Everything you'd ask before booking.

For 3 mins you are inside an electrically temperature-controlled room (think of a very efficient AC) which, using cold & dry air, will expose your whole body to temperatures down to −90°C.

There is hence a great difference between an electric whole body cryotherapy chamber and the lower quality nitrogen cryotherapy machines, as with an electric chamber:

• you are no longer exposed to hazardous gas or risk leaving with frost bites or burns;
• you can now expose your head, where 30% of all your cold receptors are located, to the cold and move inside the chamber to improve further the benefits;
• finally, electric chambers offer an even cooling of the whole body in the oxygen enriched cold room, which nitrogen alternative (the gas being heavier than oxygen) cannot.

Cryotherapy has already been around for more than 40 years and if you are in good health, it is perfectly safe as long as you are not wearing any jewellery or have exposed metallic clothing parts touching your skin.

We will provide you with clothing garments to protect sensitive body parts (facemask, earmuffs, gloves, socks, slippers, …).

You will be surprised how enjoyable such cold is, as the air in the chamber is extremely dry making it quite easy to handle.

The treatment is usually 3–4 min long.

The whole session can last as little as 15min if you count 5min on each side of the treatment to change in and out of the protective gear we'll supply.

No, you do not need to take a shower neither before nor after.

The treatment does not leave your skin wet and you'll be hence ready to go as soon as out!

No, you cannot catch a cold in the chamber. On the contrary, cryotherapy further stimulates your immune system making you less prone to catching colds in the future.

You will be given for your treatment:

• Ladies — shorts, sports bra, socks, slippers, gloves, protection for your ears and a facemask.
• Gents — shorts, socks, slippers, gloves, protection for your ears and a facemask.

Yes, absolutely. A training session before (ie. having your cryo session to recover while being on the afterburn effect) or after will stimulate your blood circulation and boost your metabolism. You just cannot enter the chamber too wet or sweaty, that's all!

By exposing your body to extreme temperatures, you are increasing your metabolic rate by up to 350%. The brain will tell the rest of your body to rush blood to your core and protect your main organs. As such the body will start working on warming you up, which as a result will burn energy and glucose to generate such heat, allowing you to lose up to 800 calories in a session depending on your body type.

It really depends of your objective (recovery after gym, help repairing a ligament or muscle injury, just have a mental boost or lose weight). Some people do several sessions a week and some others space them by several days or weeks. You can use the chamber everyday — limited to once a day.

Yes, the effects are different. In a traditional ice bath cold water causes the body to warm blood in its core to transport to dilated vessels in outer tissue, forcing the body to overexert itself in preventing the skin's surface from freezing. In WBC, cold air is used instead of cold water, causing the body to respond to triggered cold sensors in the skin's surface instead of the deeply penetrating cold of the ice bath. While in a cold bath your body actually feels like it's freezing, WBC "tricks" the body into applying ameliorated healing mechanisms without the penetrating cold. The result is a more comfortable healing experience where the total time your body is exposed to air in the WBC session is never more than 3 minutes.

You should not do cryotherapy if you have any of the following conditions:

• Pregnancy
• Moderately or severely elevated blood pressure (blood pressure above 180/95 mmHg)
• An acute heart attack, or a heart attack within the past 6 months
• Unstable angina pectoris: chest pain that occurs without direct cause and will not simply cease by itself (imminent heart attack)
• Cardiac arrhythmias
• Cardiovascular diseases in which symptoms are present
• A pacemaker
• Intermittent claudication (also called peripheral arterial disease)
• Venous thrombosis: a blood clot in the veins
• Acute cerebral haemorrhage or a stroke in the past
• Epileptic seizures
• Raynaud's phenomenon
• Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome
• Fever
• Cancer
• Lung conditions in which symptoms are present
• Bleeding disorders
• Severe anaemia
• Acute claustrophobia (fear of small or confined spaces)
• Cold allergy
• Persons younger than 18 years old (parental consent is required for treatment)
• Acute kidney diseases and acute disorders of the urinary tract

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is a method of delivering oxygen (as well as molecular Hydrogen in our chamber) into the body under increased atmospheric pressure.

At normal atmospheric pressure (1 ATA) we breathe in 21% oxygen and 78% nitrogen. This oxygen is filtered and supplied to the red blood cells which become fully saturated at around 98% and are unable to carry additional oxygen.

Pressurisation is required to dissolve oxygen and provide an additional transport mechanism — blood plasma. When our chamber is pressurised, oxygen is dissolved into the blood plasma, increasing oxygen concentration and enabling the oxygen to permeate tissues and cells, get into your spinal fluid as well as brain. When pressurised at 1.35 ATA, the equivalent of 3.5 metres underwater, the oxygen concentration in our blood increases from 21.0% at sea level to 28.35%. This results in a significant 35% increase of oxygen circulating throughout our body.

The more oxygen means more energy for brain function, heart, liver, immune system, muscles to promote healing, recovery, rejuvenation and relaxation.

Yes, it is a safe, non-medical wellness therapy that safely increases oxygen and molecular hydrogen saturation. In our clinic we do not increase pressure above 1.35 ATA (Atmospheric pressure), which provides a very safe and comfortable environment for most patients. If you are uncomfortable at any time, the pressure can be decreased by yourself while inside the chamber. It is also important to note that our chamber does not operate with bottled oxygen.

This is a distinct advantage as it removes the associated risks known to be present with supplementary bottled oxygen (for example, oxygen toxicity). You may feel mild ear discomfort similar to the ear pressure felt when ascending or descending in altitude on an airplane. These discomforts may be minimized by choosing a slower speed setting for the pressurisation.

