Booking your first cryotherapy session in Toronto? Here's exactly what to wear, how to prepare and what the 2–3 minutes in our North York cryosauna feel like — with the research behind it.
Key takeaways
- Wear minimal, dry clothing — underwear, plus a sports bra for women — and remove jewellery; we provide thermal gloves, socks, slippers and ear protection.
- Plan about 30 minutes for your first visit, which starts with a free consultation and contraindication review.
- Your skin must be completely dry, so shower and dry off if you've just trained.
- Sessions last 2–3 minutes (never more than 3); most people describe an intense but dry cold with tingling, and research suggests it feels less intense from the second session.
- The first-time whole body trial is $40 + HST; localized and cryofacial intro sessions are $35.
What should you wear for cryotherapy?
Quick answer: For whole body cryotherapy, wear minimal clothing — dry underwear, plus a sports bra for women — and take off all jewellery. We provide thermal gloves, socks, slippers and ear protection, and your skin must be completely dry. Plan about 30 minutes for your first visit, including a free consultation; the cold itself lasts 2–3 minutes.
Below is the full walk-through of a first cryotherapy session at our North York studio, based on how we've run sessions since 2013.
What to wear inside the cryosauna
- Women: dry underwear and a sports bra.
- Men: dry underwear.
- Everyone: nothing damp, nothing metal and nothing still holding sweat from a workout.
Minimal clothing is the norm in cryotherapy research, which typically exposes people to air at −110°C or colder for 1–4 minutes (Bouzigon et al., 2016). The idea is for the cold to reach as much skin as possible, while your hands and feet — which tend to get cold first — stay covered.
What we provide
You don't need any special gear. Every whole body cryotherapy session includes thermal gloves, socks, slippers and ear protection from the studio. Your head stays above the top of the open cabin the whole time, so you never breathe the nitrogen vapour.
What to wear to the studio
Arrive in comfortable clothes that are easy to take off and put back on — some people wear their sports bra or underwear underneath so changing is quicker.
Why jewellery comes off
Rings, necklaces, earrings, watches and any removable piercings come off before you step in. Metal chills quickly in extreme cold and can become uncomfortably cold against your skin.
Why dry skin matters
Water on the skin — sweat, shower water, a damp waistband — draws heat away far faster than dry air, which is why we confirm that skin and clothing are completely dry before every session. If you're coming from the gym, shower and dry off first.
How do you book your first cryotherapy appointment in Toronto?
Booking a cryotherapy appointment in Toronto with us is simple: call (416) 509-4555, email admin@cryotherapytoronto.ca or use our contact page. We see clients Monday to Friday 9am–6pm and Saturday 10am–4pm, by appointment. Since 2013 we've delivered 15,000+ sessions and hold a 5.0★ Google rating from 135+ reviews.
The studio is at 4646 Dufferin St, Unit 3, Suite 23 in North York — on Dufferin Street just south of Finch Avenue West, about 2 km north of Highway 401 (Dufferin St exit). TTC buses run along both Dufferin Street and Finch Avenue West.
What happens at your first visit
- Free one-on-one consultation covering your health history and goals.
- Contraindication review to check cryotherapy is appropriate for you (see below).
- A personalised plan: which service fits and how often to come.
- Your first session, if everything checks out.
Plan for about 30 minutes. The first-time whole body trial is $40 (plus HST), so you can see how your body responds before committing.
Who shouldn't do cryotherapy? The health screening explained
Extreme cold is a genuine physical stress, so screening is part of every first visit. During the consultation we review contraindications — conditions where cryotherapy isn't appropriate or needs medical clearance first. They include:
- Heart and circulation: uncontrolled high blood pressure, recent heart attack or heart surgery, heart failure, unstable angina, valve disease, a pacemaker, peripheral arterial disease, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and circulatory or clotting disorders.
- Neurological: seizure disorders or a history of stroke.
- Cold sensitivity: Raynaud's, cold urticaria, cryoglobulinemia, cold-induced asthma and prior frostbite.
- Other conditions: severe anemia, sickle cell disease, COPD, acute kidney or urinary disease, chronic liver disease, severe hypothyroidism, vasculitis, severe claustrophobia and open wounds.
- Situations: pregnancy, a fever or acute respiratory illness, or alcohol or drugs in your system. Under-18s need parental consent plus medical clearance.
The full list is on our contraindications page. If any of these apply, or you're unsure about a condition, speak with your physician before booking.
