Picture stepping into a frozen chamber at a staggering temperature of -220°F! It may sound like science fiction, but people have been embracing cold therapy for years to unlock the powerful benefits of cryotherapy. You may be wondering — what is cryotherapy? This practice has been praised for its ability to promote a healthy inflammatory response, speed up recovery, support metabolism, and even help with autoimmune conditions. (1)
Cryotherapy is growing in popularity. This is especially true among athletes because of how it speeds up recovery. However, the benefits of cryotherapy go well beyond workout recovery. I can speak from personal experience managing an autoimmune disease.
In this article, I’ll cover the different types of cryotherapy. I’ll also discuss the many benefits and how you can enjoy this in your own home!
What is Cryotherapy?
The word cryotherapy literally means “cold therapy.” It’s basically a term that can be used any time extreme cold is used as a form of treatment. Conventional medicine has used cryotherapy for decades to remove abnormal skin tissue. There are two types of cryotherapy conventionally used: cryosurgery and cryolipolysis.
Cryosurgery is the most commonly used form of cryotherapy in conventional medicine. If you have ever had a wart or skin tag removed, you’re familiar with this type of treatment. Cryosurgery is the use of liquid nitrogen to remove unwanted items from the skin. (2,3) Liquid nitrogen is -320 degrees Fahrenheit and freezes the skin almost instantly. Warts and skin tags don’t stand a chance against this!
The other common use of cryotherapy is cryolipolysis, which is the freezing of fat cells to break them down so they can be reabsorbed by the body. The fat layer is gradually cooled to temperatures between 30 and 39 degrees Fahrenheit. (4) You might know this type of therapy as cryoskin therapy or cool sculpting. I’ll talk more about that later.
The modern definition of cryotherapy is what’s seen today in popular culture as whole-body cryotherapy. But what is cryotherapy at its core? It’s a treatment that uses extreme cold to trigger beneficial responses in the body.
While whole-body cryotherapy is the most well-known, there are other effective methods gaining popularity in the wellness industry. I’ll go more in-depth about the benefits of cryotherapy later. First, let’s talk about all the different types of cryotherapy.
Types of Cryotherapy
The modern practices of cryotherapy come from the way doctors have used cold therapy on skin abnormalities and cryolipolysis. As mentioned, the most popular cryotherapy practice is whole-body cryotherapy. This is because of its recovery benefits. However, more centralized versions for your skin and face are becoming just as popular due to their benefits for your skin, circulatory system, and lymphatic system. Let’s discuss them!
Cold-Water Immersion
I bet you know what a hot tub is. This is the same thing, but way colder! Cold water immersion (CWI) therapy, also known as ice baths, cold plunges, and cold water therapy, is one of the oldest forms of what is cryotherapy today. It’s a recovery process in which you sit in a tub of cold water that is 59 degrees Fahrenheit. This is typically done right after exercise to speed up the recovery process and has been around since the time of Hippocrates, the founder of modern medicine. (5)
There has been a lot of research done on the benefits of cold water immersion therapy. This type of therapy can increase blood circulation, contract your lymphatic vessels, relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and assist with weight loss.
How does it work? Let me explain. Your body responds to extreme cold temperatures by pumping blood through the body to increase its temperature. Additionally, it causes your lymphatic vessels to contract and pumps lymph fluids throughout your body to eliminate waste. These two processes work together because cold water triggers your immune system to release white blood cells, which attack foreign invaders in your lymph fluid. (6)
I’ve tried cold water immersion therapy and loved it! I saw many benefits from it and will try it again. The best part about this type of cryotherapy is that you can do it fairly easily at home by using a cold tub like Plunge, taking an ice bath, a cold shower, or using ice packs.
I’ve done the full bath immersion therapy at a clinic and also took cold showers at home for 30 days and found that both had a positive impact on my energy levels, sleep and even my autoimmune markers!
Contrast Bath Therapy
Cold water immersion therapy has recently evolved into a more complex form of recovery treatment. To illustrate, contrast bath therapy incorporates cold water immersion and hot tub therapy. Contrast bath therapy is where you alternate immersing your body in hot water at a temperature between 98 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit followed immediately by cold water immersion (50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit). Most physical therapists administer this therapy by alternating three minutes in cold water and two minutes in hot water for 15 minutes total.
