Cryotherapy is a treatment used in the medical and aesthetic area, through cold or low temperatures, which due to its vasoconstriction, analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, among others, allow its therapeutic use in a controlled manner for various purposes, giving excellent results to treat various pathologies, as well as to reduce sizes and treat skin conditions.
There are different cryotherapy techniques, and the most common are the ice cabinwhich consists of subjecting the body to low temperatures producing a vasodilator and vasoconstrictor effect. cold bandages consist of the application of cryogenic substances, which eliminate fatty tissue. ice therapy uses cold bandages in diverse areas of the body, being able to eliminate until two sizes and plaster therapy that initiates with massages with a special cream later to be placed a frost tensor mask of plaster during half an hour.
among the pros of cryotherapy are the elimination of accumulated fat, the decrease of toxins, the increase in caloric expenditure, the stimulation of blood circulation, the reduction of cellulite, the oxygenation of the skin, the elimination of wrinkles, the stimulation of the lymphatic system, the reduction of skin flaccidity and the treatment of various skin conditions.
among the cons of cryotherapy, is that this treatment does not offer perpetual results and it is advisable to complement it with other therapies such as reducing massages or lymphatic drainage. It is also advisable to consult with your treating doctor as there are pathologies that are specifically contraindicated, as in cases of blood pressure, autoimmune diseases, Raynaud’s disease, rheumatic problems, heart disease, sensitive skin, diabetes, hives or if dialysis is performed.
According to Dr. Josep González Castro, a dermatologist, cryotherapy allows the elimination of skin problems. According to the specialist, “shots” of frozen liquid nitrogen are made at temperatures of -196 ºC to eliminate freckles, precancerous moles and viral warts, as well as to eliminate wrinkles and fine lines. This treatment produces a burning sensation in the skin, and acts by freezing and destroying the abnormal cells without affecting adjacent healthy tissue. However, several applications are necessary to achieve results.
In the area of podiatry, it is used to treat viral lesions such as papillomas, according to María Jesús Madrid, specialist in the area, since with only three sessions the lesions are eliminated, although it is a painful process, it is effective. It is also frequently used in Oncology, since it allows to destroy some skin cancers through the application of liquid nitrogen with an atomizer. While in Gynecology it is used to eliminate genital warts and to treat some types of cancer, according to Dr. Ruth Gómez de Segura.
to help control pain and inflammation after an injury is quite effective, says Luis Barbado, physiotherapist, as long as it is done before 72 hours after the injury. It is performed using machines that inject icy CO2 gas into the joint, although cold gel compresses applied to the injury also provide an effective result, being the most economical option.