What the safety research says
A 2023 scoping review by an international consortium identified 16 documented adverse events across five case reports and two randomised trials. It concluded that the risks of chamber-based whole-body cryotherapy are within acceptable limits and can be prevented by following recommendations, contraindications and common-sense guidelines (Legrand et al., 2023). The authors also point out that open-top nitrogen cabins — the cryosauna format we use, with your head outside — are a different method that researchers often call partial-body cryotherapy, and that some publicised safety concerns came from that format. We explain the difference in our cryo chamber vs cryosauna guide.
That's why our fundamentals never change: careful screening, completely dry skin, sessions capped at 3 minutes and a trained technician present for every session. For possible reactions, read our cryotherapy side effects and safety guide.
How to prepare for cryotherapy: your pre-visit checklist
Run through this list the day before and again before you leave home:
- Read our contraindications list and get your physician's input if anything applies.
- Book a time that leaves about 30 minutes for your first visit.
- Under 18? Bring parental consent and medical clearance.
- Feverish or coming down with a respiratory illness? Reschedule.
- Skip alcohol and recreational drugs beforehand.
- Wear or pack dry underwear, plus a sports bra for women.
- Leave jewellery at home, or plan to remove it — including piercings where possible.
- If you've trained, shower and dry off completely, and skip heavy lotions or oils.
- Choose easy on, easy off clothes for afterwards.
- Note any recent health changes or questions to raise in your consultation.
You don't need to bring gloves, socks, slippers or ear protection — those are provided.
What does cryotherapy feel like? A minute-by-minute guide
If you're picturing a plunge into an icy lake, most people describe it differently: intensely cold, but dry and short. The cryosauna surrounds your body with nitrogen vapour at between −110°C and −195°C, and sessions last 2–3 minutes, never more than 3. Here's how a typical first session unfolds:
| Time | What's happening | What most people describe |
|---|---|---|
| Before you start | Gloves, socks, slippers and ear protection on; the technician confirms your skin is dry and your head sits above the cabin. | Nerves or anticipation — normal for a first session. |
| 0:00–0:30 | Cold vapour begins to flow around your body. | A sharp, bracing rush of cold and often a quick intake of breath; slow, steady breathing helps. |
| 0:30–1:30 | Skin temperature falls quickly; deeper tissues change very little. | Tingling or prickling across the skin, a pins-and-needles feeling; the cold feels dry rather than wet. |
| 1:30–2:00 | Cooling continues while the technician checks in with you. | The most intense stretch — very cold but, for most people, manageable. |
| 2:00–3:00 | Final stretch; the session ends by 3 minutes at the latest. | Many people find counting down or chatting helps. |
| First minutes after | You step out, dress and your skin begins to rewarm. | Pink, tingly skin and a sense of warmth returning; many people say they feel alert. |
You can end the session early at any point — just tell your technician.
Why the first session feels the most intense
Research suggests your first session is likely to feel the coldest. In a study of women doing 2-minute chamber sessions at −110°C three times a week for three months, cold sensation was already less intense by the second exposure, and 98% of comfort ratings immediately after sessions were "comfortable" or "slightly uncomfortable" (Smolander et al., 2004). It was a small study, but an encouraging one for first-timers.
Why it feels different for different people
Skin cooling isn't identical for everyone. After 2 minutes at −110°C (following 30 seconds at −60°C), women's skin temperature dropped more than men's (about 12°C versus 10°C), and people with higher body fat cooled more than leaner people (Hammond et al., 2014). So if a friend found it easy and you don't, that's normal — tell your technician how you're feeling.
What does the technician do during your cryotherapy session?
A trained technician is present for every session in our studio — you're never left alone in the cryosauna. Their job is to:
- Confirm your consultation and contraindication review are complete.
- Check that your skin is dry, your jewellery is off and your gloves, socks, slippers and ear protection are on.
- Make sure your head stays above the top of the cabin, so you breathe room air rather than vapour.
- Talk you through each stage and check in on how you're feeling.
- Watch how you respond, end the session early if needed — and always by the 3-minute cap.
- Recommend a schedule if you decide to continue.
What happens after your first cryotherapy session?
Once the session ends you step out, get dressed and start rewarming straight away. What you notice is mostly happening at skin level. In one study, a 4-minute chamber exposure at −110°C — longer than our sessions — cooled thigh skin by about 12°C immediately afterwards, while muscle temperature fell by only around 1–2°C and core temperature by about 0.3°C, with those deeper drops largest at the one-hour mark (Costello et al., 2012).
Warming up
Most people describe skin that looks pink and tingles as it rewarms. Dressing promptly and moving around — a short walk or some gentle stretching — is an easy way to feel warm again, and most people carry on with their day afterwards.
