Over the course of my career as a beauty editor, I’ve tried many different things—cupping, LED light therapy, virtual reality manis and pedis, facial acupuncture, and more—but the one thing I had not tried was cryotherapy, so when I recently had the opportunity to visit CryoCafe in West Hollywood, California, I was excited to finally see what it was all about.

CryoCafe is the premiere cryotherapy lounge in Los Angeles and is a hotspot for celebrities like Shawn Mendes, who is the ultimate cryo fan (which I learned he does on the regular for his vocal cords). He loves cryotherapy so much, in fact, that he actually brought one of CryoCafe’s portable chambers backstage with him on tour so that he wouldn’t miss a session. Now that’s dedication!

Here’s what you’ll love about CryoCafe: 

• It’s located in the heart of West Hollywood on Melrose Avenue within walking distance to some of the city’s best shops and restaurants.

• CryoCafe’s services include whole body and localized cryo, as well as their signature cryofix facials.

• Cryotherapy offers incredible benefits for the body and mind, which range from boosting faster recovery and anti-inflammation to relieving joint and muscle soreness, improving mood and mental clarity, and supporting better sleep.

• Its signature cryofix facial is a beauty treatment that tightens skin, stimulates collagen production, reduces appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and pores; and can alleviate issues with redness and rosacea, jaw pain, puffiness, as well as hangovers and headaches.

• Because cryotherapy only takes a few minutes, you’re in and out quickly and can easily fit it into your day—first thing in the morning, during your lunch break or at the end of the day!

• Popular among celebrities and athletes, CryoCafe has a clientele that includes Shawn Mendes, Camila Cabello, Rebel Wilson, and many more who swear by its benefits.

• Monthly memberships, packages and single sessions are available for purchase depending on your personal needs.

• The entire staff is super friendly and helpful, and the customer service is excellent.

• CryoCafe has a portable cryo machine that can be moved to any location in Los Angeles as an at-home service for facials, targeted treatments and healing.

After finding a parking spot directly in front on Melrose Avenue, I entered the building and headed straight to the back patio on the first floor, where CryoCafe is located. I checked in at the front desk, where I was greeted by Jacob Perler, founder and CEO, along with Steve Cusimano, general manager and partner.

I sat down in the light-filled and comfortable sitting area, where I signed in on an iPad and filled out some standard forms. After returning them up front, Cusimano beckoned for me to follow him—my cryotherapy adventure was about to begin!

Cusimano led me to the back area where the dressing rooms are located, where I proceeded to change into a robe in one of the private rooms. When doing cryotherapy, you have the option of wearing a swimsuit or going bare—it’s totally up to you, but the only requirement is that you wear socks, which are provided in a basket in each dressing room. Also, make sure to remove all jewelry and items with metal on them. There’s also a helpful cryo checklist on the mirror to help you remember, just in case!

In addition to robes, the dressing rooms have different types of cozy and fluffy slippers to choose from. During your session, you can leave all your belongings in the dressing room because no one else will go in there until you are done.

When I was ready, I met Cusimano outside of the dressing rooms. He asked if I would like my Polaroid taken before, during or after my cryo session to add to the wall of photos. I opted for a before shot and posed in my robe in front of the “cactus wall” at the front, which serves as a stylish backdrop for pics. I was officially a member of the #CryoCult!

After snapping my pic and adding it to the rest of the Polaroids, Cusimano began to explain in more detail what cryotherapy is and what I could expect from today’s session. I had some basic knowledge of cryotherapy but I still had a lot of questions, including the most important one of all: Does cryotherapy hurt?

Despite its ultra-cold temperatures (and we’re talking as low as -180 or more), cryotherapy isn’t as painful or uncomfortable as I had mistakenly thought it was. For one, you’re standing in a cryo chamber where a misty vapor circulates around the body, so it’s much less dense than say, ice water.

In addition, a cryotherapy session only lasts a few minutes at most, which caused me to let out a sigh of relief upon realizing that I wasn’t going to be spending a super long time in there!

The history of cryotherapy dates back many years to the ancient Egyptians, who used cold to treat injuries and inflammation. Whole body cryotherapy originated in Japan in the ‘70s, where Dr. Toshima Yamaguchi discovered that freezing the skin’s surface provided immediate relief to his patients with rheumatoid arthritis, ultimately leading to the modern treatment of cryotherapy with faster short-term freezing of the skin’s surface while inside a cryosauna.

