Experience Glacial Rx, The Cooling, Anti-Inflammation Skin Treatment Perfect For Travel And Summer

Even though cryotherapy, a method using near-freezing temperatures to improve skin health (think cryo facials and skin icing) is trending in the beauty and wellness worlds now, the issue is how regrettably superficial and short-lived results are.

Enter Glacial Rx, the world’s only FDA-cleared CryoAesthetic™ treatment enlisting precision cooling to fight skin inflammation (skinflammation), brighten complexions, and remove dark spots for long-lasting, medical-grade results. Even better? Each session can be scheduled when it’s convenient for you, including before a long flight or intense workout. On top of that, there is zero pain so no anesthesia is necessary, and you can resume to your normal life right away.

As someone who’s battled melasma, eczema, and overly flushed skin for ages, I was intrigued by the prospects of achieving calmer, more comfortable skin quickly with no downtime. With that in mind, I turned to Lucia Miranda, a licensed medical aesthetician at New York City’s Shafer Clinic Fifth Avenue. After a brief consultation, we decided on three treatments spaced a month apart.

Ahead of my first visit, there wasn’t much prep aside from putting retinoids on pause a few days before, and waiting at least two weeks after injectibles. As I got settled in Miranda’s chair, she went into what makes Glacial Rx so groundbreaking. It features three customizable therapies administered with a handheld device using assorted metal plates: Glacial Gloss—imagine a cooling sensation followed by gentle dermabrasion—Glacial Glade, which continually cools the skin, and Glacial Freeze, a precise and targeted cold technology that removes benign lesions like age spots. In short? Glacial Rx is one of those rare aesthetic procedures that can benefit everyone.

My first session, which lasted about an hour, was nothing short of relaxing thanks to Miranda’s detail-oriented care and easygoing demeanor. She opted to use just the Gloss and Glide, and as promised, my complexion had an undeniably luminous, glassy glow right after. The usual redness was also significally dialed down, while the texture was extra plump. But the best part was how healthy my skin looked for days, not just hours, after. (The two products every patient is sent home with, Allies of Skin’s Mandelic Pigment Corrector Serum and Molecular Barrier Recovery Cream Balm, certainly help.)

My second time in, I asked Miranda to incorporate the Glacial Freeze. I was curious if the appearance if some pesky dark spots on my hands and face could be diminished so easily. After using the Gloss and Glide as with the first session, Miranda applied a cooling gel to the treatment areas, adjusted the device’s settings to my skintone, then applied it to each spot for about 15 seconds. While I could feel the “freezing” during the Cryomodulation™, the sting was fleeting and totally tolerable. Unlike other dark spot removal methods that leave crusting and scabs, after Glacial Freeze you’ll have red skin for maybe up to a week. Following that, you’ll notice the treated area fade and get lighter. (Again, using Allies of Skin’s serum post-treatment or your favorite skin brightening product will help.)

I arrived at my third and last session with exceptionally angry skin. I’d just gotten home from London, and forgot to pack steroid cream—resulting in a beet-red and itchy neck from yet another eczema flareup. Though I knew the Gloss and Glide would cool down my inflamed skin, I didn’t expect it to stay calm for so long afterwards. (My eczema is very stubborn.) In addition, I was overjoyed with how effective Freeze was on my arms and legs, where more dark spots kept reminding me of my age and irresponsible, sunblock-free days. (I was especially amazed at how a large spot on my left thigh seemed to vanish overnight.)

After experiencing Glacial Rx three times—especially when I had different needs and requests each visit—and seeing nothing but visible, lasting results, I can highly recommend it as the perfect antidote for these hot summer months, and a terrific treatment for people who are always traveling and on the go.

* The cost depends on the clinic, but Shafer Clinic Fifth Avenue charges $800 for the Glide technique, $1,500 for Gloss, and $500 for the Focused Freeze Spot Treatment. Treatments are completely customized for every client.