With aging and sun exposure, many people start to notice more brown spots on their hands and face. When these spots are more raised and rough they could be a Seborrheic Keratosis (SK) and it can be successfully treated with Liquid Nitrogen, also known as Cryotherapy. Liquid Nitrogen is sprayed onto the area of the brown spot, which freezes the skin and turns it white as it cools down (just like frostbite). The procedure turns the area into a small blister that typically heals in one to two weeks taking the brown spot with it. If you think that you may have some spots that need to be remedied, read on to get Dr. Wrights tips.
Dr. Wright’s Tip:
Seborrheic Keratosis are harmless spots that most often do not require treatment. Many patients, however, find them cosmetically unacceptable. As well they can get easily irritated when clothes or jewelry rub against them. It is important to get all brown spots evaluated by your doctor in order to distinguish it from skin cancer.
A popular treatment that I use to remedy the situation is with Liquid Nitrogen Cryotherapy. This treatment involves applying a very cold liquid to the growth with a spray gun or cotton swab. This will freeze the growth and it will fall off after a few days, after it blisters and scabs.
In my opinion, using liquid nitrogen alone may sometimes not work completely, because the whole goal cosmetically is to get the skin’s color even again, and you really can’t do that by just spot treating. That is why I may add in a cosmetic laser to complete the treatment to achieve a uniform skin color.
While most age spots are harmless, having them removed can restore a more youthful appearance to your complexion. Cryotherapy is one treatment option that uses liquid nitrogen to safely remove unwanted age spots and other skin lesions, but other treatments are also available.
To learn more you can read further from the American Academy of Dermatology at; https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/a-z/seborrheic-keratoses-treatment