Since it was my first time trying cryotherapy, Cusimano suggested that I spend between 100 to 110 seconds in the chamber at -180 degrees. To make me more comfortable during the session, he asked me what type of music I’d like to listen to and I decided on Bob Marley. His music always makes me think of sunshine and warm beach days, which I thought would help distract me from the extreme cold I was about to experience.

After the chamber opened, I stepped inside still wearing my robe and stood there while Cusimano pressed a button that raised the platform inside so that my head was peering over the top. Once the chamber door was securely closed, I took my robe off and handed it to him over the edge, in exchange for a pair of big cozy mittens, which he instructed me to wear during my session.

The rules were simple: avoid touching the interior walls of the chamber and every few seconds, continually turn to the right or left until you’ve made a complete circle, then keep going—but not so fast that you make yourself dizzy. Doing this helps the cold vapor distribute more evenly across the body so that you get equal exposure and benefits all over!

As soon as I felt the cold vapor entering the chamber, the first thought that crossed my mind was, This isn’t as bad as I thought it would be! In fact, it was actually quite refreshing. It reminded me of those fog machines at nightclubs, which help cool you down after a long night of dancing.

Turning every few seconds helped keep me from getting super cold, and there was also a timer on the screen so I could monitor my progress and count down the moments until I was done. In less than two minutes, my session was over and the vapor turned off. While it did start to get a bit more cold towards the last 20 seconds of my cryo session, it wasn’t unbearable. Cusimano told me that with each visit, you work your way up to a slightly longer time and a cooler temperature. The longest he’s been in the chamber? Four minutes!

After handing me my robe, which I put back on before stepping outside the chamber, Cusimano shared the many different benefits of cryotherapy with me. Not only does it help reduce inflammation while boosting the body’s natural recovery process, but it can cause a physiological hormonal response, which includes the release of adrenaline, noradrenaline and endorphins—all of which can have a positive effect on anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders.

Additional benefits are relief of sore muscles and joints, better sleep, and increased energy. Cusimano recommended skipping the morning cup of coffee and instead coming in to CryoCafe for an early morning cryo session before work. I did feel noticeably energized and relaxed afterwards, with no discomfort or pain.

Next, we headed over to the opposite corner where I lay down on a treatment bed. Cusimano covered me with a super soft blanket, which felt extra amazing post-cryotherapy. We were finishing up today’s session with the BeautyFix (a cryo facial), which is performed for 5 to 7 minutes and uses localized cryotherapy to stimulate blood flow and cell regeneration in the skin.

It also tightens skin, boosts collagen production, reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, minimizes pore visibility, and helps kill acne-causing bacteria for those experiencing breakouts. I closed my eyes during the treatment while Cusimano gently moved the facial device back and forth across my face, which felt cool and refreshing against my skin.

After the service was complete, my skin felt noticeably firmer and smooth, and my under eye area didn’t look dark or baggy. Overall, I was really pleased with the results from both treatments and found the experience to be quite enjoyable. I would definitely come back again and highly recommend giving cryotherapy a shot if you’re on the fence or unsure.

Bonus: CryoCafe is also dog-friendly, so you can bring your furry friend(s) in with you while you receive cryotherapy. During your session, Cusimano and the other friendly team members will watch and play with your dog—and they’ll even snap a cute picture of them that will end up on the massive wall of Polaroids! I spotted countless cute puppies in various pictures, which in my opinion, is the perfect way to end any day. #CuteDogsForTheWin

Cost: WholeFix Full Body ($60) + BeautyFix Facial ($60)

Insider Tips: 

• There is metered parking directly in front along Melrose Avenue.

• Wear comfy clothes you can easily change out of and bring a swimsuit if you’d prefer not to go bare in the cryotherapy chamber.

• If you’re able to come first thing in the morning, a cryotherapy session is equivalent to (and some say better than) a morning cup of coffee—the perfect way to start your day!

Hours:

8 a.m. - 7 p.m. (Mon-Thur) *closed 2-3 p.m.

8 a.m. - 5 p.m. (Fri)

10 a.m. - 4 p.m. (Sat & Sun)

Address: 8457 Melrose Ave, Unit A, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Phone: 323-433-4223

For more information and to book an appointment, click here. Follow them on Instagram: @cryocafe

[Images by Kamala Kirk]

Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk