ABSTRACT
Cryosurgery is used in dermatology more frequently than any other physical treatment. It is readily available and no preparation of the skin is required. Over the last 20 years liquid nitrogen has become the most popular freezing medium and it can be delivered either on a cotton swab or through a spray nozzle. Other freezing treatments include over-the-counter ‘Wartner’, which contains dimethyl ether and propane. Cryosurgery can be performed in the primary care setting or in the hospital setting as an outpatient procedure. It is quick and generally leaves good cosmetic results. Solar keratosis is one of the lesions most frequently seen by dermatologists and there are many ways to deal with them. The method depends to some extent on the thickness of the lesion and the extent of the sun damage. Generally it is only low-grade skin cancers that are treated with cryosurgery. The doses involved are greater than for warts and keratoses.
