We Exposed Our Skin to -200 Degree Liquid Nitrogen Vapor and This is What Happened.

If I told you that standing in -200-degree liquid nitrogen vapor was actually good for your body, you’d probably look at me like I had three heads.

HOW YOU ASK?

By exposing your body to sub-zero temperatures, it invokes the flight or fight response. Instead of thermoregulating, your body shifts to survival mode for your vital organs.

The body responds to this perceived threat by taking all the blood from our skins surface and extremities and redirecting it to our vital organs. The blood becomes enriched with oxygen, nutrients and enzymes while at our body’s core.

HOW DOES THAT HELP?

Good question. I was extremely skeptical at first, as well. Purposefully putting my body into, essentially, hypothermic shock does not sound like it has any benefits. But, there is a rather extensive list of benefits.

·      Soreness, pain and inflammation reduction

·      Accelerates recoveries

·      Improves muscle strength and function

·      Aids in surgery and injury recovery

·      Reduces stress

·      Improves sleep quality

And that’s only a few.

ISN’T IT SCARY?

It’s actually not. We decided to embark on this adventure together with Orange Cryoin Northern Liberties, Philadelphia. Lea was there to help walk us through the whole thing. After filling out some medical history, we stripped down and got into the official Orange Cryo robe, orange socks and, yes, Crocs.  Jenni’s cute Tobi plaid shirt would have been much more flattering, but we are here to follow the rules.

After the cryosauna is set to the correct temperature, you get in and drop the robe. The bottom of the vault rises up, so your head is sticking out. And then you’re in for three minutes of cold, complete with blasts of air (don’t worry they talk you the whole thing).

I thought I would feel like an ice cube, but it was actually exhilarating. Lea explained that if I was sore more in one area than another, that’s where I would feel the cold. My whole body actually stayed relatively normal except for my legs and the backs of my arms. As a runner, my legs take a majority of the beating and I could definitely tell.

Afterwards, I felt like I could go run a 5k. I had so much energy. They have a term for it called the Cryo High that can last four to six hours. While the effects of cryotherapy are immediate, they recommend doing around four sessions to get the maximum benefits that last longer than one day.

WHAT ABOUT THE FACIAL?

After stepping out of the cryo chamber, Jenni and Barry opted to head into the facial room for a more focused treatment on our face.  Using a stream of vaporized liquid nitrogen to cool the skin, this 6 minute treatment produces an instantaneous tightness in the skin, filling in fine lines, and wrinkles. Toxins and other stored deposits are flushed out of the layers of the skin and blood perfusion is improved after several treatments.

Lea kept the pressure steady the entire treatment, and kept the wand moving around the entire time.  Jenni explained it as if “an ice cube was being rubbed on her face more than burst of cold vapor.”

After the treatment was done, it took their skin a few minutes to fall back to the normal temperature, but it felt very invigorated.

SO, HOW MUCH IS THIS?

I’ll admit I was a little nervous about the price. But at Orange Cryo, those that are doing their first whole body cryo session it’s only $25. After that, single sessions are $45. To get the recommended amount, they offer a special of three additional sessions for $99, or you can sign up for one of their membership packages to make it even more affordable.

Not only do they have whole body cryo, they also have targeted cryo sessions for specific areas like knees, cryo facials and even a hangover recovery for those nights you have a little too much fun. While they do accept walk-ins, appointments are highly recommended.

Thank you to Orange Cryo for hosting the Lipgloss + Aftershave team, and to Tobi Clothing for keeping Jenni looking cute!