Body

We Tried Cryotherapy and Here's What Happened

Is freezing your butt off really good for you?

by Hannah Savin | COMMENT

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Things to Know About Cryotherapy From the moment I arrived, I knew I was in for a shock. I had my blood pressure taken and was asked to fill out a waiver. Cryo is not intended for pregnant women or those who have heart conditions. As always, it's best to ask your doctor if you are unsure whether or not you should try cryotherapy. CryoZone offers two different chambers for therapy — one chamber that feels less intense and you remain still the entire time and the other, which feels more intense, has three different settings and you need to rotate your body every 30 seconds to ensure even distribution of the liquid nitrogen. For my first time, I decided to try the less intense chamber — hey, I'm a self-proclaimed wuss when it comes to cold.

When it's time for your treatment, you go into a private room and strip down naked (or down to a bra and underwear, if you so choose) and are given two pairs of gloves and a pair of socks and boots. After donning the hand and footwear, you enter the cryo chamber, close the door behind you and press the ON button. One of the friendly and knowledgeable staff enters the room and starts talking to you. Fear not, for the chamber completely surrounds your body so you have total privacy. I found it a little strange at first to be chit-chatting while undergoing cryotherapy but by the end, you realize it's such a welcome distraction from the cold.

Image courtesy Hannah Savin

SEE NEXT PAGE: What Does Cryotherapy Feel Like?

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