By Linden Wilson
In the name of relaxation and recovery, thebrhealing method known as cryotherapy is sweeping Southlake and the nation
It looks like a spaceship. Silver, sleek and shiny, thebrchamber is just wide enough for one person and tall enough that when standingbrinside, only that person's head is visible. After removing your clothes, youbrput on gloves, socks and moccasins, step into the machine and ring a bell so anbrattendant knows you're ready. The three minutes that follow will be really coolbr— literally. As the machine whirs, fog billows and your body is exposed tobrtemperatures reaching more than -300 degrees Fahrenheit. Aches and painsbrvanish, and you're left feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. So, how exactly doesbrthis work?
Cryotherapybroriginated several decades ago in Japan, when people started noticing that theirbrcold pools offered therapeutic benefits. After perfecting the technology andbrdeveloping it into a controlled environment, cryotherapy made its way to thebrU.S. In the Southlake area alone, at least three businesses offer cryotherapybrmachines — each place is unique, yet eager to boast about the cryotherapy'sbrpositive effects. Exposing your body to extremely cold temperatures for a shortbrperiod of time stimulates the body's natural responses, causing it to increasebrits metabolic rate to produce heat. Blood vessels vasoconstrict, pulling yourbrblood, lactic acid and white blood cells into your core. The body recognizesbrthat it is in an extreme environment, so it tries to warm up and prepare tobrheal. The air that blows during cryotherapy is very dry, so it's not nearly asbruncomfortable as the temperatures might indicate. The fog has denser nitrogenbrthan the air you breathe, which is about 78 percent nitrogen.
“The coldbrair is only going about a millimeter deep into your skin, so there's nobrfreezing of the tissue,” says Misti Mitteis, owner and founder of Sedo Cryo inbrSouthlake. “At negative 166, your heart is in extreme cleaning mode, cleaningbrall the toxins and junk out of your blood. Your body is dumping healingbrnutrients that it has on reserve into the blood, which then circles thembrthrough all the organs. At the end of three minutes, it's done all it's goingbrto do. Staying longer just makes you cold — it doesn't bring more benefits.”
As you stepbrout of the cryotherapy machine, your skin sensors immediately notice it's warm,brcausing your body to return to its normal cycle of blood flow. It will then sparkbrcollagen regeneration, which is why some people see improvement in thebrappearance of scars. Cryotherapy also helps with elasticity, texture and tone. Womenbroften say that they see improvement in cellulite — that is due to the bloodbrworking within the skin. Reduced inflammation, improvements in arthritis and lessbrstiffness in joints are additional benefits often seen by those who usebrcryotherapy. Oftentimes, people use it as a method to help maintain a healthybrlifestyle or supplement weight loss as it also burns between 500 and 800brcalories in the five hours after the three minutes are up.
“That'sbrwhere the metabolic spike comes in,” Mitteis adds. “Your body is trying tobrreturn to its normal state, getting back to homeostasis.”
Interestingly, the Dallas Mavericksbrare well known as the group who brought the treatment to the U.S. and increasedbrits popularity. When the team won the NBA championship in 2011, players largelybrcredited cryotherapy for helping their bodies feel more youthful.
"It gave us a tremendous edge, not onlybrphysically but psychologically," former Maverick Jason Terry told ESPN Magazine in 2011. "I don'tbrknow if it was a team-bonding thing, but it's something that came up every day.brWe'd plan on getting together and hitting it. It became a ritual."
Cryotherapy is very different than an ice bath that athletes often usebrfor sore muscles or various injuries. In ice water, the temperature atbrthe lowest will be between 36 and 42 degrees. The body sends blood to that area,brwhich is why it turns red.
“The area will become stiff, andbrthe muscle will have cooled so much that the neurons don't want to work,”brMitteis says. “Cryotherapy helps with inflammation. It is actually pulling allbrthe blood away immediately, so it's much more effective and comfortable.”
In additionbrto athletes (including Southlake Carroll football players), people who arebrrecovering from surgery use cryotherapy to reduce pain; increase energy andbrimprove sleep. Even those with rods in their knees or elsewhere can usebrit because it only exposes the surface of the skin. Almost everyone notices anbrimmediate energy spike because it also releases endorphins.
“What Ibrlove about cryotherapy is that it stimulates a natural response that producesbrvery potent anti-inflammatory cytokines and substrates that help reducebroxidative stress caused by free radicals,” says Dr. Isabel Lopez, owner ofbrLife's Medicine in Southlake. “It truly helps calm your being. Muscles andbrjoints are less inflamed, and the brain is less frazzled, leaving you withbra sense of calm and wellness.”
Cryotherapy is said to benefit atbrany age, whether it's a high school athlete or an elderly person recoveringbrfrom surgery. Who can't use cryotherapy? Anyone with a heart condition, women whobrare pregnant or those with Raynaud's syndrome — when cold temperatures cause blood vessel spasms, which blocks blood flow andbrmakes fingers and toes turn white. One thing to keep in mind whilebrexploring cryotherapy treatment: It shouldn't become your new norm.
“Two to there times a week is goodbrfor the average person,” Mitteis advises. “Otherwise, your body gets used tobrit, and you won't see the benefits anymore.”
As a completely natural process,brcryotherapy is quickly gaining recognition for being a fast, painless way tobrimprove your overall well-being. Got cold feet? First-timers and veterans alikebrcan step out of the machine at any time before the three minutes are up,bralthough it's recommended to stay in as long as possible in order to achievebrmaximum gain.
“I recommend it to anyone because in today'sbrworld, we are always so hurried and stressed and don't take time for ourselves,”brDr. Lopez says. “This is a simple modality that truly helps your body heal,brrestore and rejuvenate.”