Therapeutic effect of cryotherapy in facial lentigo and junctional nevus

Superficial pigmented lesions are the most common complaint in dermatology. This study was done to assess the therapeutic effect of cryotherapy in facial lentigo and junctional nevus.

In this descriptive study، 100 cases of flat-pigmented lesions with diameters up to 2 mm and after taking a photograph with USB microscope M2 (Scalar) treated with one freeze thaw cycle with liquid nitrogen through an applicator for 2 second in Imam Reza hospital، Mashhad، Iran during 2004-05. The patients were visited 3 times again through 3 successive months. According to the decrease in color of the lesion، patients were divided into 4 groups: sever pigmentation، no response، partial (>50% color loss) and complete response (<50% color loss). Data were analyzed using SPSS-11. 5 and Wilcoxon test.

96% of our patients were female and 4% were male. Mean age was 30±11. 7 years. Based on Fitzpatrick criteria fifteen patients had type 2، fifty had type 3 and 35 had type 4 skin color. After the period of 3 months follow up، 6% of the patients completely healded، 58% had partial response، 31%with no response and 5% develop hyperpigmentation. Response in patients with type 2 Fitzpatrick skin color was clinically better than type 3 and 4 but this difference was not significant.

Cryotherapy is considered as a simple، cost effective and safe therapeutic regiment in treating of 64% facial pigmental lesions.