Our founder, Priscilla, climbed into a freezing cold chamber with some of New York’s bravest influencers…because what better way to break the ice?
We love connecting with other entrepreneurs and #girlbosses who share our passion for wellness. Discovering new trends and sharing healthy living advice is important for any wellness founder. That’s why we met up with our favorite New Yorkers to give cryotherapy a try!
Origins of the trend
The recent cryo trend is popping up everywhere, so you have probably heard of this treatment where people voluntarily “freeze” themselves. During whole body cryotherapy, a person stands in deep freezing tank (sometimes below -200 degrees Fahrenheit) for a few minutes.
While it was originally developed to by a Japanese doctor for rheumatoid-arthritis patients, all types of people in the US are doing it. From pro athletes, to celebrities, and just the run of the mill (semi crazy) people like us bloggers!
So why do people do cryotherapy if they don’t have rheumatoid arthritis? We were told that this quick treatment can burn calories, improve sleep, release endorphins, and reduce inflammation. When the manager described the benefits, eyes lit up around the room upon hearing that this 3-minute treatment could burn up to 500 calories.
Our experience at Kryolife
Thanks to the team at Kryolife, we were able to experience cryotherapy in a luxurious setting. According to our research, this is the place where hot celebrities and athletes go, and we certainly see why. Upon arrival, we are greeted by warm staff, and told to go to the waiting area. The waiting area is an open room with a comfortable couch, available hot tea, and has just enough natural light coming through the windows to make you forget you are on the 14th floor of a Manhattan building.
We were told to change into robes, clogs (yes, full on wooden clogs), and white socks that went up to our knees. It is optional to wear a bathing suit. Fortunately, none of us are fashion bloggers, because this look was far from cute.
After our whole body treatments, we were given cryo-facials! During this treatment, pressurized liquid nitrogen is blasted onto your face, which stimulates blood circulation, and intends to stimulate the production of collagen, to thereby make the face appear “tighter.”
At Kryolife, there is someone with you throughout your experience. They informed us, answered all of our questions, kept us distracted, and stopped the machine when we said mercy! If you live in Manhattan (or are just visiting) and want to try cryotherapy, Kryolife is the place to do it.
What the bloggers had to say about their cryotherapy experience…
Lisa from The Well Necessities
I went first, knowing that many of the girls were nervous. I wore a bikini and lasted just over 2 minutes. The first 30 seconds were very strange. With all eyes on me, I knew I couldn’t freak out! But I didn’t have to. The sensation was there, but it wasn’t the pain I expected. It was more exhilarating, and actually felt kind of GOOD? The one tip I have for others, is not to look down. The second my chin went down, I felt like I was suffocating. But with chin up, no problem! Would I do it again? Probably! My joints felt good after the session, and I was overall in a good mood, similar to the feeling of a runner’s high.
Priscilla from cocokind
Unlike Lisa, I was not brave so I went… LAST. Honestly, it was freezing. They told us that you have to stay in the machine for 90 seconds to see any benefits (any shorter would be ineffective). I had a really tough time getting through the first 60 seconds, and somehow stuck it out for another minute. My legs felt pins and needle-y after I got out of the machine. Soon after, however, I felt a rush of warmth back into my body which felt like a bolt of energy.
I didn’t come into the session with any pain, so I can’t speak to its ability to heal inflammation. I will say that I felt very relaxed afterwards. In terms of the cryotherapy facial, I appreciated the treatment – it basically contracts and dilates your skin cells, allowing for increased skin circulation and oxygen flow. If I did this on a daily basis, I think I’d see even more results.
Rachel from rachlmansfield.com
As someone who had never heard of cryotherapy before, I wasn’t sure what I was in for when I showed up to Kryolife. After putting on my robe, socks, mittens and clogs, I was ready to test out the freezing temperatures. The staff informed us with everything we needed to know and was very patient as I asked a million questions about it! I did 1 minute and 40 seconds and seriously felt like a champ. I want to go back every week now. The facial was also extremely unique and I left Kryolife feeling like I really did my body good for the afternoon.
Alex from Mad Mama NYC
My fav part was – getting out of the Cryo! God damn, I did it! I survived. It appeared that the whole idea of the procedure is to physically put your body into ‘survival mode.’ But I had no idea that our bodies can send this kind of messages to our brains. And it felt like I literally just climbed the Everest!
FAQ
Is it that cold?
The cold air that comes out doesn’t have moisture. Therefore, the sub arctic temperatures, don’t feel as cold as they are! It creates more of a numbing sensation than it does cause pain.
Do you have to go often?
It is suggested that in order to feel benefits, you consistently need to get treatment in a short amount of time. However, after the bulk of the treatments, KryoLife recommends that you take a break from the treatment, to evaluate how you feel.