Keloid is a physical manifestation and increase in scar tissue. This condition occurs when scar tissue begins to increase for no apparent reason after the wound has healed. This physical increase can often be visually unappealing and can cause much grief.
These keloids can occur from injuries or skin conditions like acne, chickenpox, burns, piercings, surgical cuts, scratches, trauma wounds and vaccinations. These growths can cause itching without any apparent cause. This condition tends to occur more frequently in some races or can have a genetic history too.
This condition can be chronic and can recur regularly, especially if you have a genetic disposition to keloids. Therefore treatment can be very important. There are different treatments that can be carried out for keloids and cryotherapy is one such treatment. Cryotherapy is primarily freezing the skin growth before removing it. Other treatments include surgery, laser or steroidal injections.
The treatment involves using liquid nitrogen to freeze the keloid.
Freezing the keloid destroys the tissue, making it easier to remove with the help of precision instruments. Depending on the size of the keloid, different quantities of liquid gases might need to be used. Liquid nitrogen is first sprayed on the skin of the keloid, multiple times if needed. If the lesion is very big – then through a small incision, liquid nitrogen is also injected into the lesion. Once the lesion has marginally thawed, the needle is removed. This site needs to be disinfected for the next few days for complete healing.
The cost of each type of cryotherapy treatment is different, as is the efficacy. Hence the manner of treatment will be best identified by your doctor. The removal of keloids with this form of treatment is quite effective and works even better when used with steroidal injections. Cryotherapy is often used in combination with one other method for best results. The aim of this treatment is also to prevent a recurrence of keloids.
However this method of treatment tends to be painful, hence a person who has gone through one may not be so eager to go through it for a second time. This method of treatment also tends to have a pigmentation side effect.
Though not medically dangerous, it is also important to test keloids for melanoma cells. Removal of keloids can also cause larger scars to form and therefore, prevention is the most effective way out.
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