The impact of a single whole body cryostimulation treatment on selected skin properties of healthy young subjects

Introduction: Systemic cryotherapy is a popular treatment involving a short stay in a cryogenic chamber at a temperature below 100 degrees C. This leads to a number of physiological reactions, some of them also observed in the skin. The aim of the study was to analyze the effect of a single cryogenic treatment on selected skin characteristics (skin pH, level of hydration and TEWL - Transepidermal Water Loss) in young, healthy people. Materials and methods: Skin characteristics in 77 young people (23.63 +/- 1.36 years) were assessed. In the study, 43 women and 33 men who took part in a one-time treatment (120 degrees C) lasting 3 min. Measurements were made on the forearm skin and (in men) on the face twice: before and immediately after the procedure. Results: Initial differences in hydration of the stratum corneum and TEWL were observed between the group of women and men. After one treatment, the examined characteristics of the forearm skin did not change, and an unfavorable increase in TEWL in men was indicated in the facial area. Conclusions: A single stay in the cryogenic chamber, while maintaining the correct methodology of the treatment, is safe for the skin. The changes taking place depend on the body surface area tested, which indicates that the skin on the limbs and on the face reacts differently to the cryogenic stimulus.