Extremely cold temperatures are one of the hottest beauty trends, says Jenny Needham

THERE’S a cool new weapon – freezing, actually – in the beauty therapist’s arsenal. It’s called Cryotherapy and there are reports that it’s taking Hollywood by storm. Where stars used to swear by Botox and fillers to deal with deep wrinkles, now they’re turning to Frotox.

From reducing wrinkles and boosting radiance to firming the skin, exposing the body to plummeting temperatures can have multiple beauty benefits, say the experts behind the procedures.

Cryotherapy can have health benefits too. It’s a super high-tech version of the bag of frozen peas that is applied to a sprained ankle, giving relief to the sufferer and starting the healing process. It’s also very versatile. “It did sound odd when I first heard about it, but it just had too many benefits not to try it,” says Darlington beauty salon owner Selena Blain. She trained on the system in Leeds – “the Leeds Rhinos rugby team use it for sports injuries” – and says the big freeze is effective for tackling everything from weight-loss and cellulite to acne, pulled muscles and even hair loss.

The Cryo Face Lift is a quick lunchtime treatment, with instant plumping effects and no downtime. It involves having a controlled stream of vaporised liquid nitrogen passed over the skin’s surface. The cold causes the blood vessels to contract and then dilate, which improves the oxygen and nutrient supply to the skin’s surface. By briefly freezing the outer layer of the skin, the deep layers of collagen are disrupted and respond by creating more collagen. As a result, the skin regains elasticity and appears both younger and smoother.

Although it can’t be billed as a “pampering” treatment, it isn’t painful, and is even strangely relaxing, though I did suffer a little bit from “brain-freeze” when Selena was concentrating the liquid nitrogen on my deep frown lines. The treatment begins with cleansing and exfoliating, and finishes with a face massage with oil.

The Cryo Face Lift had the effect of ironing out the deep facial lines around my mouth and forehead, and Selena says the skin continues to repair itself and produce more collagen long after the treatment has finished. The results are so instant it would make an excellent treatment before a special event.

Cryotherapy has also had good press on the body sculpting front and is being hailed as an alternative to more invasive treatments such as liposuction, partly because the extreme cold increases the body’s metabolic rate. “One of my clients has had three treatments so far on her thighs,” says Selena. “She has lost centimetres from them and it’s also had a very beneficial effect on her cellulite. You can burn 600 to 800 calories during the session as the body tries to warm itself up again.”

As if all that’s not enough, the sub-zero vapour also releases endorphins in the body and has been credited for helping with conditions such as anxiety and depression. Or perhaps it’s just the inch-loss that makes you feel happy…

W: cryotherapyuk.com

Cocoon Health & Beauty, 24 Coniscliffe Road, Darlington DL3 7RG. T: 01325-467700.

Body Sculpting: single treatment £90; course of six £440. Cryo Face Lift: £30; course of six £340. Sports and recovery: £30. Hair recovery: course of six £250.