Pain tolerance and aesthetic result of removing acrochordons with contact cryotherapy compared to electrocoagulation

INTRODUCTION: Acrochordons are very prevalent in dermatological offices and can reach almost 60% of the population over 70. One possible therapeutic approach is contact cryotherapy.
OBJECTIVES: Compare pain tolerance, aesthetic results, and the preference of participants for electrocoagulation or contact cryotherapy techniques in the treatment of acrochordons.
METHODS: Ten participants, with at least four acrochordons each, had their lesions divided into two groups. One group was submitted to electrocoagulation and the other to contact cryotherapy. We measured pain tolerance using the analog pain scale (EAD). The aesthetic result was assessed by visual comparison between the treatment groups in each participant, and the patient’s preference was evaluated by asking the participant objectively.
RESULTS: All points analyzed had statistical significance. The participants gave lower scores in EAD for lesions submitted to contact cryotherapy. The esthetic result evaluated after 30 days was superior in the lesions of the electrocoagulation group. All participants preferred the contact cryotherapy technique.
CONCLUSIONS: Contact cryotherapy is the preferred method with better pain tolerance in treating acrochordons, but the aesthetic result was better with electrocoagulation.

Keywords: Cryosurgery; Cryotherapy; Electrocoagulation; Electrosurgery; Fibroma