Research suggests one of the benefits of this type of immersion therapy is that it increases blood flow. Hot water causes your blood vessels to widen and cold water causes them to narrow. The result? Blood circulation increases. (7)
Furthermore, studies suggest that contrast bath therapy supports the lymphatic system, which helps speed up injury recovery. Unlike your circulatory system, the lymphatic system doesn’t have a central pump. By alternating hot and cold, the lymphatic system moves fluid out of the injured area and creates a healthy inflammatory response. (8) This process pulls double duty—calming swelling and taking out foreign invaders. (9)
Cryoskin Therapy
Cryoskin therapy goes by many names. You might know it as cool sculpting or cryoslimming, but at its core, what is cryotherapy in this context? It’s a non-invasive treatment that uses cold temperatures to break down fat cells and improve circulation.
Those in medicine know it as cryolipolysis. Research has found that cryoskin therapy promotes blood circulation. However, its primary use is to burn fat cells. So, how does it do that?
Cryoskin therapy incorporates the same principles as contrast bath therapy, using hot and cold temperatures to stimulate drainage of the lymphatic system. (10) One of the primary functions of your lymphatic system is to absorb fat and fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, D, E, and K from your gut and transport them through your blood. Cryoskin therapy breaks down fat cells so that your lymphatic system can easily remove them. (11)
Because of its effects on the lymphatic system, cryoskin therapy is also used to increase blood circulation. The cool temperatures widen the blood vessels and increase oxygen supply. Another side benefit of cryoskin therapy is that it can boost collagen production.
A typical cryolipolysis treatment lasts 30 minutes and focuses on one area of the body at a time. It starts by applying heat at 104 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 minutes. Next, cold is applied at 18 degrees Fahrenheit. Last, they finish it off with 2 more minutes of heat.
Cryofacial Therapy
We all want to slow down father time and keep our skin looking youthful. There’s nothing wrong with that! However, many of the existing beauty products and treatments out there such as Botox contain toxins. I recommend avoiding anything with toxins to minimize your body’s toxic burden.
A heavy toxic burden puts you at a greater risk of developing an autoimmune disease and other issues. What if there was a way to rejuvenate your skin without all the toxins? I have some exciting news for you!
Cryofacials, also known as Frotox, is a new trend being used to rejuvenate your skin and help you look younger. While it may seem like an exciting new discovery, this type of therapy has been around for years! Cryofacials use the same principles as other forms of cryotherapy by stimulating blood flow to your face.
A cryotherapy facial involves pumping liquid nitrogen all over your face. It feels just like you’re putting your face in a really cold freezer. During a cryofacial, the intense cold causes your blood vessels to contract and your pores to tighten. It’s a similar, yet more intense version of what happens when you rub ice on your face.
Each session lasts about 10 to 20 minutes. (12) One of the reasons cryofacials have grown in popularity is because they are relatively affordable and cost between $30 and $40.
Whole Body Cryotherapy
So, what is cryotherapy in its most intense form? That would be whole-body cryotherapy, its most popular form. As I mentioned before, whole-body cryotherapy is done in a cryogenic chamber. The chamber is a tube-like enclosure that covers most of your body. However, it has an open top to keep your head at room temperature.
This therapy is usually done in your underwear while wearing gloves and slippers to protect your hands and feet. When you are in a cryogenic chamber, your body is exposed to extreme cold temperatures between -200 and -280 degrees Fahrenheit.
Proponents of whole-body cryotherapy say that it helps muscles recover faster after workouts, reduces inflammation, and boosts your metabolism. While research is limited, some suggest whole-body cryotherapy can slow the aging process and even prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
I tried whole-body cryotherapy for 30 days. However, I didn’t see a huge difference with my chronic hip pain. In my opinion, whole-body cryotherapy works best for acute injuries. It’s definitely worth trying depending on your concern to see what works best for you.
