Liquid Nitrogen Scar

[tellis]

Doc, about 10 weeks ago, I went to a dermatologist office and was treated by an Registered Physician Asst. ("RPA") who thought three pimple-looking growths on my penis could be warts.  I have subsequently had the same growths reappear elsewhere on my penis, went to a top derm in NYC and learned that they are not warts at all, just pimples from clogged pores. Anyway, this moron RPA used liquid nitrogen to burn off these three small suspect lesions.  The smallest healed fine, while the the other two (about the size of a pencil eraser) seem to have scarred and appear a little lighter than the rest of the skin--not depigmented but demarcated and lighter.  In the subsequent weeks, it appeals to be healing fairy well and has more pigment, but in certain lighting and at certain angles the two areas have a whitish reflective quality--scar tissue.  Will this eventually fade with time and lose this whitish reflective quality (let's say 3-6 mos from today)? Will the demaracation (round and eraser shaped that is a bit lighter than surrounding skin) eventually sort of just blend together with the surrounding skin?  If so, what kind of time frame is reasonable and is it good to use coccoa butter, vaseline, etc to aid in the blending and softening?  

Thanks.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Liquid nitrogen freezing almost never leaves permanent scars, and even when it does, it's usually after it's been repeated many times.  On the other hand, pigment changes--like the ones you describe--can hang around for weeks or even months before fading.  There's nothing you van do to speed up the process, but I think that you'll be fine if you wait it out.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff

[never@gain]

hey hows it goin everyone?..well lets get right to the point i got these bumbs...well they look like little extra pieces of skin..almost pimple like..around the genitle area sort of high inner thigh .but they are not red or itchy. they are not popable really with out litteraly ripping them off, it bleeds of course but then it heels up, one day i was just fed up of seening em' and took off as many as i can with tweezers..theres still bumps but just really small...but i dont know if its a serious thing or not i have had unprotected sex before but iv had these symptons for almost 9 months now. can anyone please tell me what it is?... and what types of treatment i can use. i would most appreciate it.! thank you.

[anonymous2]

In response to never@gain, I would just leave your "bumps" alone.  It would also be good to go to a doctor to confirm what it is.  It is better to know.  I recently (actually this past Tuesday) went to the MD for the same symptoms.  I too developed tiny red bumps around my genitalia, more in the inner thighs. At first, i hoped and prayed that they were just pimples, sweat bumps, or even just shaving bumps, but i knew that i would feel much better getting them checked out.  When i went into the MD, i almost freaked when the MD thought they may be warts, but she said she would bring in a second physician to for another opinion.  They concluded it was molluscum contagiosis.  They say it is common in sexually active adults and children, but is not any STD.  You can either leave them alone, and let them go away on their own or have them frozen off (as one of them many treatments).  However, it takes some time for them to go away, especially without treatment.  Sometimes it can range from 6mos to years.  That really freaked me out, but i am a woman of faith will continue going in for my treatments of liquid nitrogen and hope for an early recovery.  Irregardless, get it checked out.  It's better to be safe than sorry. :-)

[Nipple]

I was wondering how long it takes for a liquid nitrogen burn to heal. I had a wart on my finger and I went to the doctor to have it burnt off. He pressed the q-tip dipped in liquid nitrogen on my skin for several seconds but missed the wart. He did it again on top of the ward this time for another several seconds. I got a large blister that evening which I kept covered, but it soon broke. I think I put some polysporin antibiotic on it and disinfected it a few times with hydrogen peroxide. Now, about 8 weeks later, I have a large bump on my finger which doesn't seem to be getting smaller. It is a bit darker in pigmentation, but is mostly dry and flakey. Why do I have this bump and will it go away?

[jama39]

A related discussion, liquid nitrogen scarring was started.