Wound healing and scarring after cryosurgery.

There are many references in the surgical literature to apparent lack of scarring after cryosurgery. This has been investigated experimentally by comparing the effects on the skin of four freeze-thaw schedules commonly used in clinical practice with those of maximal cryosurgical injury. Absence of damage to collagen is described, and it is proposed that this is an important factor in the often cited lack of scarring. Changes in skin thickness over a 6-month period are described, and obvious scarring after severe injury and long-term dermis thinning after less severe injury are reported. Evidence is presented that epidermal cells and fibroblasts differ in their susceptibility to low-temperature damage.