Benefits of Cryotherapy
There’s still a lot of research being done, but what is cryotherapy really doing for your body? The science we do know behind cold therapy suggests the list of benefits is long. There’s new evidence that suggests cryotherapy can be beneficial to those with autoimmune disease, especially those with Celiac disease and rheumatoid arthritis. (13) That’s wonderful news!
Let’s go a little deeper into the benefits of cryotherapy, including its benefits for autoimmune disease.
It Supports Weight Loss
Cryotherapy has proven weight loss benefits. However, cryotherapy doesn’t directly cause you to lose weight. Disappointing, I know. Let me explain. Research suggests cryotherapy boosts your metabolism because cold temperatures can raise your metabolic rate as it works to return to a normal temperature. (14)
When your body is exposed to extreme cold, the brown adipose tissue (BAT) burns fat to create energy for your body. One study found that daily exposure to cold over a 6-week period reduced body fat by 2%. (15)
It Reduces Inflammation
Inflammation is often one of the first signs of an autoimmune disease. Research shows that cryotherapy can help reduce inflammation by affecting key proteins in the immune system. (16) When your body is exposed to extreme cold, it increases certain cytokines—proteins that help regulate immune responses. Specifically, it boosts IL-6, IL-1Ra, and IL-10, which play a role in controlling inflammation and keeping the immune system balanced.
It Supports Your Immune System
Do you remember what I said about how cryoskin and contrast bath therapies incorporate hot and cold temperatures to increase blood flow? Well, that’s beneficial to your immune system as well!
By increasing blood flow and speeding up recovery, cryotherapy supports the detoxification process. One study found that consistent cold water immersions increased monocytes and lymphocytes, two types of white blood cells that fight foreign invaders and viruses. (17)
Another of the benefits of cryotherapy is that it supports your immune system by stimulating the brain to release a large dose of endorphins. That’s good news because endorphins reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which facilitates a healthy immune system response.
Cryotherapy and Autoimmune Disease
One of the main benefits of cryotherapy is the positive effects it can have on your immune system and inflammation. That said, it makes sense that you can use it to treat autoimmune diseases. In fact, Toshima Yamauchi, a Japanese medical doctor, developed whole-body cryotherapy in 1978 while seeking a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.
One study confirmed his work and found cryotherapy reduced pain and inflammation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. (18) In fact, there are several studies that showed improvements in pain reduction and inflammation among patients with autoimmune disease.
Here’s how it works: our body reacts to the cold by sending messages to the brain. Your brain then releases chemicals and hormones to stimulate blood flow, lymphatic system drainage, and an immune system response. Our immune system increases the production of white blood cells, which reduces inflammation. Increased circulation allows blood to move oxygen to skin and muscles more efficiently, and your brain releases endorphins and adrenaline, which reduces cortisol.
Is Cryotherapy Right For You
Cryotherapy is generally safe for most people, but it’s not for everyone. If you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, or a blood clotting disorder, consult a doctor before trying it.
Cost is another factor to consider. A single cryotherapy session in the U.S. typically ranges from $40 to $60. What’s more, you’ll often require multiple sessions to see noticeable benefits of cryotherapy. Investing in a home cryotherapy chamber or device can be an option, but these can cost thousands of dollars.
The good news? You don’t need expensive equipment to get some of the same benefits. Ice baths, cold showers, and even ice packs can provide similar effects at a fraction of the cost.
The Final Word on Cryotherapy
If you’ve been asking yourself, what is cryotherapy, and is it worth trying? The answer depends on your needs. Research shows that the benefits of cryotherapy are numerous. From reducing inflammation and easing pain to boosting circulation and metabolism, it’s clear that cold therapy offers more than just post-workout recovery.
If you're considering trying cryotherapy, start small. Cold showers, ice baths, or contrast therapy are easy ways to experience the benefits without the cost of a cryo chamber. If you find it helpful, you can step it up a notch and explore more advanced options such as whole-body cryotherapy or localized treatments. Some people notice immediate effects, while others need multiple sessions to see a difference.
The main takeaway? Now you know the answer to the question — what is cryotherapy? However, keep in mind, it isn’t a magic fix. However, it can be a valuable tool for recovery, inflammation control, and overall wellness. Try it for yourself and see what works for you!
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