Cervical Cryotherapy

Written by Stephanie Booth
Medically Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD on March 26, 2025
8 min read

If your doctor finds abnormal cells in your cervix, the lower part of your uterus that connects to your vagina, they may decide to remove them with a procedure called cervical cryotherapy.

"This procedure freezes abnormal cells, which are then naturally expelled by your body," says Kecia Gaither, MD, MPH, MS, MBA, FACOG, director of perinatal services/maternal fetal medicine at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln in the Bronx, New York.

Having cervical cryotherapy can help prevent more serious health issues.

The cold that’s used for the procedure comes from liquid nitrogen or argon gas. 

Cervical cryotherapy vs. LEEP

Your doctor has a few ways to treat abnormal cervical cells. Two common methods are cryotherapy and LEEP (loop electrosurgical excision procedure).

Cryotherapy, or what’s also called cryosurgery or cryoablation, is a simple treatment. It destroys the abnormal tissue with extreme cold.

LEEP carefully cuts away abnormal tissue with a special thin wire tool that’s heated with electricity. The tissue is then sent to a lab for more tests. The results can help your doctor decide what to do next.

Your doctor might use cervical cryotherapy for:

Precancerous cells. These are cells that aren’t normal, but they haven’t turned into cancer yet. If they’re destroyed early enough, they may not turn into cancer later on. Doctors also call this condition cervical dysplasia (CD) or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN).

Warts. These can be caused by HPV (human papillomavirus), a virus transferred during sex.

Cervicitis. If you have an inflamed area that doesn’t clear up, your doctor may use cervical cryotherapy.

Unexplained bleeding. Cryotherapy may be used to remove tissue that's causing your cervix to bleed.

Cryotherapy for HPV lesions

HPV (human papillomavirus) is the most common STI (sexually transmitted infection). Certain strains of it can put you at higher risk of cervical cancer. HPV can also cause anal, throat, penile, vaginal, and vulvar cancers.

Doctors advise everyone with a vagina to get tested for HPV at least every five years between the ages of 25 and 65.  

To do the HPV test, your doctor will use a tiny brush to collect a sample of cells inside your cervix. They’ll be sent to a lab and looked at under a microscope. If any cells are found to be infected with certain high-risk strains of HPV, then your doctor will perform a Pap test or colposcopy test. If they see any abnormal cells, they may decide to freeze them off so the cells don't have a chance to turn into cervical cancer.

Cryotherapy for cervical dysplasia

HPV usually doesn’t cause long-term problems. But sometimes, it can trigger CD. These mutated cervix cells could turn into cancer if they’re ignored. 

CD doesn’t usually have any symptoms. That’s why a Pap test, or what’s also called a Pap smear, is important to have. After your doctor takes a small sample of your cervical cells, they can be sent to a lab and looked at more closely. The results will let your doctor know if your cervix cells look normal, or if you have abnormal cells that need to be removed with cervical cryotherapy or another method.

Other uses of cryotherapy

Doctors safely use cryotherapy to treat a number of conditions, such as:

  • Some kinds of cancer, like bone, liver, prostate, and cancer of the retina (retinoblastoma)
  • Some skin cancers (like squamous cell and basal cell carcinoma) in their early stages
  • Warts
  • Skin tags
  • Dark spots (sometimes called age spots)

If your doctor has decided to freeze abnormal cells in your cervix, here’s what you can expect.

You’ll be given steps to follow before your appointment. For instance, your doctor could suggest that you take an over-the-counter pain reliever ahead of time. And you may be asked to avoid sex, douching, or putting any creams in your vagina for a few days before the procedure.

At your doctor’s office, you’ll change into a gown and lie down on an exam table.

Just like at your annual pelvic exam, you’ll be asked to lift your feet up into stirrups. A tool called a speculum will be gently placed in your vagina to hold it open. You may feel pressure as this happens, but it shouldn’t be painful. Taking slow, deep breaths can help you try to relax.

"Your doctor may … give you numbing medication on your cervix prior to performing the cryotherapy," says Ericka Gibson, MD, an obstetrician/gynecologist (OB/GYN) at Kaiser Permanente of Georgia. "Some patients find meditation; presence of a supportive partner, friend, or family member; or a distraction, such as listening to music, helpful to ease anxiety and discomfort during the procedure."

Next, your doctor will insert a cryoprobe, a thin metal tool, into your cervix. A chemical makes it very cold – about minus 58 degrees F. Once the cryoprobe comes into contact with the abnormal cells, it can freeze them in just a few minutes.

