UPPER EAST SIDE — Just when you thought the neighborhood wasn't cool enough.
Cryotherapy is the latest spa treatment to hit the Upper East Side, where users walk into what looks like a spray tan booth, but instead of color, they're blasted with a nitrogen mist that plunges body temperatures down to a frigid 260 degrees below zero.
The treatment only lasts for three minutes, but that's supposedly enough time to freeze away 500 to 800 calories, tighten and improve skin, relieve muscle pain, reduce inflammation, improve circulation, boost the immune system and improve sleep, according personal trainer and athlete Michael Margulies who launched NYC Cryo inside his gym, Core Fitness gym at 12 E. 86th St. near Madison Avenue.
NYC Cryo is one of only three places in the city offering the cryotherapy treatment.
Comedian Malakoff at nyccryo.com
Posted by NYC Cryo on Thursday, January 14, 2016
"At first it might be scary to go into the chamber because it's an enclosed space, but your neck is above the chamber and the operator is always telling you what to do," Margulies said. "It leaves you feeling really invigorated and thinking 'When can I do this again?'"
Before the treatment, NYC Cryo gives users an extensive questionnaire to ensure they are healthy enough for it. For instance, people who have had a recent surgery, have heart disease, high blood pressure or extreme sensitivity to cold would not be eligible, he said.
The first session is only two minutes to get the person used to it and the cold is gradually intensified, he said.
"Every time I go, I think 'Why do I do this to myself?' Literally every time I go, it's so cold," said personal trainer and Upper East Side resident Amanda Murdock. "But once it's done it feels really good."
Murdock, 34, said that as a trainer, her muscles tend to get sore after hard workouts, but since she started cryotherapy, she hasn't had any of the usual pains. Her mood is boosted and she sleeps better, too, she said.
"It sounds silly but it's definitely better than an ice bath," she added. "This is 10 times that and much easier and less painful."
A three-minute session costs $90.
Margulies, 46, decided to buy his cryosauna almost three months ago after trying the futuristic technology at Kryolife in Midtown. He was impressed with the results — his back pain and overall stiffness was relieved, he said.
“I thought ‘What better way to get exposure to this therapy than being in the business?’” he said. "I'm an older athlete and I may want to compete in the Masters and Golden Gloves, so I need ways to get smarter and recover and keep being competitive."
After taking a course on cryotherapy, passing the exam and getting licensed, Margulies set up his $50,000 cryosauna inside his Core Fitness gym to spread his love for the treatment.
"Some people like it better than a massage because there are more benefits," he said. "It’s a major de-stressor. We’re all feeling stressed — especially now that Trump might become president.”
