If you’ve noticed a skin tag, wart, or age spot that bothers you, you’re far from alone. These small but persistent skin imperfections affect millions of people — and for most of us, they’re not a medical problem, they’re a confidence one. The frustrating part is that many GPs no longer treat them on the NHS, precisely because they’re considered cosmetic.
That’s where CryoPen comes in. It’s one of the fastest, most precise ways to remove common benign skin lesions — and at Plymouth Laser Clinic, it’s a treatment we carry out regularly. Here’s everything you need to know before booking.
What Is CryoPen & How Does It Work?
CryoPen is a medical-grade cryotherapy device — think of it as precision freezing, delivered through a fine pen-shaped applicator. It works by emitting a controlled jet of nitrous oxide gas at approximately -89°C, directed with millimetre accuracy at the unwanted lesion.
At that temperature, the fluid inside the lesion’s cells crystallises almost instantly. They form ice shards that rupture the cell membranes and destroy the targeted tissue. Furthermore, the surrounding healthy skin is left completely unaffected, because the applicator never actually touches the skin. In fact, t’s held just a few millimetres away throughout the procedure.
The whole process for each lesion takes between five and thirty seconds. No needles. No anaesthetic. No surgery.
What Can CryoPen Treat?
CryoPen is effective on a wide range of common benign skin lesions. At Plymouth Laser Clinic, we use it to treat:
Skin tags — those small, soft flaps of skin that tend to appear around the neck, armpits, groin or eyelids. Completely harmless, but often uncomfortable where clothing rubs against them.
Warts and verrucas — caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), these can be stubborn and resist over-the-counter treatments for months or even years. CryoPen destroys the tissue at the root rather than just treating the surface.
Age spots and sun spots (solar lentigo) — flat, darkened patches that develop on areas exposed to the sun over time, most commonly the face, hands and forearms.
Milia — tiny white cysts, often mistaken for whiteheads, that form when keratin becomes trapped beneath the skin’s surface. Common around the eyes and cheeks.
Cherry angiomas — small bright red or purple raised spots caused by an overgrowth of blood vessels near the skin’s surface. They’re entirely benign but very noticeable, particularly on the torso and face.
Pigmentation and seborrhoeic keratoses — raised, rough patches that can appear darker than the surrounding skin, often on the face, chest or back.
What Does The Treatment Feel Like?
Most clients describe a brief stinging or cold sensation during treatment. It has been likened to the flick of a rubber band or the sting of a nettle. Because each lesion takes only a matter of seconds to treat, the discomfort is very short-lived.
Immediately after, the treated area may feel warm and appear red, and a small white frost forms on the skin for a few seconds before thawing naturally. Some clients notice mild itching or a sensation similar to a nettle sting for ten to fifteen minutes afterwards. No anaesthetic or numbing cream is required beforehand.
How Many Sessions Are Needed?
Most small lesions — skin tags, milia, cherry angiomas — clear completely after a single session. Larger or more stubborn lesions, such as established warts or deeper age spots, may benefit from a second treatment four to six weeks later once the skin has fully healed.
Clinical data consistently shows permanent results after one or two sessions. This makes CryoPen significantly more effective than repeat applications of over-the-counter products that often take months and still don’t fully resolve the problem.
Is CryoPen Suitable For Everyone?
CryoPen is safe for most adults and can be used to treat lesions on the face, scalp and body. However, it isn’t suitable for everyone, and a consultation is always the right starting point.
We’d recommend discussing CryoPen with us first if you:
Have darker or melanin-rich skin (cryotherapy can affect pigmentation in some skin types)
Are pregnant
Have a known cold sensitivity or cold urticaria
Have diabetes, Raynaud’s disease or poor circulation
Are unsure whether a lesion is benign. If there’s any doubt at all, a GP should examine it before any treatment takes place
It’s also worth noting that CryoPen is specifically designed for benign, superficial lesions. If a mole or skin blemish has changed shape, colour or size, or bleeds unprovoked, please see your GP before pursuing any cosmetic removal.
Why Choose A Clinic Over A DIY Home Freezing Kit?
You’ll have seen home cryotherapy kits in pharmacies — small aerosol cans designed to freeze warts and skin tags at home. They’re inexpensive, widely available, and for some people, they eventually work. So why come to a clinic?
The honest answer comes down to precision, temperature and safety.
Home kits typically reach around -57°C — considerably warmer than the -89°C that CryoPen delivers. That lower temperature means the freeze often doesn’t penetrate deeply enough to fully destroy the lesion’s tissue, which is why many people find they need repeated applications over weeks or months, and still don’t achieve a clean result.
CryoPen, by contrast, allows a trained practitioner to apply exactly the right freeze depth and duration for the specific type and size of lesion being treated, with millimetre precision that protects the surrounding skin. Larger or awkwardly-placed lesions — particularly anything near the eye area — carry a real risk of skin damage when treated with an untargeted aerosol spray at home.
There’s also the question of confidence in what you’re treating. Our practitioners assess each lesion before treatment to confirm it’s appropriate for CryoPen and there’s nothing that warrants a GP referral first. That clinical oversight doesn’t come with a kit bought off a pharmacy shelf.
CryoPen At Plymouth Laser Clinic
At Plymouth Laser Clinic, CryoPen treatments are carried out by our qualified practitioners at our clinic near the Plymouth Barbican. Sessions are quick — most appointments take under thirty minutes including consultation — and there’s no recovery downtime, so you can return to your normal day immediately afterwards.
Whether you’ve had a skin tag for years that you’ve simply put up with, or you’ve developed a cluster of age spots you’d like addressed, we’re happy to talk you through whether CryoPen is the right option for you.
Book a consultation with our team today — call us on 01752 252973, email info@plymouthlaserclinic.co.uk, or book online at plymouthlaserclinic.co.uk/book-appointment
At Plymouth Laser Clinic, all treatments are carried out by Level 4 qualified practitioners using professional-grade equipment. We always conduct a pre-treatment assessment to ensure CryoPen is appropriate for your skin type and the lesion being treated.
