WHAT IS CRYOTHERAPY?
Cryotherapy comes in many forms; it is the use of cold and freezing techniques to treat the body. Athletes use Cryotherapy during training and at events to prevent and treat injury. It is used in medicine both to treat injury and to remove tumours and other lesions effectively and safely.
ADVANTAGES OF CRYOTHERAPY
- Rapid process-treatment only takes 1-2 minutes.
- Sterile – no incision or skin cutting, no bleeding zero risk of infection (from the
treatment) the risk is dependent on clients actions. - Analgesic effect-extreme cold reduces pain perception due to nerve effects.
- Safe-little to no collateral skin damage.
- Excellent results- well established in the medical field, used for well over 200 years
accepted as the gold standard treatment to remove most skin lesions.
MILIA (MILLIUM)
These are generally small raised pearly bumps often seen around the eyes, or on the cheeks and foreheads. But they can appear anywhere on the body. They are common in new borns, but these will clear away by themselves as the infant starts to metabolise food correctly. The milia themselves are raised above the flat of the skin and consist of a tiny cyst like structure filled with keratin (skin protein). Often found in clumps, although each will be a discrete bump. Usually no more than 1-2mm and may be pearly white or yellowish in colour. They are harmless and will often clear away without any treatment but can be unsightly and people often will opt for treatment to have them removed.
TREATMENT
These lesions are easily treated with Cryotherapy and are frozen directly onto the lesion based upon the height raised above the flat of the skin. REMEMBER if they are on eyelids or within the eye orbit, the skin is thinner and you will need to reduce the freeze time, to 1⁄2 the normal freeze, so 2 seconds freeze as a maximum treatment.
IMPORTANT
Do not treat xanthalasma on eyelids as this is a symptom of high blood cholesterol and needs a referral to a gp for the client to have blood lipid levels checked and possibly treatment.
SKIN TAGS
These are small flaps of skin, that protrude and hang away from the flat of the skin often with a stalk or pedicle. They are benign and are not at all dangerous. They are most likely caused by bilateral rubbing, as they are usually seen in places with friction. More often seen in females, as they are more likely to wear items which cause friction to the skin. They may be any size, most often small up to a few millimetres in size but can grow to be large. Most often seen around the neck or in the axillae, groin or under the beast. May also grow on the eyelid. They are the most common minor skin lesion; it is estimated that 50% of the UK
population have skin tags.
TREATMENT
Tiny skin tags may be treated in the same way as other smaller lesions, with a direct freeze based upon the height above the skin. If the tag has an obvious pedicle then it is the pedicle which is treated. The aim being too close of blood vessels supplying the tag and therefore causing the tag to wither away. To achieve the best results, it is recommended that 2 freezes are done to freeze the tag from either side to ensure that all the blood vessels are closed off. If the tag is large it may be required to freeze 4 times (at the clock quarters) or in a full freeze around the base. The larger skin tags may require a second treatment at 4 weeks after the initial treatment.
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