Why would anyone choose to freeze themselves in -90 degrees? Was the question i was getting asked every time i told someone i wanted to try cryotherapy.
What is Cryotherapy?
You enter a chamber which is set between -83 to -90 degrees. The treatment is meant to kick start your mind and body. Being exposed to such extreme conditions your mind and body go into survival mode. Your body releases a cocktail of hormones along with the main one…. endorphins. Being in such conditions gives your body an extreme adrenaline boost, so not only are you more alert you experience extreme highs and positivity. Now onto your body, because you’re basically freezing your tits off, your heart starts to pump faster to increase your blood circulation to keep your body warm and in conjunction with that you increase your metabolic rate!!!! Yes thats right, you burn calories faster. From each session you can burn up to 800 calories!!! And last but not least cryotherapy can help with muscle repair and alleviate joint pain.
Harrods have recently opened opened up a Wellness Clinic which offers treatments performed by doctors ranging from fillers to IV drips. So when i heard they were offering cryotherapy i jumped at the chance to try it. Ive looked around to compare prices and I’ve seen the same sort of treatment reaching prices of around £250. 111 CRYO by Dr. Yannis Alexandrines MD at the Wellness clinic in Harrods cost £95 per session which i thought was very reasonable considering the prices i have seen.
My Experience…
So the day came and i was a bit anxious, who really want to jump into a giant freezer half naked? As you walk into the Wellness Clinic situated on the fourth floor ironically directly opposite the Burger Bar, you are greeted by the friendly staff. As it was my first treatment i had to fill out a few forms (basically declaring I’m fit and well). A young woman then collected me from the waiting room and led down a long corridor to the room….this long walk was not helping with my anxiety that i thought i was going to get locked i a freezer and suffer a final destination type of death! When you get to the room you come face to face with your fate! I was asked to change into a little crop top, shorts gloves and these very comfortable North Face slippers. My body temperature was taken from different areas of my body to compare after i had completed the treatment. You also get to choose what ever song you like to boogie to whilst you’re in there. The obvious choice for me was Wild thoughts by Dj Khaled (brings out my inner sass!).
The practitioner explains that once you enter the chamber it will steam up due to your body heat but once it clears you will see her standing there ready to lead you through some simple exercises that will help my body temperature lower. The timer is set at 3 minutes she hands me a mask just to protect my throat whilst I’m breathing in there. The door opens and i feel the ice hit me. I ran in and the door closes behind me, the second the door is sealed the chamber steams up and i can’t see a thing (feels a little claustrophobic). The steam begins to clear and i can see a faint outline of a body moving about outside, so i start to copy the routine she’s leading me through and the inner sass is coming out as i shake my booty half naked listening to Rhianna and Bryson Tiller. Within no time it was over, didn’t even get to finish my song and I’m ushered out. I’ve never had such a rush before in my life! I felt amazing, so alert, so happy i couldn’t stop smiling, i looked like a cheshire cat (or a creepy crazy lady in her under wear and slippers).
Once i got out I’m instructed to use the body serum to help firm the skin and the moisturiser that help restore your skin after being in those conditions. The serum felt amazing (didn’t overuse it at all! hehe). After i got changed and was led back to the waiting room i had noticed that all of a sudden i was starving, the practitioner explained that because my metabolic rate had been raised i would feel hungry. Some people feel it straight away others 20 mins to an hour. I left the clinic feeling amazing, refreshed and positive i wasn’t going to visit the Burger Bar right in front of me.
In conclusion, im glad i did it and i would do it again. My body feels a lot firmer, i feel it has definitely helped me on my weight loss journey and back pain was temporary relieved. You can buy a course or pay for individual sessions. If you want to try it but you’re a bit scared to go on your own, the chamber can fit up to two people so you can bring your bestie along (or anyone you feel comfortable enough to wear your undies in front of).
Thanks for reading and i look forward to hearing if any of you try it for yourselves or have had it done else where.
C xx
Chloe Melanie 