Skin Care Education

Cryotherapy

The therapeutic use of extreme cold in aesthetic and wellness treatments. In aesthetics, cryotherapy is used for fat reduction, the removal of skin lesions, and post-treatment recovery support.

What Is Cryotherapy?

Cryotherapy simply means treatment using cold. In aesthetic and wellness practice, the term is applied to several quite different applications that share the common feature of using very low temperatures to achieve a specific result. The three most relevant uses in an aesthetic clinic context are cryolipolysis for fat reduction, localised cryotherapy for the removal of benign skin lesions, and whole-body or localised cold therapy as a recovery and wellness tool.

Cryolipolysis, most widely known by the brand name CoolSculpting, uses controlled cooling to freeze and permanently destroy fat cells in targeted areas of the body without affecting the surrounding skin. It is one of the most popular non-surgical fat reduction treatments available and is discussed in more detail under its own entries. Localised cryotherapy for skin lesions uses a targeted application of very cold gas, typically liquid nitrogen, to freeze and destroy benign skin growths such as warts, skin tags, and certain pigmented lesions. The frozen tissue dies and falls away over the following days, leaving clear skin in its place.

Cryotherapy as a wellness and recovery tool, sometimes delivered as a whole-body cryo chamber experience or as a targeted cold treatment to specific areas, is used to reduce inflammation, support recovery after exercise or aesthetic procedures, and improve general wellbeing. This application has grown in popularity in wellness and sports recovery contexts and is increasingly found in aesthetic clinics as a complementary offering.

What to Expect

The experience varies considerably depending on which form of cryotherapy is being used.

For fat freezing, a suction applicator is placed over the treatment area and the tissue is gradually cooled over approximately 35 to 60 minutes. The initial sensation is intense cold and pressure, which becomes numbness as the area cools. The applicator is removed at the end of the session and the treated area is massaged, which can feel briefly uncomfortable. There is no significant downtime, though temporary redness, numbness, and mild soreness in the treated area can last for several days.

For lesion removal using cold gas, the provider applies a brief, targeted burst of very cold gas to the lesion. The sensation is an intense cold sting for a few seconds, which quickly fades. The treated lesion typically turns white, blisters, and then falls away over the following one to two weeks as the skin heals. Some temporary redness and a small blister are normal parts of the process.

Whole-body cryotherapy involves standing in a chamber filled with very cold air for two to three minutes. The sensation is an intense, dry cold that most people describe as invigorating rather than painful. The session ends quickly and the body warms back up rapidly upon leaving the chamber.

Who It’s For and Results

The appropriate candidate depends entirely on which form of cryotherapy is being considered. Fat freezing suits those at or near a healthy weight with stubborn localised fat deposits. Lesion removal with cryotherapy suits those with benign skin growths they want removed. Whole-body or localised cold therapy suits those interested in recovery support, reducing post-treatment inflammation, or general wellness benefits.

Fat freezing produces permanent destruction of treated fat cells, with results becoming visible over two to three months. Lesion removal typically produces a clear result within two to three weeks of a single treatment, though some lesions may require a second application. Recovery cryotherapy effects are more immediate, with reduced inflammation and a feeling of refreshed energy reported after sessions, though the evidence base for long-term benefits in a wellness context is less established than for the clinical applications.

Cryotherapy in its various forms is generally safe and well tolerated. Each application has specific contraindications, including certain circulatory conditions for whole-body cryo and certain skin conditions for lesion removal, and a consultation before treatment will identify any individual factors that need to be considered.

Frequently Asked Questions: Cryotherapy

Fat freezing is one form of cryotherapy, but not the only one. Cryotherapy is the broader term for any treatment that uses extreme cold therapeutically. Fat freezing, known clinically as cryolipolysis, is specifically a non-surgical fat reduction procedure that uses controlled cooling to destroy fat cells. It is the most widely known aesthetic application of cryotherapy in the body contouring context, but the term cryotherapy also covers cold-based lesion removal and recovery-focused cold therapy, which are quite different in their application and goals.

Yes. Localised cryotherapy using a very cold gas is a well-established method for removing benign skin lesions including skin tags, common warts, and some pigmented lesions. The cold destroys the tissue of the lesion, which then blisters and falls away as the skin heals. It is a quick, simple procedure performed in clinic without the need for surgery or stitches. Most small lesions respond to a single treatment, while larger or more stubborn lesions may need a follow-up application after the initial healing.

Whole-body cryotherapy has an established evidence base in sports medicine for reducing muscle soreness and supporting recovery after intense physical activity. Its benefits in a general wellness context are less conclusively established, though many people report feeling invigorated and experiencing reduced inflammation after sessions. As a complementary tool within a broader health and recovery programme it is generally considered safe for most healthy adults. Anyone with cardiovascular conditions, Raynaud’s disease, or cold sensitivity should consult a healthcare provider before using whole-body cryotherapy.

Cold therapy applied after aesthetic procedures such as laser treatments, microneedling, or injectables can help reduce immediate redness, swelling, and discomfort by calming inflammation and constricting blood vessels in the treated area. Some clinics use localised cryotherapy devices or cooling wands as part of their post-treatment protocol. This is a supportive use rather than a treatment in its own right, and while it can improve comfort and reduce the visible signs of treatment in the short term, it does not affect the longer-term results of the procedure itself.