What You Should Know About the “Dry Cold” of a Cryotherapy Chamber
There is something inherently exhilarating about stepping into a cryotherapy chamber for the first time. You try to listen to everything the cryo studio attendant is telling you as you approach the futuristic looking pod or portal. But, nothing prepares you for when they open the chamber door, and gallons of icy fog silently crash at your feet, flooding the room with a cold, dry mist.
That’s when they tell you to step in and disrobe.
The door closes you in, and you hear the sound of evaporated liquid nitrogen gas filling the bottom of the chamber. You don’t really feel anything at first because of the protective feet coverings you’re wearing. As the fog builds and rises to your hips, your chest, your shoulders, you are glad to be wearing underwear and gloves because you definitely feel chilly now, especially in your knees and thighs because that’s where the fog is thickest.
When the temperature dips below minus 100 degrees Celsius, and you hear the snap, crackle, and pop of the nitrogen gradually freezing the chamber panels around you, you start to wonder how much longer you have to be in this thing. So you ask the attendant or look at the screen above your head.
You are only 30 seconds in to your three-minute session. Gulp!
Shamelessly, you start to do a little shimmy and shuffle, a little hula with your hips, just to keep from feeling like an icicle. You know you can stop the session anytime, but you are determined to brave the cold. The attendant tells you, you’re doing great. You look again at the clock. Barely a minute has gone by, two more to go!
To distract yourself, you decide to focus on the advertised benefits of cryotherapy and the reasons you decided to try it in the first place…
- Relieves joint pain and increases collagen
- Reduces inflammation and increases circulation
- Heals sore muscles, accelerates recovery, and improves performance
- Tightens skin and burns 400+ calories
- Improves sleep and reduces stress
- Boosts mood and strengthens the immune system
At the three minute mark, the attendant hands you a robe, and you exit the chamber in a waterfall of white fog. Unlike the shock of ice baths and the limitations of ice packs, the “dry” cold of a cryotherapy chamber can provide immediate relief for a variety of ailments without leaving you dripping and shivering afterward. Seconds after the session is over, your body reheats and the frosty feeling gives way to a boost of energy and circulation. There is really nothing else quite like it!
The chief difference between Partial Body Cryotherapy (PBC) and Whole Body Cryotherapy (WBC) is the technology behind the cold fog. Newer cryotherapy studios like No Limits use PBC chambers filled with evaporated liquid nitrogen and leave the neck and head exposed. This design allows the user to breathe freely and eliminates the risk of inhaling fumes, also known as inert gas asphyxiation. Studios who employ WBC, enclose the user in a closet-like chamber, and either use refrigerated cold air instead of nitrogen or require clients to wear a protective face mask.
How do you know if cryo will work for you? Give it a try! No Limits Cryotherapy offers a discount code to first-time clients. Contact Johnny Jennings at info@nolimitscryotherapy.com to get the code and download their app to book an introductory session at 325 Sharon Park Dr, Suite B6 Menlo Park, CA 94025
