Have you ever put a frozen pack of peas on a bruised limb for relief? Cold compression is a widely known alternative therapy to reduce pain and inflammation - but there's an even more effective method.
Cryotherapy operates on the same principles and is described as either a localized or whole body treatment. It’s the same as an ice pack but much, much colder. It has been used in many parts of the world for decades, especially Japan and Europe.
The benefits of cryotherapy cannot be over-emphasized, ranging from skin health, anti-aging, and overall wellness to surgery recovery or weight loss. In the United States, athletes have been using cryotherapy the most because of its ability to quickly recover after playing sports.
This article has been put together to discuss skin care and anti-aging benefits of the two most common types of cryotherapy: whole body and localized cryotherapy. Learn more below!
What is Whole Body Cryotherapy?
Whole Body Cryotherapy (WBC) is a refined cold treatment method that exposes your body to a temperature of -200°F to -250°F for 2 – 3 minutes in a cryochamber or cryosauna. It is a treatment method widely employed in countries like Japan and Russia since the late 1970s to treat diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis by relieving inflammation, pain, and other symptoms associated with these types of chronic conditions.
The method of fast cooling makes your body go into survival mode. This causes more blood to flow into essential organs and supplies required oxygen as well as nutrients to your body.
Wesley Golden enjoying the benefits of Chill Cryotherapy in downtown Pensacola.
What is Local Cryotherapy?
While whole body cryotherapy is applied to the entire body, localized cryotherapy focuses on specific areas of your skin. Localized cryotherapy is targets smaller painful or inflamed areas to cold temperatures between -240°F to -256°F for about 5 - 10 minutes per location.
Localized cryo has been used for cellulite reduction, inflammation reduction, athletic recovery for specific problem areas, and relief of any form of pain, like post-surgical pain, for example. While WBC treatments are excellent at relieving general inflammation, some parts of the body may require more attention than others due to acute pain. This is where localized or spot cryotherapy comes into play to treat the most affected areas.
Localized Cryotherapy can treat specific pain points or can provide an incredibly relaxing, wrinkle-releasing facial.
Localized cryotherapy is used to minimize pain, promote healing, treat wounds and swelling, and for skin rejuvenation. Even after just one treatment, many of our clients observe smaller pores and wrinkle reduction. Others have reported headache alleviation. This type of cryotherapy can be applied to any specific injured part of the body such as the ankles, shoulders, feet, elbows, knees, and neck.
Based on our clients' feedback, the whole body experience is revitalizing and stimulating, whereas localized cryotherapy is much more relaxing and feels similar to a facial massage.
Whatever the reason you'd like to try Cryotherapy, book your first session for just $29! Click here to view our packages and give us a call to set up an appointment or book online.