Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsEvidence-Based BenefitsCryotherapy ImmersionWho Should Avoid It?At-Home and Professional Services
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Evidence-Based Benefits
Cryotherapy Immersion
Who Should Avoid It?
At-Home and Professional Services
Cryotherapyinvolves exposing the skin to extremely low temperatures for a short time. One method is whole-body or partial-body cryotherapy, in which nearly the entire body surface is exposed to cold air (sometimes mixed with liquid nitrogen) inside a chamber. Another type is local cryotherapy, in which only isolated parts of the skin are exposed, such as when using anice pack.
This article examines the evidence-based benefits of cryotherapy, how it works, who should avoid it, and at-home devices and professional treatments.
Evidence-Based Cryotherapy Treatment Benefits
Although cryotherapy proponents make many claims about the health benefits of these treatments, which are popular with celebrities and athletes, few of these claims have been scientifically supported.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not cleared or approved whole-body cryotherapy devices. It warns consumers of several reported incidents of adverse events and even death from using them.
Relieving Muscle Pain and Inflammation
Whole-body cryotherapy has been established to be effective as part of treatment for several conditions, includingmultiple sclerosis,osteoarthritis, andfibromyalgia.
However, despite the claims, no evidence exists that whole-body cryotherapy works better to relieve muscle soreness or reduce tissue temperature than cold-water immersion or ice-pack application. Research suggests that those looking to reducepostexercise muscle sorenessshould keep in mind that ice packs and ice baths offer similar physical benefits at a lower cost.
Although whole-body cryotherapy can improve muscle pain and soreness after exercise, research on whether treatments quicken muscle recovery is mixed, and effectiveness might depend on the extent of exercise-induced inflammation.
When done immediately after exercise, cryotherapy’s most substantial benefits occur within 24 to 96 hours.
Skin Benefits
There is minimal research on the cosmetic skin benefits of cryotherapy treatments. Because cryotherapy reduces inflammation andoxidative stress(when protective antioxidant levels are out of balance with harmful unstable molecules called free radicals) and improves circulation, it can be theorized that treatments might improve skin’s appearance, although no studies back this theory.
Dermatologistsuse cryotherapy for certain medical procedures, including:
Weight Loss
Cold exposure activates both white and brownadipose(fat) tissues, which can help increase metabolism.
How Cryotherapy Immersion Works
Whole-body cryotherapy involves exposing the body (except for the head), while wearing minimal clothing, to air temperatures as cold as minus 200 degrees F for approximately two to four minutes inside a cryogenic chamber.
Partial-body cryotherapy is similar to whole-body cryotherapy, but the cold is delivered to the entire body (except the head) through barrel coolers called “cryosaunas” filled with a mixture of air and liquid nitrogen mist and temperatures as low as minus 374 degrees F (minus 190 degrees C).
Who Should Not Do Cryotherapy?
Extreme cold temperatures can injure your skin and causerashesorfrostbite.
Consult a healthcare provider before using a cryotherapy device, especially if you have any preexisting medical conditions.
At-Home and Professional Cryotherapy Services
While many at-home devices and professional cryotherapy services are available, scientific evidence only supports their use in limited cases. The FDA has not approved any whole-body cryotherapy device and warns consumers of their use.
Although whole-body cryotherapy can effectively relieve postexercise muscle soreness, it isn’t more beneficial than less expensive options such as cold-water immersion or ice packs.
Summary
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Legrand FD, Dugué B, Costello J, et al.Evaluating safety risks of whole-body cryotherapy/cryostimulation (WBC): a scoping review from an international consortium.Eur J Med Res. 2023 Sep 28;28(1):387. doi:10.1186/s40001-023-01385-zHarvard Health Publishing.Cyrotherapy: can it stop your pain cold?U.S. Food and Drug Administration.MAUDE adverse event report: whole-body cyrotherapy, bath, hydro-massage.Lombardi G, Ziemann E, Banfi G.Whole-body cryotherapy in athletes: from therapy to stimulation. an updated review of the literature.Front Physiol.2017 May 2;8:258. doi:10.3389/fphys.2017.00258Bleakley CM, Bieuzen F, Davison GW, Costello JT.Whole-body cryotherapy: empirical evidence and theoretical perspectives.Open Access J Sports Med. 2014 Mar 10;5:25-36. doi:10.2147/OAJSM.S41655Johns Hopkins Medicine.What to know about cyrotherapy.Dzidek A, Piotrowska A.The use of cryotherapy in cosmetology and the influence of cryogenic temperatures on selected skin parameters—a review of the literature.Cosmetics. 2022; 9(5):100. doi:10.3390/cosmetics9050100American Academy of Dermatology Association.Whole body cyrotherapy can be hazardous for your skin.Fontana JM, Bozgeyik S, Gobbi M, et al.Whole-body cryostimulation in obesity. A scoping review.J Therm Biol. 2022 May;106:103250. doi:10.1016/j.jtherbioBouzigon R, Grappe F, Ravier G, Dugue B.Whole- and partial-body cryostimulation/cryotherapy: Current technologies and practical applications.J Therm Biol. 2016 Oct;61:67-81. doi:10.1016/j.jtherbio.2016.08.009
