What Is Cryotherapy For Skin Uses And Side Effects?

Cryotherapy for skin is a treatment that uses extreme cold to target and treat various skin conditions. Whole-body cryotherapy exposes you to temperatures between -200°F and -300°F for two to four minutes, while localized cryotherapy applies cold directly to a specific area. The cold causes controlled damage to abnormal skin cells, which your body then naturally removes. It is most often used to remove warts, skin tags, actinic keratoses, and some types of skin cancer. Side effects are generally mild and temporary, though they can include pain, blistering, and changes in skin color.

How Does Cryotherapy Work on Skin?

The basic mechanism is simple. Extreme cold freezes the water inside skin cells. When the water freezes, it expands. This ruptures the cell membranes and destroys the cells. The freezing also damages small blood vessels, cutting off the blood supply to the treated area.

Your body then recognizes these damaged cells as waste. Over the following days and weeks, your immune system clears them away. New healthy skin cells replace the old ones. This is why a treated wart or lesion eventually falls off and is replaced by normal skin.

The effect is very localized. A doctor or trained professional applies the cold only to the specific spot being treated. The surrounding healthy skin is mostly spared.

What Skin Conditions Does Cryotherapy Treat?

Dermatologists use cryotherapy for a wide range of skin issues. Some are cosmetic. Others are medical necessities because they can turn into cancer if left untreated.

Actinic keratoses. These are rough, scaly patches on sun-damaged skin. They are precancerous. Research consistently shows that cryotherapy effectively removes them, which lowers the risk of them turning into squamous cell carcinoma. This is one of the most common uses.

Warts. Both common warts and plantar warts respond well to freezing. It often takes more than one session. The cold destroys the skin cells the virus is living in. Your immune system also seems to get a boost from the treatment, which helps fight the virus.

Skin tags. These small, benign growths are easily removed with a quick freeze. It is a cosmetic procedure. Most insurance does not cover it unless the skin tag is irritated or bleeding.

Seborrheic keratoses. These are brown, waxy growths that look like they are stuck on the skin. They are harmless. Cryotherapy flattens them, and they eventually fall off.

Some skin cancers. Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma in situ (Bowen’s disease) can sometimes be treated with cryotherapy. It works best for small, superficial cancers. Your dermatologist will determine if your specific lesion is a good candidate.

Cryotherapy is not used for invasive or deep skin cancers. It does not reliably destroy cancer cells that have grown deep into the skin.

What Is Cryotherapy For Skin Uses And Side Effects: The Full Side Effect Profile

Most side effects are predictable and temporary. They are part of the healing process. Knowing what to expect helps you avoid unnecessary worry.

Pain during treatment. The freezing itself stings or burns. It lasts only a few seconds. Most people tolerate it well without any numbing.

Blistering. Almost everyone develops a blister within a few hours of treatment. This is normal. It shows the treatment worked. Do not pop the blister. Let it dry out on its own. A popped blister increases infection risk.

Swelling and redness. The area will be red and puffy for a day or two. This is inflammation from the tissue damage. It settles down on its own.

Pain after treatment. A throbbing pain can last for several hours. Over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen help. The pain rarely lasts more than 24 hours.

Scarring. This is uncommon but possible. The risk is higher if you pick at the scab or blister. Deep or prolonged freezing can also cause scarring. Most treated areas heal with minimal or no scar.

Changes in skin color. This is the most common long-term side effect. The treated area may be lighter or darker than the surrounding skin. This is called hypopigmentation or hyperpigmentation. In people with darker skin, this change can be permanent. It is the main reason some dermatologists hesitate to use cryotherapy on darker skin tones.

Nerve damage. Very rare. If a nerve is near the treatment area, the cold can temporarily affect it. You might feel numbness or tingling. This almost always resolves on its own within weeks or months.

Infection. Rare if you keep the area clean. Signs include increasing redness, warmth, or pus. See your doctor if you suspect infection.

Whole-Body Cryotherapy vs. Localized Cryotherapy

These are two completely different treatments. They share a name but little else.