The Hydroxy function of our chamber takes the benefits of oxygen therapy to an even higher efficiency level by adding Molecular Hydrogen to the treatment.

Hydrogen is a scientifically proven antioxidant that remediates free radicals and oxidative stress, which is one of the most fundamental mechanisms that destroys human health. That's why hydrogen is such an effective tool to prevent disease, degeneration and ageing resulting from oxidation. In fact, hydrogen is shown to benefit virtually every organ of the human body. It has shown to:

• Offer potent anti-inflammatory benefits
• Relieve PTSD, anxiety, depression
• Reduce oxidative stress throughout the body
• Aid in recovery for TBI and post-concussion syndrome
• Help with both Osteo and Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Improve Cholesterol profiles
• Improve Cognitive function
• Improve Skin
• Enhance general cellular protection
• Aid in recovery and enhance athletic performance

Molecular Hydrogen has been studied since the 1940s and no toxic effects of hydrogen consumption have ever been reported. Hydrogen is completely natural and an essential element for life. It's present in water and almost all the molecules in living things. This is one of the reasons hydrogen inhalation therapy is so effective — our body is already wired to recognise it at a cellular level.

There are many reported benefits of HBOT in treating traumatic, acute, and chronic diseases and conditions including:

• Reduces pain & inflammation
• Improves cellular metabolism / efficiency
• Promotes better sleep, relaxation and stress management
• Increased memory and cognitive function
• Increases blood flow / circulation
• Improves immune function (increases white blood cell production)
• Promotes new blood vessel growth
• Assists neural tissue healing / regeneration
• Promotes wound healing
• Reduces swelling and oedema
• Increases production of collagen
• Reduces pain in certain conditions
• Improves rate of healing from surgeries and injury
• Improves recovery from athletic over-training / injury

No. While hyperbaric therapy and molecular hydrogen are shown to have positive effects for numerous health conditions, they are just as useful to those looking to improve their overall health and wellbeing baseline, as well as using it as a preventative measure to age-related conditions & diseases.

We cater to the individual needs and no one person is like the next. We have a range of packages available for HBOT so that we can help you achieve the greatest benefits for your body and objectives. The gold standard of care for healing is 20–40 sessions with a 2–3 day per week schedule for anyone suffering from acute or chronic injuries / conditions. As a health supplement, we recommend it as an addition to your weekly routine to avoid illness and help prevent degeneration associated with ageing. Some people will choose to take up 1–2 sessions per week to improve their general health and wellbeing baseline.

Your Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy session is 60 minutes in total — 45 minutes at full pressure, with gentle compression and decompression either side.

During hyperbaric hydroxy therapy, the air pressure in the chamber is about 1.35 atmospheric pressure. The increased air pressure will create a temporary feeling of fullness in your ears — similar to what you might feel in an airplane. For most people this feeling abates once the chamber is fully pressurised. You can relieve that feeling by yawning, swallowing, pinching your nose to close nostrils and breathing out while the chamber is in the pressurisation process. If any ear discomfort persists you will have to stop the session. You will be able to adjust pressure, speed and can stop the session yourself inside the chamber.

It is advisable that you wear comfortable, loose clothing. We can also provide you with a dressing gown if needed.

We recommend not to drink large amounts of fluids before entering the chamber. If you are Diabetic or have problems with your blood sugar, please eat a snack prior to your session. Eating and drinking is not permitted inside the chamber.

We kindly ask our clients to NOT use any perfume or cologne when you are coming for your session. We do have individuals that enter the chamber after you, who might be sensitive to chemicals / strong smells.

The sessions are 60 minutes in total and for most people it is a very relaxing experience, so we welcome you to close your eyes and take advantage of some rest and relaxation and get some time away from your phone and computer. However, if you like, you can bring electronic devices such as mobile phones, tablets, or laptops inside the chamber, so there's no need for you to feel bored or cut off from the outside world.

And you can also simply take a power nap inside the chamber.

Yes, you can do Cryotherapy either before or after your session, depending how you want to leave Le Chalet. Whole Body Cryotherapy can leave you very energised, whereas the HBOT can leave you quite relaxed.

The first few sessions can leave you feeling sleepy by the end of the day. This is because HBOT leads to parasympathetic activity and an increased vagal tone.

HBOT can make you feeling relaxed and contribute to a deep sleep when you go to bed.

Since our Hydroxy chamber has a detoxifying effect on the body, you may experience a slight headache after your first few sessions, so we recommend to drink plenty of fluid after your session to minimise any discomfort.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a non-invasive and safe procedure. Hyperbaric therapy has demonstrated excellent safety records and generally is an extremely safe procedure. Serious adverse reactions are very rare, and generally not seen at lower ATA levels provided by our Hydroxy chamber.

The only contraindications for hyperbaric oxygen therapy are:

• Untreated pneumothorax (collapsed lung).
• Eardrum perforation (hole in your eardrum).
• Any current conditions that would hinder you to fully equalise your ears. Like a congested nose, allergies or any past surgeries to your ear.
• Any contagious diseases.
• If you are pregnant.

Relative contraindications are:

• If you are taking any medications. HBOT may enhance the effectiveness or increase the metabolism (decrease the effectiveness) of medication you are taking. Please check with your Health Care Professional prior to your session to obtain approval if you are taking any medications.
• If you are suffering from claustrophobia or confinement anxiety: since you are in a closed environment, claustrophobia may occur.
• If you have a history of seizure disorders, epilepsy or convulsions / fits within the last 12 months.
• If you have or have ever had asthma.
• If you have serious illness, e.g. cancer.

For all conditions mentioned above we will need a note from your GP prior to your session to obtain approval.