Liver spot removal has seen many new approaches in the recent years. One of the more preferred options is liquid nitrogen therapy. Liquid nitrogen therapy is also referred to as cryosurgery. Liquid nitrogen is actually extremely cold, pressured nitrogen. This occurs because at most temperature ranges, nitrogen continues to exist as a gas. However, at below-freezing temperatures, such as -321 degrees Fahrenheit and below, nitrogen gas turns into a liquid. This treatment is provided by cosmetic clinics wherein a qualified dermatologist conducts the cryotherapy in consultation with a technician trained in cryosurgery.
How Cryosurgery Treats Liver Spots
Liquid nitrogen therapy is used in various types of skin treatments, including the treatment of warts and other forms of pigmentation. This therapy is based upon a simple principle—penetrative freezing of the skin arrests the underlying cellular processes that are responsible for the visible symptoms. When applied to the liver spots, cryosurgery arrests the secretion of melanin.
This is critical since age spots or liver spots are caused by the excessive production of melanin. This is usually found in older people who suffer from frequent sun exposure and impaired skin healing. The loss of melanin means a marked improvement in the appearance of the liver spot-affected area as the hyperpigmented, brownish-red hue of liver spots is reduced. Further, cryosurgery is quite effective in ensuring that liver spots don’t re-emerge around the treated sites for a long time. The entire procedure is short and not very painful. At most, patients report a stinging sensation.
Since the procedure doesn’t involve any kind of incision, there is no fear of scar formation or bleeding—this is perhaps the biggest advantage of cryosurgery. A few days after the treatment, the liver spots seem to appear slightly duller. After about four weeks, the liver spots develop a slightly whitish appearance. This is indicative of the gradual death of the melanin-producing cells. A few more weeks and the liver spots seem to fade in the surrounding skin as their hyperpigmentation is almost totally neutralized.
