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36 June 30 • 2016 I t sounds like science fic- tion. Subject yourself to temperatures from -160 to -260 repeatedly for up to three minutes each time and reap the rewards of less pain, more energy and focus, a boosted metabolism, faster-growing hair and nails, younger-looking skin and sounder sleep. It's called cryotherapy and, while it is nothing new, cryo- treatment centers are popping up with more frequency, thanks in part to the increased use of the technology by elite athletes like Kobe Bryant and Lebron James, who use it for post-game recovery. Cold icepacks have been used to treat pain and inflam- mation for thousands of years. Cryotherapy, which uses nitro- gen vapors to achieve a quick freeze, was developed in the 1970s by a Japanese rheumatolo- gist. It's been popular in Europe for decades. A quick review of the scientif- ic literature reveals there is not a lot of compelling scientific evi- dence that cryotherapy is effec- tive for treating muscle soreness. Therefore, it is not approved by the FDA to treat any specific condition. However, not many studies on the topic have been done. I also discovered there's not a lot of compelling scientific evidence that icepacks work to reduce pain and swelling either. But if you sprain your ankle, guess what advice you'll get from your doctor? Yep, put ice on it. Anecdotally, there is plenty of evidence that cryotherapy does help some people reduce pain, look younger, get more energy and lose weight. I decided to reach out to two Jewish-owned cryotherapy businesses to see for myself. HOW IT WORKS Dr. Sol Cogan, owner of HealthQuest Chiropractic, opened his CryoWellness USA cen- ters in Farmington Hills and Plymouth in December. He graciously invited me in to give it a go. Cogan, who lives with his wife and two kids in Bloomfield Hills and belongs to Temple Israel, was a doctor for the Detroit Lions for 14 years when he first starting hearing the buzz on cryotherapy around the training room. "Mr. Ford asked me to do some research, and I fell in love with the technology," Cogan said. "Logistically, it wouldn't work for the team, but it fit right into my practice, where I'm always looking for new technol- ogies to help my patients with chronic pain." I asked him how it works. To summarize: When you're in that very cold chamber, your body automatically thinks you're freezing. Your blood vessels con- strict and that forces the blood to your core to protect your vital organs. The blood becomes oxygenated and nutrient dense. When you come out of the chamber, your blood vessels dilate and that freshly oxygen- ated blood goes to the rest of your body. "You get an endorphin rush, kind of like a runner's high, which is really the world's stron- gest painkiller," Cogan said. "Everyone comes out smiling." Cogan adds that many of his clients with chronic pain walk out pain-free, which lasts from health & wellness » Deep-freeze treatments can reduce pain, improve your skin and help you lose weight. D emi Moore, Kate Moss, Jessica Alba and Jennifer Aniston all swear by cryotherapy for beautiful younger-looking skin. According to one industry website, during the treatment "the blood vessels constrict to help maintain body tempera- ture. When you warm up, these dilate and blood rushes to the skin's surface, giving the complexion a rosy glow." Want to try it for yourself? Head over to Boost CryoSpa in Sugar Tree Square next to the Orchard Mall in West Bloomfield. The spa was started by Ross Niskar, who used to work in the mortgage industry. He and his partner started Boulder Financial, a business within the Rock Financial/ Quicken Loans company. In early 2015, he came across cryothera- py while watching TV. "Shortly thereafter, I saw Lebron James talking about his use of whole-body cryotherapy as a way to recover from the tough NBA schedule. It piqued my inter- est," he said. He began to do extensive research, even working with the scientist who first brought cryotherapy to the U.S. Soon, Niskar, who lives in Royal Oak with daughter Bella and attends Temple Israel, was sold on making a business out of it. Boost CryoSpa offers a Cryofacial, a dry treatment that takes only 10 minutes with- out the need to remove your makeup. The Cryofacial uses pressurized liquid nitrogen vapors that are applied to the face and neck to stimulate the production of colla- gen and decrease pore size. "The skin becomes tighter, more even- toned and blood circulation is improved," Niskar said. "Over time, skin becomes more elastic due to the increase in collagen." But cryotherapy's benefits to the skin are more than just about looking younger. Niskar has a client whose 4-year-old son has eczema. "She had tried all kinds of top- ical ointments and nothing worked. But this does," he said. "She drives an hour to the spa every time her son has a flare-up." Boost CryoSpa also offers localized cryotherapy (or spot treatments) to reduce pain, inflammation and swelling in tar- geted areas. "I like to call it 'an ice pack on steroids,'" Niskar said. "Our clients report this to be much more effective and efficient than traditional icing methods. "We have seen success with carpal tun- nel, gout and multiple sore body areas. This process has also shown excellent results for people with migraines and con- cussions." Niskar said he's had clients who've seen benefits for depression symptoms, energy and poor sleep, "but the biggest benefit seems to be pain relief," he says. "Many of my clients have been able to reduce or eliminate pain medication by using whole- body cryotherapy. I could go on and on." * Boost CryoSpa, 6253 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield, www.westbloomfieldspas.com, (248) 251- 0885. Spot treatments start at $30. Facials cost $40. Packages are available to reduce cost. Cold Beauty Treatments The Cold-Hard Facts Ross Niskar Jackie Headapohl | Managing Editor A Cryofacial treatment Local spot treatments Dr. Sol Cogan