About cryotherapy in Victoria.
We all know that sun damage can lead to premature aging and manifest with wrinkles, dull and dehydrated skin, sun spots, and more. Taken further, the skin can start producing precancerous rough red spots called actinic keratosis (AKs), sometimes resulting in skin cancers. These skin changes can begin as early as our twenties, and without intervention, will continue to develop over time. Luckily, as a Dermatologist center, we are aptly qualified to review the appearance of sun damage and irregular spots to provide comprehensive medical care to Victoria and Vancouver Island patients. The most common treatment for AKs is cryotherapy, a quick, effective procedure which has been shown to cure between 75% and 99% of AKs.
Cryotherapy helps with:
- sun damage
- actinic keratosis
How it works:
A quick, in-office procedure, cryotherapy uses extreme cold (liquid nitrogen) to cause actinic keratosis to slough off and disappear. The liquid nitrogen is sprayed directly on the lesions, using a device called CryAc. This keeps the area frozen for long enough to destroy the precancerous tissue, while leaving the area surrounding the lesions unaffected to minimize the risk of scarring. Cosmedica is dedicated to providing safe and effective solutions to reduce signs of sun damage for patients of all ages. A thorough consultation will allow us to assess your skin’s condition, and design a customized plan for your unique needs and lifestyle.
Cost
- LOW
- MED
- HIGH
Starting from $150 per treatment
Recovery
Number of treatments
Unlimited
Cryotherapy Frequently Asked Questions
Cryotherapy is quick and well tolerated. You may feel a momentary intense cold sensation, comparable to holding an ice cube against your skin, as the liquid nitrogen is applied. This only lasts a few seconds before the area becomes numb.
One cryotherapy treatment is often enough to treat actinic keratosis, but a follow-up appointment will be scheduled to determine the need for repeat treatment.
Cryotherapy results in the complete removal of targeted actinic keratosis. If there are multiple actinic keratoses, then a field treatment (treating an entire area, such as the face or nose) may be considered. Field treatments including Fraxel laser, photodynamic therapy and prescription creams such as Efudex.
There is very little downtime associated with cryotherapy. Following treatment you may notice pain, throbbing, redness and swelling around the treated area. Additionally, a crust, scab, or blister may form at the site of the freezing treatment. This is a normal part of the healing process and the keratosis will normally fall off 1-4 weeks following treatment. The treated area may appear red as the skin heals post-treatment, but this should resolve within 1-2 months.
Limiting sun exposure, seeking shade, wearing protective clothing, and daily use of a sunscreen with a broad-spectrum sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or greater should always be your first line of defense in preventing sun damage, including actinic keratosis.