"[You] may experience some mild to moderate discomfort in the form of cramping, or feeling extreme coldness," says Gaither. "Pain levels vary from person to person, but many find it tolerable."

Many times, cervical cryotherapy is finished in less than five or 10 minutes.

You should be able to go home right after your cryotherapy procedure. Your doctor will give you some after-care guidelines. They’ll probably include:

How to treat any discomfort. Your doctor may suggest taking a certain type and dose of over-the-counter pain relief.

When you can return to your usual routine. In some cases, your doctor may suggest you rest for a while before you go back to work or school.

When you can have sex or use tampons again. You’ll likely need to wait three weeks until your cervix is fully healed. 

Your doctor will probably want to check your cervix in a month or so. That way, they can make sure the area is doing well.

Cervical cryotherapy discharge

It’s common to have discharge for a few weeks after this procedure. That’s because some of the destroyed cells get flushed out through your vagina. The discharge might be watery and a little bloody, or it could look brown.  

Until it stops, try wearing a panty liner or pad in your underwear. Don’t use a tampon until your doctor says it’s OK. Putting anything in your vagina could slow down your healing.

Most people do just fine after cryotherapy to treat cervix cell changes. But there is a small chance that you could have:

  • Dizziness or fainting right after the procedure
  • Heavy bleeding
  • Freeze burns on your cervix
  • Pelvic infection flare-up
  • Scarring

Complications of cervical cryotherapy

Scar tissue is how your body naturally heals itself. Severe scarring from cervical cryotherapy can cause more intense cramps when you have your period. In some cases, large or deep scars could also make it harder for you to get pregnant. But scarring of the cervix rarely causes abnormal periods and fertility issues.

Rarely, heavy scarring can cause a hematometra, a condition when blood pools in your uterus.

It’s not advised to have cervical cryotherapy while you’re pregnant. Let your doctor know if you think you could be. They may decide to hold off on the procedure until after you have your baby.

Signs of infection after cervical cryotherapy

Call your doctor right away if you have:

  • Heavy bleeding
  • Discharge from your vagina that smells bad
  • Severe cramps or belly pain
  • Fever of 100.4 F or higher
  • Ulcers, blisters, or bumps

You could have an infection or another issue that needs to be treated.

Cervix cryosurgery is a safe, quick way to destroy abnormal cells in your cervix. When it comes to treating CD, it has about a 90% success rate. But the procedure does have some limits. For instance:

  • It doesn’t save abnormal cells, which means they can’t be sent to a lab for more tests. Your doctor won’t be able to confirm they got rid of all abnormal tissue in your cervix.
  • Only cells on or near the surface of your cervix can be destroyed, not precancerous cells in deeper layers.
  • Cervical cryotherapy may not work well on severe types of CD.

Based on your condition, your doctor could choose a different way to treat any abnormal cells. Many doctors opt to use LEEP. That procedure allows removed cells to be sent to a lab for more information.

Still, "It is important to plan and have the cryotherapy performed as soon as your doctor recommends it because of the risk that the low-risk lesion progresses to a higher-risk lesion," says Gibson.

Your doctor can explain why cryoablation is the right procedure for you.

Cervical cryotherapy freezes abnormal cells in your cervix.  It’s often a very quick procedure done in your doctor’s office. To help it go smoothly, follow your doctor’s guidelines for getting ready. Afterward, avoid sex, tampons, or putting anything in your vagina until your cervix has healed. Let your doctor know right away if you show signs of an infection.

Can I exercise after cervical cryotherapy?

Usually, you can do usual activities soon after cryotherapy. Swimming is the exception. To help prevent an infection, your doctor may ask you to avoid it for a few weeks. Ask your doctor to explain any other workouts you should hold off doing.

How much does cervical cryotherapy cost?

Figuring out how much you’ll pay for any health procedure can be tricky. It depends on many things, like whether you have health insurance, and if so, the type of plan you have. The doctor who does the procedure and where you get it done can make a difference, too.

Before your appointment, check with your health plan to confirm how much you’ll have to pay out of your own pocket. If you aren’t insured, let your doctor’s office know. They may be able to give you a self-pay discount or set you up with a payment plan.

Can cryotherapy affect fertility?

When experts looked at 15 studies of people who had cervical cryotherapy for CIN, they found that it didn’t affect their chances of becoming pregnant later. In fact, the overall pregnancy rate was higher for those who’d had this procedure. But the researchers also found a link between people who had cryotherapy and an increased risk of miscarriage in the second trimester. 

More research needs to be done to understand what these results mean. Each of the studies was small, and researchers had concerns about their quality. Still, talk to your doctor about your plans to start a family before you have cervical cryotherapy.