Cryotherapy: Benefits and Risks

Cryotherapy is a treatment that involves exposing the body to extremely cold temperatures for various health benefits such as reducing inflammation, pain relief, and improving recovery.
Category
Treatment
Where to get
Available in specialized clinics and sports therapy centers
Prepared by Nick Harper, reviewed by Dr. David James Simpson

cryotherapy FAQ


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What are the different types of cryotherapy?

The most popular form of cryotherapy involves sitting in a cryotherapy booth for 3–5 minutes. Some people undergo cryotherapy facials, which apply cold to the face only. Others use a cryotherapy wand to target specific areas, such as a painful joint. Most people use the term cryotherapy to refer to whole-body cryotherapy.

Is cryotherapy a safe alternative treatment?

Cryotherapy is any treatment that involves the use of freezing or near-freezing temperatures. Because cryotherapy is new, some potential benefits are not yet proven. Cryotherapy might be a safe alternative treatment and preventative for many ailments. Cryotherapy can be unpleasant, particularly for people who are unaccustomed to the cold.

What is cryotherapy used for?

Cryotherapy can be performed externally for skin conditions—like plantar warts and molluscum contagiosum or more serious conditions like basal and squamous cell carcinomas. It can also be performed internally for tumors. This article will cover cryotherapy's uses, its purpose, and what to expect during the procedure.

What is cold cryotherapy & how does it work?

When people hear cryotherapy, they often think of freezing chambers, but cryotherapy technically includes multiple cold therapies. During a whole-body cryotherapy session, you'll enter a chamber that's cooled to negative -200 to -300 degrees Fahrenheit (-129 to -184 degrees Celsius) for two to four minutes.

How does cryotherapy treat cancer?

Cryotherapy can be used to treat and help prevent various types of cancer. You may also hear it referred to as cryosurgery or cryoablation. It uses extreme cold to kill the cancer cells, and it works locally to target the cancer, rather than involving the whole body.

Can cryotherapy be used to treat non-cancerous skin lesions?

Many abnormal areas of skin (lesions) can be treated with cryotherapy. This includes non-cancerous (benign) lesions. It is most commonly used to remove areas of sun-damaged skin found predominantly on sun-exposed parts of the body. It is also used to treat viral warts, seborrhoeic keratoses, and other benign lesions.

Can cryotherapy treat skin cancer?

Cryotherapy is also a common procedure for treating skin lesions. These lesions can be benign (not cancerous), precancerous, or superficially cancerous (skin cancer that’s on the surface of your skin), according to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

cryotherapy References

If you want to know more about cryotherapy, consider exploring links below:

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