From enhanced athletic performance to anti-aging and stress relief to weight-loss, cryotherapy is known to promote a variety of health benefits. In theory, you could easily fit multiple treatments into a day. But like everything else in life, it should always be done in moderation. Here’s how often you should have a °CRYO treatment to see the best results.

How Many Treatments Should I Have? Two to Three Treatments per Week

The number of sessions you should have is based the treatment and on the results that you wish to see. The majority of cryotherapy studios recommend programs of at least three sessions per week and a customized treatment plan will be provided by the cryotherapy consultants based on the user’s goals.

At °CRYO, we recommend seven to ten sessions either a few days apart or over a two to three week spread if you want to maximize and maintain your benefits. Newer cryotherapy users should aim for their sessions to be in closer succession while regulars can aim for one to two per week to maintain their results.

It also depends on the results that you’re after. For example, if you’re seeking an overall energy boost or to improve general wellness, one to two times a week is enough. For workout recoveries and enhancing athletic performance, you can aim for between 4-6 sessions a week when undertaking intense training phases.

How Long Should the Sessions Be?

To experience optimum benefits and see the best results, you need to have the sessions themselves be the right length as well as the ideal amount of treatments overall. This depends on the type of treatment.

• Whole body cryotherapy (WBC) - up to three minutes in the chamber.
• Cryotherapy facials - °CRYO skincare treatments can last from 10 minutes to an hour.
• Localized cryotherapy - for people who want to treat particular areas of the body such as a knee injury or pockets of cellulite, localized °CRYO treatments last up to three minutes.

What are the Benefits of Cryotherapy and How Soon Can I Expect Results?

Cryotherapy can be used to improve health and wellness in a variety of different areas:

• Reducing Muscle Soreness - by effectively icing the sore muscle or injury, blood vessels are narrowed and blood flow to that area is reduced which temporarily reduces swelling in the area.
• Boosting Fitness and Athletic Performance - a localized °CRYO treatment reduces muscle soreness (also known as DOMS) so you can train harder and for longer, but WBC kicks your body into its ‘fight or flight’ state so blood circulation is boosted and your body recovers much more quickly.
• Anti-Aging - when exposing the skin to sudden subzero temperatures, collagen production is increased and blood flow to the skin is boosted which help to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines and keep your complexion looking dewy and smooth.

The time it takes for you to start seeing results varies from person to person and depends on the specific result that you’re wanting to achieve. You’ll feel refreshed and rejuvenated straight after your treatment because cryotherapy enhances the release of endorphins, the body’s natural mood lifters. This may last for several hours.

"It’s important that you have regular cryotherapy sessions and that you’re not solely relying on them to promote a healthy lifestyle."

As for the health and wellness benefits such as weight loss and anti-aging, this depends on how committed you are to your sessions and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It’s not enough to have three cryotherapy sessions a week and not combine it with regular exercise and a balanced diet and still expect to drop pounds. Nor is it enough to simply have one cryotherapy treatment a year. It’s important that you have regular °CRYO sessions and that you’re not solely relying on them to promote a healthy lifestyle.

°CRYO treatments should be combined with  healthy eating and a regular exercise plan if you’re looking to lose weight and tone up. Similarly, this approach will also work with the anti-aging benefits - especially if you combine with stress-relieving activities as stress is known to accelerate the body’s aging process.

What Happens if I Have Too Many Cryotherapy Sessions?

It’s recommended that you have up to three minutes of cryotherapy one to five times a week, depending on the results you’re after and how new you are to the therapy. Athletes are using cryotherapy to aid recovery and improve their athletic performance during the game. They tend to have more sessions because their bodies undergo a lot of stress from harsh training routines, and they’re naturally stronger and fitter than your average person, so unless you are similarly tuned, this isn't ideal.

Cryotherapy subjects your body to extremely cold temperatures - usually -140°C. Because it’s such a harsh condition to expose your body to, it’s important your WBC treatment doesn’t exceed three minutes.

If you go beyond these recommended periods of time, you may experience:

• Numbing
• Tingling limbs
• Nerve irritation
• Redness

On the other hand, if you don’t have cryotherapy often enough, you are unlikely to experience the full benefits and will be missing out on its full potential

Remember that like many things in life, cryotherapy should be enjoyed in moderation if you want to see the best results. Cryotherapy consultants can help you come up with a customized plan based on your physical condition and what you’re looking to achieve.