Cryotherapy of Seborrhoeic Keratosis

Cryotherapy of seborrhoeic keratosis.Diagnose the lesion as benign seborrhoeic keratosis (Image 1).

Cryotherapy alone:

Freeze so that the freeze margin extends to the margin of the lesion or slightly beyond it, and then stop freezing (Image 2). The lesions will be shed or become smaller in 2-3 weeks without further measures. Lesions should normally be frozen once or twice.

Curettage and cryotherapy:

Disinfect the area, and infiltrate a local anaesthetic, as necessary. Then curette the lesion superficially (Image 3). Stop oozing of blood, as necessary, by pressing lightly with a cotton swab dipped in a ferric or aluminium chloride solution (Images 4-5). Then perform cryotherapy according to the instructions given above (Image 6).

See also video Cryotherapy of Seborrhoeic Keratosis.

Image: Timo Ruohoalho. Text: Alexander Salava, Timo Ruohoalho