Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow It WorksPotential BenefitsOther Liquid to FreezeWho Should Avoid It?Safe Practices of Using Ice
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How It Works
Potential Benefits
Other Liquid to Freeze
Who Should Avoid It?
Safe Practices of Using Ice
Facial icing is a skin-care practice that’s grown in popularity in recent years. Although there’s no scientific evidence for it, some people say it helps with conditions likepuffy eyesandacne. The idea behind ice on the face is that cold reduces inflammation and swelling.
This article explains the process of facial icing, its benefits, its claims, who should avoid it, and how to do a cold facial at home.
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How Does Facial Icing Work?
You can do facial icing at home, but it’s also available at spas or an aesthetician’s office. Always use a barrier between the ice or ice pack and your skin to avoid getting anice burn.
Potential Benefits of Ice on the Face
Although facial icing has not been widely studied, using ice packs or cold temperatures for certain skin problems like acne, puffy eyes, and inflammation has some research to back it up.
Acne
Acne occurs when the hair follicles beneath the skin get clogged with oil and dead skin cells. Acne is most common in teenagers and young adults, although adults can also get acne.
Cryotherapy, which is the use of extremely cold temperatures to help heal the body and reduce inflammation, is one available treatment for acne.Although using ice on acne is not the same as using a cryotherapy device designed to help skin conditions, the principle of using cold for healing is the same.
Before trying it, check with a dermatologist (a medical doctor specializing in conditions of the skin) or other healthcare provider, as ice may not help all types of acne.
Puffy Eyes
Puffy eyesor undereye “bags” can have several causes, including aging, genetics, and allergies.They also can occur due to lack of sleep.
One way to get rid of puffy eyes is to use something cold on them, as cold can help reduce inflammation and blood flow, so you have less swelling under the eyes.
If using ice for puffy eyes, using an ice pack instead of ice cubes is preferred. Close your eyes and place the ice pack over your eyes for a couple of minutes.
Inflammation and Tenderness
If you used an ice pack the last time you got an injury or you’re an athlete who has taken anice bath, then you’re already familiar with the healing power of ice. Cold packs and ice can help treat inflammation and pain.The use of cold or ice also may help inflammation and tenderness on the face, including itchiness.
Always check with a healthcare provider about how to treat facial inflammation and tenderness.
Ice Doesn’t Have to Be Frozen Water
With ice facials, frozen water isn’t your only option. Other substances can be frozen to use alone or in addition to ice for certain skin benefits, such as healing the skin.
Aloe Vera Ice
It’s possible to freeze aloe vera gel or apply it to the skin before doing facial icing. If using a commercial version of aloe that is not fresh from the plant, always follow any instructions and precautions on the packaging.
Green Tea Ice
Green teais known for its health benefits. For the skin, this may include helping to treat acne, aging, or skin redness.Green tea is thought to help the skin regenerate tissue and repair damage. Sometimes, green tea extract or other formulas beyond brewed tea are used to support the skin.
Additionally, green tea contains caffeine, an ingredient used in many skincare products for its role as a vasoconstrictor (narrows blood vessels). You may freeze brewed green tea ice cubes or place chilled green tea bags on your skin (especially under your eyes) to reap the benefits.
Who Should Avoid Putting Ice on Their Face?
You should avoid putting ice on your face or first check with a healthcare provider if you:
How to Safely Ice Your Face at Home
Although it would be easy to take ice and directly rub it onto your face, you may irritate your skin. Here’s what you should do instead:
You can do facial icing a couple of times a day, but use a fresh washcloth each time to avoid spreading bacteria. Wash your hands each time before performing facial icing.
Summary
Facial icing has become more popular in recent years as a way to freshen the skin, treat puffy eyes, and reduce acne and inflammation. You can perform facial icing at home or have it done at a spa or esthetician’s office. Sometimes, other ingredients are used along with ice, including aloe vera or green tea.
If using facial icing, wrap the ice in a washcloth and apply it around the face using circular motions. Avoid facial icing if you have sensitive skin, broken capillaries under the skin, or you’ve recently had cosmetic surgery or another type of cosmetic facial treatment.
9 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.Johns Hopkins Medicine.How to get rid of bags under your eyes.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Acne.Rho NK.Revisiting the role of local cryotherapy for acne treatment: a review and update.J Clin Med. 2022;12(1):26.University of Michigan Health.Using ice and cold packs.American Academy of Dermatology.How to relieve itchy skin.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Aloe vera.Di Sotto A, Gullì M, Percaccio E, Vitalone A, Mazzanti G, Di Giacomo S.Efficacy and safety of oral green tea preparations in skin ailments: a systematic review of clinical studies.Nutrients. 2022;14(15):3149. doi:10.3390/nu14153149National Rosacea Society.Q & A: Skin sensitivity and ice cubes.UCLA Health.Plastic surgery: Post-operative recovery.
9 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.Johns Hopkins Medicine.How to get rid of bags under your eyes.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Acne.Rho NK.Revisiting the role of local cryotherapy for acne treatment: a review and update.J Clin Med. 2022;12(1):26.University of Michigan Health.Using ice and cold packs.American Academy of Dermatology.How to relieve itchy skin.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Aloe vera.Di Sotto A, Gullì M, Percaccio E, Vitalone A, Mazzanti G, Di Giacomo S.Efficacy and safety of oral green tea preparations in skin ailments: a systematic review of clinical studies.Nutrients. 2022;14(15):3149. doi:10.3390/nu14153149National Rosacea Society.Q & A: Skin sensitivity and ice cubes.UCLA Health.Plastic surgery: Post-operative recovery.
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.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.How to get rid of bags under your eyes.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Acne.Rho NK.Revisiting the role of local cryotherapy for acne treatment: a review and update.J Clin Med. 2022;12(1):26.University of Michigan Health.Using ice and cold packs.American Academy of Dermatology.How to relieve itchy skin.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Aloe vera.Di Sotto A, Gullì M, Percaccio E, Vitalone A, Mazzanti G, Di Giacomo S.Efficacy and safety of oral green tea preparations in skin ailments: a systematic review of clinical studies.Nutrients. 2022;14(15):3149. doi:10.3390/nu14153149National Rosacea Society.Q & A: Skin sensitivity and ice cubes.UCLA Health.Plastic surgery: Post-operative recovery.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.How to get rid of bags under your eyes.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Acne.
Rho NK.Revisiting the role of local cryotherapy for acne treatment: a review and update.J Clin Med. 2022;12(1):26.
University of Michigan Health.Using ice and cold packs.
American Academy of Dermatology.How to relieve itchy skin.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Aloe vera.
Di Sotto A, Gullì M, Percaccio E, Vitalone A, Mazzanti G, Di Giacomo S.Efficacy and safety of oral green tea preparations in skin ailments: a systematic review of clinical studies.Nutrients. 2022;14(15):3149. doi:10.3390/nu14153149
National Rosacea Society.Q & A: Skin sensitivity and ice cubes.
UCLA Health.Plastic surgery: Post-operative recovery.
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