From the Research
Cryotherapy is an appropriate and effective method for removing skin tags, with a high success rate and minimal side effects, as demonstrated by the most recent and highest quality study 1.
Key Points to Consider
- Cryotherapy involves freezing the skin tag with liquid nitrogen, which destroys the tissue and causes it to fall off within a few days to weeks after treatment.
- The process typically takes only a few minutes in a healthcare provider's office and requires no special preparation.
- Patients may feel a brief stinging or burning sensation during application, and the area may blister, turn red, or become slightly swollen before the skin tag darkens and eventually falls off.
- Most skin tags require only one treatment session, though larger ones might need repeat applications.
- Cryotherapy is preferred for skin tag removal because it's quick, minimally invasive, leaves little to no scarring, and has a high success rate, with 64.3% of skin tags completely disappearing during the study 2.
Important Considerations
- It's essential to have a healthcare provider confirm that the growth is indeed a benign skin tag before proceeding with any removal method.
- While electrosurgery may be more effective for certain skin conditions, such as sebaceous hyperplasia and cherry angioma, cryotherapy is still a viable option for skin tag removal 1.
- The safety and efficacy of cryotherapy have been demonstrated in various studies, including a prospective, single-blinded, randomized, comparative clinical trial 2.