Medically exposing the body to extreme cold, which is what cryotherapy is, has its uses. But it is vital to learn how to care for your skin after cryotherapy.
Table of Contents
How to Care for Skin After Cryotherapy
Wash the skin area with water and unscented soap the day after the procedure. Keep washing it that way every day to keep the area clean. After washing it, apply some petroleum jelly on the skin area to keep it soft and lubricated. Otherwise, it may crust due to the extreme weather. You can keep applying the jelly to the area even if it crusts; the jelly will cause the crust to fall off.
Avoid covering the skin area as much as possible; it helps the skin to heal faster. If there is any drainage from the area, you can cover it with a light bandage such as Band-Aid. Hold a gauze over the area and apply pressure to the area if it begins to bleed. Keep the pressure for about fifteen minutes and repeat it if the bleeding continues. But contact your doctor if it does not stop.
You may have to wait for clearance from your doctor before using makeup, lotion, or any other skincare product. Most times, you will get that clearance after ten days. That is because your skin needs time to heal before it can handle the ingredients in the products. Once you are good to go, you must use sunscreen, the broad-spectrum type, whenever you have to go out. This is to prevent scarring.
It is important to note you may experience hair loss on the skin area that underwent cryotherapy. In some cases, the hair never grows back. Also, your skin may experience discoloration, turning red, pink, darker, or lighter than it was. Sometimes, the discoloration disappears after one year; other times, it lasts longer. A few people never lose the discoloration.
Skin Burn After Cryotherapy – Treatment
You will need to keep the skin area as warm as possible without burning it. Do not use excessive heat as it would be counterproductive. Each time you soak the skin in warm water, it will soften the area and lessen the burn. Keep soaking the skin, taking a few minutes breaks between soaks.
You can also use a warm compress along with soaking in warm water. But stop if the skin area becomes an open wound. In such a situation, clean the wound and put non-stick gauze over it. Apply an ointment to the area and take some painkillers if it hurts too much.
Consider reaching out to your doctor for professional medical attention if the burn is excessive or in the case of a wound. The doctor is in the best position to treat and recommend care for the affected area.
Black Skin After Cryotherapy – Remedy
Most times, skin discoloration after cryotherapy is expected. It may happen due to having a blister from the procedure and blood draining into it. It may look black or dark purple. For some people, the discoloration will disappear in under a year, while others will have theirs vanish a little later. It is nothing to worry about unless it is an aesthetic concern.
However, black skin after cryotherapy may indicate frostbite. The skin area will have lesions with black skin over them. You may have accompanying feelings of ill health and pain due to the condition. See your doctor if you have these symptoms or more following the procedure.
Click here to read these interesting articles…
Skin After Birth [Problems & Remedies]
Skin After a Biopsy [Problems, Remedies & Care]
Skin After Cupping [Problems & Remedies]
Skin After Circumcision [Problems, Remedies & Care]
Skin After Cellulitis [Problems & Treatments]
What Does Skin Look Like After Cryotherapy?
The skin reddens immediately after the procedure. It may not hurt, but some blisters will develop on the site, along with swelling. As much as possible, avoid touching the skin area and the blisters so that you do not open them. If they drain, it is normal and shows the skin is healing. It will take between seven and ten days for the treated skin area to heal. The healing process will continue over time, depending on the depth of the treatment. However, cryotherapy tends not to leave a scar, especially if you follow the after-care instructions from your doctor.
Recap
Taking care of your skin after cryotherapy is crucial for your health. Keep an eye on your skin and report any abnormality to your doctor. However, it is not tedious to care for your skin after the procedure, and you will heal fast if you follow the proper instructions.
Skin After Cryotherapy – Frequently Asked Questions
1. Does Skin Itch After Cryotherapy?
Your skin may experience a little itching and mild irritation immediately after cryotherapy. It is usually nothing to worry about because it eases after a few hours. It is your skin’s reaction to the icy treatment. You may speak with your doctor if the itching is excessive and does not ease after the treatment.
2. Skin Not Healing After Cryotherapy
See your doctor as soon as you can if you find that your skin is not healing after cryotherapy. As mentioned before, the skin area should heal within one week to ten days. At most, give it fourteen days.
3. How Long for Skin Tags to Fall Off After Cryotherapy?
It may take about ten to fourteen days after cryotherapy for the skin tags to fall off. But you may notice irritation on the skin around the tags.
4. Skin Rash After Cryotherapy
You may have cold panniculitis if you notice a rash after cryotherapy. The cold treatment has injured the skin’s deepest layers, leading to a rash of raised bumps, sometimes painful. See your dermatologist for treatment and care instructions.