Training and activity
If you're using cryotherapy around workouts, ask your technician how to time sessions with your training; if you train first, you'll need to be completely dry before stepping in. If you notice anything that concerns you afterwards — for example, skin irritation that doesn't fade — contact us and speak with your physician.
For a closer look at the hours and days that follow, see what to expect after cryotherapy.
How is a first localized cryotherapy or cryofacial session different?
Not every first visit involves the cryosauna. Our other two cold services are quicker to prepare for:
| First visit | Whole body | Localized | Cryofacial |
|---|---|---|---|
| What to wear | Dry underwear (plus a sports bra for women); we provide gloves, socks, slippers and ear protection | Clothing that gives easy access to the treatment zone | You stay dressed |
| Area treated | Whole body, with your head above the cabin | One focused zone | Face, neck and scalp area |
| First-visit price | $40 trial | $35 intro | $35 intro |
| Downtime | Most people carry on with their day | None | None |
Localized cryotherapy
Localized cryotherapy directs cold air at one zone — a knee, shoulder, back, elbow, hip, neck, wrist or ankle. Wear shorts for a knee or a loose top for a shoulder. Nearby related areas are often included; separate regions may cost extra.
Cryofacial
A cryofacial is a quick cold-air facial for the face, neck and scalp area, designed to reduce the look of puffiness and leave skin looking brighter and tighter — an easy fit for a busy day.
How many cryotherapy sessions will you need, and what does it cost?
Some people feel relief after a single session. For chronic issues or athletic goals, most of our clients see their best results with 2–3 sessions per week; your technician will recommend a schedule. Our guide to how often you should do cryotherapy goes deeper.
It's worth being honest about the evidence. A Cochrane review found insufficient evidence to determine whether whole-body cryotherapy reduces muscle soreness after exercise compared with rest; the four small trials it included were rated very low quality (Costello et al., 2015). That's one reason we suggest starting with a trial and judging how your own body responds.
| Whole body cryotherapy | Price (CAD, + 13% HST) | Per session |
|---|---|---|
| First-time trial | $40 | $40 |
| Single session | $60 | $60 |
| 5 sessions | $275 | $55 |
| 10 sessions | $500 | $50 |
| 15 sessions | $720 | $48 |
Packages never expire and are tied to the purchaser, and gift cards are available. Localized cryotherapy and cryofacial intro sessions are $35, and Bundle & Save add-ons start from $30. See our full pricing for every package.
Ready for your first cryotherapy session in Toronto? Call (416) 509-4555 to book your $40 trial and free consultation at our North York studio.
Frequently asked questions
Can I wear clothes during whole body cryotherapy?
Should I shower before cryotherapy?
How long does a first cryotherapy appointment take?
Will I feel claustrophobic or breathe in the nitrogen vapour?
Do I need a doctor's note for cryotherapy?
Is the $40 cryotherapy trial in Toronto worth it before buying a package?
Sources & further reading
- Legrand FD, Dugué B, Costello J, Bleakley C, Miller E, Broatch JR, et al. Evaluating safety risks of whole-body cryotherapy/cryostimulation (WBC): a scoping review from an international consortium. Eur J Med Res. 2023;28(1):387. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37770960/
- Bouzigon R, Grappe F, Ravier G, Dugué B. Whole- and partial-body cryostimulation/cryotherapy: current technologies and practical applications. J Therm Biol. 2016;61:67-81. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27712663/
- Costello JT, Culligan K, Selfe J, Donnelly AE. Muscle, skin and core temperature after −110°C cold air and 8°C water treatment. PLoS One. 2012;7(11):e48190. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23139763/
- Hammond LE, Cuttell S, Nunley P, Meyler J. Anthropometric characteristics and sex influence magnitude of skin cooling following exposure to whole body cryotherapy. Biomed Res Int. 2014;2014:628724. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25061612/
- Smolander J, Mikkelsson M, Oksa J, Westerlund T, Leppäluoto J, Huttunen P. Thermal sensation and comfort in women exposed repeatedly to whole-body cryotherapy and winter swimming in ice-cold water. Physiol Behav. 2004;82(4):691-5. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15327918/
- Costello JT, Baker PR, Minett GM, Bieuzen F, Stewart IB, Bleakley C. Whole-body cryotherapy (extreme cold air exposure) for preventing and treating muscle soreness after exercise in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015;2015(9):CD010789. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26383887/
Try cryotherapy in Toronto
New clients start with a $40 first visit including a free one-on-one consultation. 4646 Dufferin St, North York · Since 2013 · 15,000+ sessions · 5.0★ from 135+ Google reviews.