Skin Icing: benefits and false myths

Remember that picture of Bella Hadid with her face submerged in a bowl of water and ice cubes? The model's video was enough to make ice on the face the hottest beauty treatment of the moment. On TikTok, the hashtag #skinicing has passed the 50 million mark, and celebrities are paying big bucks to beauticians and beauty salons for frozen face rollers, frozen aloe vera and other sub-zero practises that promise to remove fatigue, puffiness and even signs of ageing from their faces. It seems that everyone who has tried it raves about it and swears that their skin has benefited greatly, but is this really the case or is it just another illusory promise from the beauty industry? What are the real benefits and possible advantages? Let's get this straight.

What is skin icing?

Skin Icing, also known as Ice Facial or Cold Therapy, is a beauty treatment that resembles a light do-it-yourself facial cryotherapy. It involves exposing the facial skin to intense cold for a few minutes by applying ice cubes or using specially frozen tools such as spheres or face rollers, as well as simple ice water baths or, for those seeking a more professional result, high-tech masks with a cooling effect. The goal? To deflate the face, achieve a firming effect, relieve redness, exfoliate and control impurities.

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What are the benefits of ice on the face?

The eyes in particular benefit from the treatment: dark circles under the eyes are softened by the cold. As beautician Katharine Mackenzie Paterson explains, low temperatures cause immediate vasoconstriction, which improves lymphatic circulation and reduces edema. They also reduce blood flow and promote oxygenation of the cells, which is cosmetically noticeable in less swelling and redness. Other positive effects of cold are the improvement of skin tone and radiance as well as the anti-inflammatory effect on redness, acne and enlarged pores. Icing the skin not only relieves itching and burning because it lightly numbs the nerve endings, but it can also control the oiliness of the skin.

Does it really work?

Currently, there are no scientific studies that show any real benefits of do-it-yourself skin icing. Most reports of positive results are anecdotal and subjective. These episodes mainly relate to the application of ice to acne pustules and enlarged pores. The improvement could be due to the anti-inflammatory effect and the moisturising and astringent properties of ice, which add firmness to the skin by eliminating excess sebum while reducing shine. However, it must be stressed that any effect of cold therapy is only temporary. While the use of ice rollers or other such compresses quickly and effectively reduces puffiness, pore size and redness, these results are always short-lived. Redness and skin sagging will return as the skin gets used to normal temperatures. In short, icing the skin brings instant but temporary satisfaction. And it is not a substitute for professional treatment, especially for severe acne or other skin conditions.

Possible contraindications

Icing the skin can cause redness and irritation in sensitive individuals. In particular, this type of skin care is not recommended for those suffering from rosacea and atopic dermatitis, as the change in temperature and the immediate effect of vasoconstriction and vasodilation may aggravate the condition itself and lead to capillary rupture and an exacerbation of skin dryness. In any case, however, care must be taken in do-it-yourself treatment and direct contact of the ice with the skin must be avoided so as not to risk cold burns. It is advisable to prefer professional cryotherapy treatments.

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Celebrities who use cold in their beauty routine

The divas of old Hollywood would do anything for the promise of an instant facelift that would erase the signs of everyday hangovers and make them beautiful for shoots and red carpets. Marilyn Monroe was famous for prepping her skin with refreshing ice baths. Back in 1947, Max Factor patented a beauty mask called Hangover Heaven, to which they applied lots of ice cubes. Just leave it on for a few minutes and voila: the face regained freshness and a spotlight-proof glow. For those who, like Joan Crawford in the cult film Mommie Dearest, dipped their faces in ice water as the first step in their morning beauty routine, it must have seemed like some kind of magic. But the old adage "If you want to be beautiful, you have to suffer" still holds true many years later, especially for models. Thirty years ago, Linda Evangelista swore that rubbing ice under the eyes was the best beauty hack before a photo shoot, and even today, the trend is more in vogue than ever. We have already talked about Bella Hadid and her sub-zero dips, but fans of the ice facial also include Kate Moss and Irina Shayk. Queen swears that soaking her face in a bowl of ice water and cucumber slices helps her deflate her bags: "If I wake up looking tired and my face puffy, I fill the sink with ice and cucumber, and dip my face in. It deflates you and makes you feel instantly awake. It's a little Joan Crawford but it works!" While Irina relies on Nicole Caroline Skin's Facial Ice Sphere to give more tone and glow to her beautiful face. "Trust me, it works, it's how we wake up every morning in Russia," she says as she demonstrates her daily beauty routine.

@thedermamamaph #facialicing #icing What it can & cannot do? For skin concerns, book an #onlineconsult with me via the @mWellPH app! #tiktoktrend #skintok #thedermamamaph #fyp original sound - Dr Jarische Lao-Ang 劉惠惠

How to perform an "ice facial" treatment

First, the face must be cleansed. Then, with a gentle cleanser remove makeup, dirt or oil. Use ice cubes or globes prepared in a well-cleaned and well-preserved container, preferably specially designed. Wrap the ice in a thin cloth or plastic wrap to avoid direct contact with the skin. Start with a patch test on a small area of skin to make sure there are no adverse reactions. Once you have ascertained that there are no problems, simply massage the skin on your face with an ice cube or one of your chosen tools, dwelling particularly on the eye area. Continue the beauty routine with serums, moisturizer and SPF.