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Legrand FD, Dugué B, Costello J, et al.Evaluating safety risks of whole-body cryotherapy/cryostimulation (WBC): a scoping review from an international consortium.Eur J Med Res. 2023 Sep 28;28(1):387. doi:10.1186/s40001-023-01385-zHarvard Health Publishing.Cyrotherapy: can it stop your pain cold?U.S. Food and Drug Administration.MAUDE adverse event report: whole-body cyrotherapy, bath, hydro-massage.Lombardi G, Ziemann E, Banfi G.Whole-body cryotherapy in athletes: from therapy to stimulation. an updated review of the literature.Front Physiol.2017 May 2;8:258. doi:10.3389/fphys.2017.00258Bleakley CM, Bieuzen F, Davison GW, Costello JT.Whole-body cryotherapy: empirical evidence and theoretical perspectives.Open Access J Sports Med. 2014 Mar 10;5:25-36. doi:10.2147/OAJSM.S41655Johns Hopkins Medicine.What to know about cyrotherapy.Dzidek A, Piotrowska A.The use of cryotherapy in cosmetology and the influence of cryogenic temperatures on selected skin parameters—a review of the literature.Cosmetics. 2022; 9(5):100. doi:10.3390/cosmetics9050100American Academy of Dermatology Association.Whole body cyrotherapy can be hazardous for your skin.Fontana JM, Bozgeyik S, Gobbi M, et al.Whole-body cryostimulation in obesity. A scoping review.J Therm Biol. 2022 May;106:103250. doi:10.1016/j.jtherbioBouzigon R, Grappe F, Ravier G, Dugue B.Whole- and partial-body cryostimulation/cryotherapy: Current technologies and practical applications.J Therm Biol. 2016 Oct;61:67-81. doi:10.1016/j.jtherbio.2016.08.009
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Legrand FD, Dugué B, Costello J, et al.Evaluating safety risks of whole-body cryotherapy/cryostimulation (WBC): a scoping review from an international consortium.Eur J Med Res. 2023 Sep 28;28(1):387. doi:10.1186/s40001-023-01385-zHarvard Health Publishing.Cyrotherapy: can it stop your pain cold?U.S. Food and Drug Administration.MAUDE adverse event report: whole-body cyrotherapy, bath, hydro-massage.Lombardi G, Ziemann E, Banfi G.Whole-body cryotherapy in athletes: from therapy to stimulation. an updated review of the literature.Front Physiol.2017 May 2;8:258. doi:10.3389/fphys.2017.00258Bleakley CM, Bieuzen F, Davison GW, Costello JT.Whole-body cryotherapy: empirical evidence and theoretical perspectives.Open Access J Sports Med. 2014 Mar 10;5:25-36. doi:10.2147/OAJSM.S41655Johns Hopkins Medicine.What to know about cyrotherapy.Dzidek A, Piotrowska A.The use of cryotherapy in cosmetology and the influence of cryogenic temperatures on selected skin parameters—a review of the literature.Cosmetics. 2022; 9(5):100. doi:10.3390/cosmetics9050100American Academy of Dermatology Association.Whole body cyrotherapy can be hazardous for your skin.Fontana JM, Bozgeyik S, Gobbi M, et al.Whole-body cryostimulation in obesity. A scoping review.J Therm Biol. 2022 May;106:103250. doi:10.1016/j.jtherbioBouzigon R, Grappe F, Ravier G, Dugue B.Whole- and partial-body cryostimulation/cryotherapy: Current technologies and practical applications.J Therm Biol. 2016 Oct;61:67-81. doi:10.1016/j.jtherbio.2016.08.009
Legrand FD, Dugué B, Costello J, et al.Evaluating safety risks of whole-body cryotherapy/cryostimulation (WBC): a scoping review from an international consortium.Eur J Med Res. 2023 Sep 28;28(1):387. doi:10.1186/s40001-023-01385-z
Harvard Health Publishing.Cyrotherapy: can it stop your pain cold?
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.MAUDE adverse event report: whole-body cyrotherapy, bath, hydro-massage.
Lombardi G, Ziemann E, Banfi G.Whole-body cryotherapy in athletes: from therapy to stimulation. an updated review of the literature.Front Physiol.2017 May 2;8:258. doi:10.3389/fphys.2017.00258
Bleakley CM, Bieuzen F, Davison GW, Costello JT.Whole-body cryotherapy: empirical evidence and theoretical perspectives.Open Access J Sports Med. 2014 Mar 10;5:25-36. doi:10.2147/OAJSM.S41655
Johns Hopkins Medicine.What to know about cyrotherapy.
Dzidek A, Piotrowska A.The use of cryotherapy in cosmetology and the influence of cryogenic temperatures on selected skin parameters—a review of the literature.Cosmetics. 2022; 9(5):100. doi:10.3390/cosmetics9050100
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Whole body cyrotherapy can be hazardous for your skin.
Fontana JM, Bozgeyik S, Gobbi M, et al.Whole-body cryostimulation in obesity. A scoping review.J Therm Biol. 2022 May;106:103250. doi:10.1016/j.jtherbio
Bouzigon R, Grappe F, Ravier G, Dugue B.Whole- and partial-body cryostimulation/cryotherapy: Current technologies and practical applications.J Therm Biol. 2016 Oct;61:67-81. doi:10.1016/j.jtherbio.2016.08.009
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