It is well-known that psoriasis lesions often diminish when exposed to ultraviolet light and worsen during the cold months. But did you know that exposing the skin lesions to ultra low temperatures could actually be very beneficial?
The term “cryotherapy” literally means “treatment using low temperature”. This treatment exposes the skin to ultra cold nitrogen gas. In the cryotherapy chambers, the ambient temperature is lowered to a numbing minus 110 Celsius or minus 166 Fahrenheit! It is colder than any temperature ever recorded on earth…
Various studies have suggested that whole body cryotherapy is effective at optimizing recovery for competitive athletes by decreasing pain and inflammation.
Learn why this treatment can be very effective in controlling psoriasis too!
How can cryotherapy halt the spread of psoriasis?
Whole body cryotherapy has only appeared in the therapeutic spectrum for psoriasis over the last few years, but very positive experience has already been gained from its use.
With psoriasis, auto-aggression by the immune system leads to a chronic inflammation of the skin. The normal wear process of the skin is disrupted and scale formation results.
When doing cryotherapy, the skin temperature lowers down to -2 Celsius, which provokes a potent stress on the skin.
Surprisingly, this stress is capable of influencing psoriasis beneficially by encouraging the growth of healthy skin cells.
It is believed that regular whole body cryotherapy treatments can help restore the body’s autoimmune system.
Is it an effective treatment for psoriasis?
Already after a few days of therapy the itching usually recedes and the scaling becomes less intense.
But at least 15 sessions are often required to see significant results.
It also depends on the severity of the disease.
For best results, it is recommended that a treatment cycle includes about two weeks of 25 to 30 cold exposures.
Whole body cryotherapy does not cure psoriasis, but it has shown promise in treating psoriasis lesions and stopping the spread of psoriasis, all this without side effects!
Is whole body cryotherapy safe?
Studies showed that treatments shorter than 4 minutes would yield no tissue trauma, frostbite or hypothermia.
Walk-in cryochambers have been used for the past 30+ years, and problems have only arisen if a client steps into the machine with wet clothing as water will freeze immediately at these temperatures.
Also, the nitrogen being used to cool these chambers is the same nitrogen that makes up the air we breathe (actually 78% of it).
In order to protect the more temperature sensitive tissues, clients wear dry socks, gloves, face-mask (to protect the nose and prevent the inhalation of cold air), as well as earmuffs or a hat covering the ears.
What are the risks of using cryotherapy for psoriasis?
Whole body cryotherapy is very well tolerated and has minimal risks.
The immediate effect of skin cooling and analgesia lasts for 5 minutes, but the release of endorphins can have a lasting effect, where the pains and signs of inflammation can remain suppressed for weeks!
But there are still contraindications, such as pregnancy, severe hypertension, lung disorders, and other conditions to be aware of.
It is recommended to consult a doctor before doing cryotherapy.
Have you tried cryotherapy for psoriasis? Leave your feedback in the comments here below! Also check out my post What Works Best for Psoriasis. You’ll learn how I deal with psoriasis on a daily basis and the natural treatments that work for me.
why does psoriasis get worse in winter?
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Article by
J. Beck
Sources for this article include:
DISCLAIMER
The information provided on Optiderma.com is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for the advice of an appropriately qualified practitioner.
If you are allergic to the foods, herbs, essential oils, any remedies listed here, you must of course avoid them. For example, consuming food that you’re sensitive to will only cause more (not reduce!) inflammation.
Please consult a practitioner (such as Naturopath, Homeopath, Doctor of Chinese Medicine, Dermatologist, ...) to follow the most appropriate treatment to heal your skin. All legal mentions »
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