The Benefits of Taking an Ice Bath for Your Skin

There’s nothing more refreshing than an Ice Bath after a thorough workout! While the initial dip might feel like a severe shock to the system, when you get out of the bath you’ll feel like a new person! Ice baths have been used for years and the effects and benefits of this therapy has been and continue to be studied on a regular basis. 

While many assume the benefits of ice baths stop at athletes, the cold plunge is also known to have some pretty impressive results for your skin. In this article, we’ll explore how taking an ice bath can be beneficial for your skin. 

Man Standing in the Frozen River and Holding a Disposable Cup

What is an Ice Bath?

As its name suggests, an Ice bath, also known as Cold Water Therapy, involves taking a bath in extremely cold water that’s usually filled with ice. Generally, you’ll slip into the water for between 5 to 15 minutes. Ice baths are favoured by athletes because the sudden shock to your body kick starts your body’s recovery process, assisting them to recover faster so they can get back to training sooner. 

The science behind Cold Water Therapy

Charles University conducted an experiment to establish the impact of cold water therapy on people and found that when our bodies are exposed to cold water, our metabolic rates skyrocket, increasing by about 350% in an attempt to warm up the body. As this happens, the body also releases large amounts of plasma noradrenaline and dopamine, which help regulate how our bodies respond to stress. In addition to this, cold water also affects the body’s circulation and neural conducting and causes our muscles to contract. As a result, it can assist in exfoliating the skin, balancing out the sebum levels and reducing acne as well as blocked pores. 

The Benefits of Taking an Ice Bath for Your Skin

Now that we know a little more about how ice baths, let’s consider their benefits. It’s helpful to remember that everyone reacts differently to these kinds of treatments. So, it’s suggested that you check with a doctor before taking one in case you have any underlying conditions that might be negatively affected by it. With that in mind, learn more about the benefits of taking an ice bath:

Increases blood circulation

When you dive into cold water, you instantly feel more alert, right? This is because the shock of the cold water triggers a similar reaction to the fight-or-flight response you’d have in a triggering situation. To combat the cold, your heart starts pumping blood throughout the body more effectively. Better blood results in more oxygen and other important nutrients being delivered throughout the body, improving its ability to recover and rebuild damaged tissue, including injured skin cells. 

Reduces inflammation

In addition to improving circulation, taking an ice bath will also help reduce inflammation around the body. When we get injured, blood rushes to those areas which can often make them feel more painful. When you take an ice bath, the cold water can counteract this effect, slowing the inflammation and alleviating the pressure. 

Exfoliates your skin

People lose about 5 billion skin cells a day on average. Often, these dead skin cells fall off us or just rest on our skin. By taking an ice bath, you can remove these dead skin cells, allowing your body to regenerate newer, healthy cells that’ll give your skin and overall better look. 

Controlling oils that cause blemishes

When you take a dip in cold water, your skin tightens causing your pores to get smaller too. This reduces the amount of sebum your skin produces, effectively reducing acne and other blemishes that may develop. 

Alleviating sunburn

The Australian sun can be unforgiving at times, and, if you’re not careful, you’ll end up a bit well done by it. Taking a nice cool ice bath is a great way to alleviate the effects of a severe sunburn. While getting into the water might give you more of a shock because the base temperature of your skin feels hotter, the ensuing cool sensation will relief the pain your feeling and make you feel a little more comfortable.

Factors to consider when taking an ice bath

Taking an ice bath isn’t rocket science, but there are some things you need to consider before doing so. For instance, the bath needs to be easy to get into and out of. Sometimes, your body might not react well to the temperature of the water, causing it to cramp or seize up. Because of this, you should be able to get out with ease if you need to and have a warm towel nearby to increase your base temperature, just in case. Likewise, the area around you shouldn’t be slippery when wet, either. Ensure that there’s a rubber mat or something that’ll give you traction when you step out of the bath. 

Final thoughts

Whether you’re worried about wrinkles forming or simply need something to rejuvenate your skin, taking an ice bath is clearly a beneficial way to look after and improve your skin’s health. From increasing your blood circulation to exfoliating your skin, the results will be great. So, what are you waiting for, chill out and enjoy the benefits of a lovely ice bath!

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