Just had a skin tag, mole or verruca frozen off? Freezing treatment works by forming a small blister or scab that falls off as new skin grows. Here is how to look after it.
In the video, Umesh, Medical Director at 65 Medical, talks you through it. Everything he covers is written out below so you can come back to it.
Your aftercare, step by step
First 24 hours
The area may sting, look red and swell slightly. A blister can form within a day: this is normal. Keep it clean and dry. Paracetamol helps if it is sore.
Days 2 to 14
Don't pop the blister or pick the scab. If a blister bursts, clean it gently and cover it with a plain dressing. Wash normally, pat dry, and avoid swimming, saunas and sunbeds until it has healed. A skin tag usually darkens and drops off within one to two weeks.
Weeks 2 to 6
The new skin can look pink or lighter for several weeks. Protect it from the sun with SPF 30 or higher. Verrucas can need more than one session.
What's normal
- Stinging and redness on the day
- A blister, sometimes filled with clear or slightly bloody fluid
- A scab that falls off in 1 to 3 weeks
- Pink or paler skin for a few weeks
When to call us
- The area hasn't healed after four weeks
- The lesion grows back, changes shape or colour, or bleeds
- Anything that worries you
Call the clinic on 020 7252 3333, or our 24-hour line on 07414 163998.
When it is urgent
Call us straight away if you notice signs of infection: spreading redness, heat, pus or a temperature. If you feel seriously unwell, call 999.
Need a doctor or a health check?
Our private GP, Dr Ayaz Tokhi, is on hand for video appointments from £75 (telephone £65), and we offer private blood tests at the clinic from £69.50. See our health services and book.
Thinking about treatment rather than recovering from it? Read more about mole, skin tag and verruca removal at our Brentwood clinic.
This is general aftercare information. Always follow any specific advice your clinician gave you on the day. If you were treated at another clinic, contact them first, as products and techniques vary.
Results vary from person to person. Every treatment starts with a consultation with a registered clinician.