It is common to apply ice to an area of the body for health purposes. This method is known as cold therapy, or cryotherapy. It is commonly used in treating injuries by temporarily reducing nerve activity to relieve pain. Icing is known to lessen swelling by reducing blood flow and to promote soft tissue healing.
Icing is also beneficial for the face. In this article, we will show you different ways on how to use ice therapy for various facial conditions.
The simple way to apply ice therapy for your face
Roll four or five ice cubes in a clean and soft cotton cloth then gently massage your face with circular motions for a minute or two. You can do this a few times every day on your jawline, chin, lips, nose, cheeks and forehead. Ice helps hydrate and moisturize the skin and gets rid of oils that can cause acne. It also helps numb pain and irritation caused by rashes or sunburn.
There are various methods on how to apply ice on the face. Ice facials and ice masks are two ways that ensure maximum coverage, simultaneously applying ice therapy to several parts of the face.
The benefits of ice therapy for facial treatments
Ice for puffy eyes
A simple way to treat your puffy eyes is to apply a cold compress to the area with mild pressure for a few minutes.
For a more complete treatment, you can also use a face ice mask to do this. Redness and “puffiness” are symptoms of water retention that can be dispersed with the use of the mask. Face ice masks can cover your whole face and you can use it as a remedy and keep it everywhere as first aid. It is perfect for sleeping, and it also helps to get relief from any migraine pain.
Ice for acne
Apply ice to treat acne reduces the inflammation caused by pimples. Using ice face masks are great for this.
Ice masks and facials also have the potential to decrease redness, thereby making your pimples less noticeable. Because of the numbing qualities of ice, ice masks and ice facials can also treat pain that occurs with cystic and nodular acne.
Do note, however, there’s no concrete evidence available to indicate that ice alone is an effective treatment for pimples. Ice masks and facials should only be a part of an entire skin care routine that includes regular cleanses, a moisturizer designed for your skin type and non-comedogenic makeup.
If using ice facials to address acne, change your ice and wrapping often to avoid spreading bacteria from one part of your face to another.
Before placing the ice masks against your skin, wrap it in a thin cloth or thick paper towel.
Apply the ice to your pimples for one-minute increments only. You can try this for one minute after your morning and evening face cleanses. If your pimple is extremely inflamed, you can follow up with multiple increments — just make sure you leave about five minutes in between each minute. This helps to prevent skin damage.
Ice for rosacea
If you struggle with redness or rosacea, experts caution against applying anything that’s too hot or cold to the face. Always watch the temperature on anything you apply to your sensitive skin. Work with your dermatologist on a strategy for controlling rosacea flares.
However, you can still reduce the flushing of the skin by applying an ice cube to the roof of your mouth. This area of your mouth is a receptor site that constricts blood vessels in the face when cooled, according to Dr. Francesca Fusco, a dermatologist at Wexler Dermatology in New York City.
Ice doesn’t have to be frozen water
Some advocates of natural healing suggest replacing the water in your ice cubes with other ingredients, such as aloe vera and green tea, which can fine-tune the facial treatment for specific conditions.
Aloe vera is used for a number of skin conditions. However, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health says there’s no sufficient scientific evidence to support aloe for healing wounds or any of its other popular uses.
Practitioners of natural healing, however, claim that aloe can soothe sunburn and acne. If you don’t have frozen aloe, you can apply aloe gel to your skin before doing your regular ice facial.
Meanwhile, a study published in the British Journal of Pharmacology in 2013 suggests that the catechins in green tea are antiviral and antibacterial. That means using ice cubes made from green tea can combine the benefits of ice on your face with virus- and bacteria-killing properties.
Tips for facial icing
Before giving ice facials a try, discuss it with your doctor or dermatologist. They may have some concerns or suggestions for your skin condition, medications you may be taking, and current health status.
If your health provider agrees with you using ice for your face, you can do the following tips:
- Use a dedicated ice tray for the cubes you’ll be using for your face. Clean it after each use.
- Always wash your face before icing.
- Keep a clean washcloth or tissue handy to wipe excess liquid that might drip from your face.
- Use a cloth or some other barrier between the ice and your skin. This will protect your hands and face.
- Avoid holding the ice on your skin for too long. Prolonged exposure to freezing temperatures can result in ice burn.
Got a question or anything I can help with? My name is Steve Stretton, and I’m the owner and manager at Gelpacks.com. You can drop me a line here. Good luck!