What Exactly Is Cryotherapy—and Is It Safe?

We happen to think that entering a subzero degree chamber and literally freezing your ass off for a few minutes—in an effort to fight aging, inflammation, uneven skin tone, and more physical maladies—sounds a little cray. But there are plenty of people who disagree with us. Systemic (a.k.a. total body) cryotherapy claims many benefits, and A LOT of men and women have been buying into it lately.

 
But, as total-body cryotherapy gains popularity as a spa treatment and with star athletes, it’s also receiving a lot of heat from the medical community—especially after the death of a 24-year-old employee at a cryotherapy spa in Las Vegas last year. (According to the Washington Post, Chelsea Ake-Salvacion got locked inside the chamber for 10 hours after the spa she worked at closed for the night).