Therapeutic efficacy of cryotherapy in genital warts: A case series with patient-reported outcomes

Genital warts are common benign lesions caused predominantly by human papillomavirus types 6 and 11 and are associated with significant psychosocial morbidity. Cryotherapy remains a widely used ablative modality, yet data on patient-reported outcomes in real-world settings remain limited. To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy, safety profile, and patient-reported outcomes of cryotherapy in the management of genital warts. A case series of seven treatment-naive patients with clinically and dermoscopically confirmed genital warts was analyzed. All patients underwent cryotherapy with a cryoprobe using two freeze-thaw cycles per session at 2-week intervals. Pain was assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and quality-of-life changes were measured using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) before treatment and two weeks after the final session. Complete or near-complete clearance was achieved in 71.4% of patients after 1-2 sessions. Adverse effects occurred in 57.1%, predominantly procedural pain and transient hypopigmentation. DLQI scores improved markedly among patients with complete clearance, indicating significant psychosocial recovery, whereas incomplete responders-particularly immunocompromised individuals-showed minimal improvement. Recurrence occurred in 14% of cases. Cryotherapy is a safe, cost-effective, and efficacious first-line treatment for genital warts, especially in immunocompetent patients. Incorporating patient-reported outcomes such as DLQI and VAS provides a holistic assessment of therapeutic success and should be adopted routinely.