ELLE.COM.AU / @ELLEAUS 137
most painful part), and the blood was
then spun in a centrifuge to separate
the plasma. As the blood spun, I got
a brief Omnilux treatment – so far,
I was very relaxed. Next came the
numbing cream, then the micro-
needling. While I could feel a bit of
pressure, there was no pain. My skin
was then massaged with the “Liquid
Gold” (my plasma), triggering
collagen and elastin production, plus
cell regeneration. I was out in less
than an hour and while my skin was
quite red, it cleared up overnight.
BEAUTY
❯❯WHAT IT IS:A three-minute
session in the Cryosauna (which
cools down to about -140°C) is said to
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and assist muscle recovery.
❯❯WHAT I EXPECTED:That it
would be colder than an Antarctic
blizzard. And since it’s regularly
used by athletes and motivational
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it’s practically an extreme sport –
something to be endured only by
tough guys (of which I am most
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❯❯WHAT IT’S REALLY LIKE:
Entering Cryo (cryo.com.au) is
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of The Jetsons. Automatic sliding
doors lock you securely in a booth
so you can strip down to knickers
and a robe while a video plays
describing what you’re about to do.
I put on socks, gloves and furry
ankle boots (to protect extremities)
and then stepped inside the Cryosauna.
A therapist was with me during
the entire length of the (up to)
three-minute treatment. Aside from
distracting me from the fact I was
ICE, ICE BABY
CRYOTHERAPY
THE RESULTS:
In the days that followed my
session,I felt an unusual firmness in
my skin and it absolutely glowed
- an instant confidence booster. And
the dry, crepey texture I’d become
accustomed to (courtesy of the
eczema) was starting to smooth.
Was it expensive? Yes. Would I go
back for round two? Absolutely –
I’d just save it up for a special event. - BROOKE BICKMORE@
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monitoring me for any medical signs
that would suggest I’d had enough.
The cold (and nitrogen mist) came in
short bursts, and oxygen was pumped
into the room to ensure I was still
doing plenty of the whole breathing
thing. It was cold, yes, but I never
felt like it was too much. I’ve
probably been colder on a night out
in Melbourne.
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imagining I’d have to stop the
therapist multiple times due to
the pain. Worried I might also bruise,
I declined all weekend plans. But I was
keen to give the procedure a go in an
Ĵ ¢ £ǰ
wouldn’t clear up despite extreme
diet, skincare and lifestyle changes.
❯❯WHAT IT’S REALLY LIKE:
Clinic director Natalie Abouchar
began by extracting a vial of blood
from my arm (this was probably the
THE
RESULTS:
I skipped out of the
placelike I was in
a damn musical.
I felt that same
rush and bounciness
that you get from
exercise, but
a)Ididn’thave
to slog through
a workout; and b) it
required less time
than I spend waiting
for my Nespresso
machine to stop
blinking so I can
make coffee. The
therapist told me
I might sleep better
that night, too.
I didn’t, but that
could have been due
to the excessive
amounts of
coffee I had.
- AMY STARR
COST:$90 PER SESSION