MEND Cryotherapy – The wellness secret you didn’t know you needed

For residents who’ve already caught word of Santa Clarita’s newest wellness option, MEND Cryotherapy in Valencia is a place of calm and whole-body healing.  But when Alesia Humphries walked in for her first cryotherapy session, she wasn’t sure what to expect.
“I put it off for almost two weeks,” she said, her voice full of laughter now.  “I consider myself to have zero fears – I know that’s bold, but it’s also true.  But when I walked in that day, I was more than a little nervous.”
Getting started, a friendly staff member guided Alesia to the changing room, where she slipped into protective knee-length socks, thick gloves and a robe that reached her knees.  She removed all jewelry or anything containing metal and made her way to the CryoSauna room – and it was go time!
“The scariest part about anything new is just the uncertainty,” she said.  “And as soon as it started, I immediately felt relieved.  It was so much more fun and energizing than I would have expected!”
Once in the CryoSauna – a cushy open-air cylinder chamber that reaches as far as the user’s shoulders – a cloud of cold nitrogen began filling up around Alesia’s feet.  Though users are directed to go without the robe, they keep the protective hand- and footwear on for the duration of the session.  The clock was set for two minutes, and the temperature steadily dropped, prompted by short, continuous bursts of nitrogen.
“It was chilly.  Don’t get me wrong,” she said.  “But it wasn’t too cold, especially the more often you do it.”
Once the session was finished, Alesia redressed into her robe and exited the chamber, her eyes wide with excitement and smiling from ear to ear.
“My body and mind were completely and totally exhilarated,” she said, following the session.  “It was almost surreal how exhilarating it was – I felt like a superhero!”
Cryotherapy as a treatment can be applied in several different ways – whole body, locally or to the face – because of its immense and wide-ranging benefits.  During whole body cryotherapy, the two to three minutes of extreme cold trick the body into a full-body reaction, similar to fight or flight, that sparks the body’s systems into action.
“Your body pulls all your blood into its core to protect your vital organs, bringing more oxygen to your blood cells and increasing circulation throughout your entire body,” said co-owner Matt Browning.  “Your whole body gets a burst of that oxygenated blood, and it experiences a range of benefits: a massive endorphin and norepinephrine rush, the flushing of toxins, an immediate reduction in inflammation, cell rejuvenation, a boost in your immune system and overall system self-healing.  You even burn 500-800 calories throughout the whole experience.”
Whole body cryotherapy helps relieve the body and accelerate healing from a taxing workout, while simultaneously supplementing the workout by sparking the body’s metabolism.
Additionally, local cryotherapy can be applied to specific areas of the body for people who are healing from an injury or need extra pain relief in a designated area.
“When used in conjunction with whole body cryotherapy, localized treatment can really target a specific area or need,” Matt said.
For those looking for more aesthetic results, cryofacials have been shown to stimulate collagen production, reduce pore size and increase skin elasticity.  By increasing oxygenated blood circulation to the skin cells, a cryofacial sparks the body’s natural collagen stimulation and cell rejuvenation.
“After work, I went to meet a friend, and she immediately noticed my skin from one session of whole body cryotherapy,” Alesia said.  “She said my skin looked so bright and plump she didn’t believe it – I’ll take that!”
After a session, guests are welcome to enjoy other relaxing elements of MEND Cryotherapy, including Compression Therapy, an essential oil-infused oxygen bar and a relaxing lobby complete with leather recliners and a flatscreen TV.
“If you have anything going wrong in your whole body, this will fix it,” Alesia said.  “I am fortunate to have no aches or pains to speak of, and I’m still glad I get cryotherapy.  It’s that extra boost that helps me feel refreshed.”
MEND Cryotherapy is available by appointment or walk-in.  For more information, please call 1-844-321-MEND, or visit www.mendcryo.com.  MEND Cryotherapy is located at 28303 Newhall Ranch Rd., Valencia, CA 91355.

photos by Joie de Vivre Photographie

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