Localized cryotherapy is the medical treatment described above. A doctor uses a spray device or a cotton-tipped applicator with liquid nitrogen. It targets a single lesion. It is a medical procedure backed by decades of research.

Whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) is a wellness treatment. You stand in a chamber for two to four minutes while nitrogen gas cools the air around you. The temperature is usually between -200°F and -300°F. You wear minimal clothing and socks. The chamber does not freeze your skin cells. It cools the surface of your skin.

The evidence for whole-body cryotherapy is much weaker. Some studies suggest it may reduce muscle soreness after exercise. Some people report improved mood or reduced pain. As of 2026, there is no strong clinical evidence that whole-body cryotherapy provides any lasting health benefit for skin or overall health. The FDA has not approved whole-body cryotherapy for any medical condition.

The risks of whole-body cryotherapy include frostbite, burns, and asphyxiation if the chamber malfunctions. These risks are low in properly operated facilities but are real.

Who Should Not Get Cryotherapy?

Cryotherapy is safe for most people. But there are clear contraindications.

People with cold-related conditions. If you have Raynaud’s disease, cryoglobulinemia, or cold urticaria (cold hives), cryotherapy can cause serious problems. The cold can trigger severe reactions in these conditions.

People with dark skin. This is not an absolute no. But the risk of permanent pigment changes is real. Your dermatologist should discuss this with you before treatment. Some dermatologists recommend a test spot first.

People with poor circulation. The cold can cause more tissue damage than intended if blood flow is limited. This includes people with diabetes who have peripheral artery disease.

Pregnant women. There is no evidence that localized cryotherapy harms a fetus. But many doctors prefer to avoid any unnecessary procedure during pregnancy. Whole-body cryotherapy is generally not recommended during pregnancy due to lack of safety data.

People with certain skin cancers. As mentioned, cryotherapy is not for deep or aggressive skin cancers. Your dermatologist needs to biopsy the lesion first to know what they are treating.

What to Expect During and After Treatment

The procedure itself is quick. For a single wart or skin tag, it takes about 10 to 30 seconds. The doctor applies the liquid nitrogen in short bursts. You will feel a sharp cold sensation that quickly turns into a sting or burn.

After treatment, the area will turn white. This is called a frost. It thaws within seconds. Within a few hours, a blister forms. This blister may be filled with clear fluid or blood. Do not disturb it.

Over the next one to two weeks, the blister dries out and forms a scab. The scab eventually falls off on its own. The new skin underneath may be pink. It can take several weeks for the color to fully return to normal.

If you are treating a wart or precancerous spot, you may need multiple sessions. These are usually spaced two to four weeks apart. Some stubborn warts require three or more treatments.

Does Cryotherapy Work for Anti-Aging or Wrinkles?

This is a popular claim, especially in the wellness and beauty industry. The evidence does not support it.

Some people report that whole-body cryotherapy makes their skin look tighter or more toned. This is widely claimed, though strong evidence is limited. Any temporary tightening is likely from the cold causing blood vessels to constrict, which reduces puffiness. The effect lasts a few hours at most.

There is no clinical evidence that cryotherapy stimulates collagen production, reduces wrinkles, or reverses aging of the skin. The mechanism does not make biological sense. Collagen production requires a healing response that takes days to weeks. A two-minute cold exposure does not trigger that response.

If your goal is anti-aging, topical retinoids, sunscreen, and professional treatments like laser therapy or microneedling have far more evidence behind them.

How Much Does Cryotherapy Cost?

Cost varies widely based on location, the size of the lesion, and whether it is a medical or cosmetic treatment.

Medical cryotherapy for actinic keratoses or skin cancer is often covered by insurance. Your copay or deductible applies. Without insurance, a single treatment typically costs $100 to $400.

Cosmetic cryotherapy for skin tags or warts is usually not covered by insurance. Prices range from $50 to $150 per lesion. Some dermatologists charge by the number of lesions or by time.

Whole-body cryotherapy sessions cost $30 to $80 per session. Packages and memberships can lower the per-session cost.