area, but can if you prefer.
Do NOT allow the site to become dry of crusted, or attempt to dry it out with rubbing alcohol.
Continue this regimen until the area is pink and healed. Depending on the size and location of your cryosurgery site, and you own body’s ability to heal, this may take two to three weeks.
The area may continue to be pink for several weeks, and over the next few months the area may become darker or lighter than the surrounding skin. This may be a permanent change.
Signs Of An Infection
Your wound may continue to ooze or drain for several days, and a small rim of redness around the site is normal.
Symptoms of infection include a large area of surrounding redness, white pustular drainage, swelling, or pain that is not controlled by over-the-counter pain medication.
If you have questions about your cryosurgery treatment site, please don’t hesitate to call the office (478-3376).
