Cryosurgery is an effective modality for treatment of many benign, premalignant, and malignant cutaneous lesions. New indications for benign lesions, new data, and recent trends towards more aggressive treatment of malignant lesions are mentioned. The differences in management between benign and malignant lesions are addressed. This article discusses cryobiology, equipment, advantages of cryosurgery, techniques of treatment, tissue response, results, complications, and contraindications.

Cryosurgery is a safe and effective treatment for selected nonmelanotic skin cancers and yields a high cure rate.

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The results of cryosurgery are comparable with other modalities. It may be preferable or advantageous for some patients because of the quickness and safety of the procedure and its low cost. With changes in health care spending due to law or regulation, and within the environment of a managed care system, dermatologists may choose cryosurgery on the basis of outcome and cost.