Forceps and cotton applicator method of freezing benign lesions

Cryosurgery is one of the most common treatment methods in the dermatologists armamentarium. We describe a method combining forceps and a cotton applicator to freeze benign lesions for practitioners who prefer to use cotton-tipped applicators instead of a cryosurgery spray device.

We describe the technique using common in-office instruments.

Lesions around delicate areas can be treated with forceps and a cotton-tipped applicator dipped in liquid nitrogen resulting in less pain and decreased collateral damage vs. traditional methods. For the most delicate areas, the forceps dipped directly in liquid nitrogen method is preferred.