In cryotherapy, also known as cryosurgery, cold temperatures are used to treat a wide variety of skin disease in modern dermatology. However, cryotherapyhasitshumble rootsas farbackas theEgyptiansin 3000BCE, when cold compresses were used to treat the inflammation of infected wounds.1 In the fifth century BCE, Hannibal’s Carthaginian mercenaries experienced thehemostaticanddestructive tissueeffectsof thecoldwhile crossing theAlpsen route to Rome.2 In theNapoleonic times, coolingwas used for anesthesia and amputation.Itwas not until themid-1800swhen modern use of cryotherapy was born.

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