For me, 2019 was the year in which I had the opportunity to try out a bunch of new trends (perhaps fads) of the beauty and wellness industries. I’m talking float therapy, microcurrent skin therapies, infrared sauna workouts and more. Some of them I have loved, others I found to be underwhelming at best. For the services I loved I’ve included a link to the place where I received the procedure.

Microcurrent Skin Therapy

I had the chance to try microcurrent skin therapy from the GinaMarie Skin Center, and it is one of my favorite treatments of the year. This is a non-invasive treatment that lifts and tones the facial muscles while stimulating circulation. Usually I have a hard time seeing the difference in my skin, but this was so obvious. My skin looked tighter and less wrinkled and the whole procedure is simple and pain free. It was just one more part of the facial I got there, and definitely something I would get again.

The sensation is hard to describe. The treatment uses low-voltage electricity to stimulate muscle, cell growth and collagen development. You can, at times, feel little painless pricks along your skin, as well as the taste of pennies in your mouth. None of those sensations last past the time of treatment.

Float Therapy

Float centers are beginning to pop up all over the place. Basically, you go and float in a bath of salt water for an hour in order to relax and alleviate stress. The salt keeps you afloat and relaxed in the tub. You could even doze off without the fear of drowning. The water is lukewarm and usually the tubs have dim lights and soothing music playing.

For me, it was an awkward hour of floating in water I wished was a little warmer, and not something that was truly relaxing. I’ve been told that it takes several float sessions to really feel calm and relaxed. The salt bath also dehydrated me significantly leading to a migraine the next day. No one mentioned the importance of hydrating before and after a float session. Also, if the salt water gets in your eyes - eek! Not fun.

Emsculpt

These 30-minute sessions usually target the abs or glutes to tone them at a faster rate than normal exercise can provide. I targeted the abs, which is always a problem area for me. Core is not my thing, even if I could squat for days. LOL. It is basically the same as doing 20,000 crunches at the gym - which we all know is impossible on a given day, and especially in only 30 minutes. It’s recommended to go four times in 2 weeks and then wait several months before going again. Results can take up to 3 months to appear.

The procedure is pretty painless. You do feel your muscles contracting and it can be uncomfortable at times, but nothing too crazy or impossible to deal with. After treatment my abs did feel a little sore, similar to if I had done a targeted-core workout at the gym.

Sadly, I saw no difference in the long run. No changes to my abdominal area and no additional strength in my core to speak of. I was really hoping to see a difference. I do know people who have seen a difference, so it might just depend on the person.

Infrared Sauna Workout

Burn twice the calories in half the time? Sign me up! Hotworx just opened in Chicago and I got to try the place out for a month. Basically you workout in an infrared sauna for less time than you would normally spend at the gym. When the temps are set at 120* or warmer you sweat a lot and you totally feel the burn. They offer 15 minute spin and blast classes as well as 30-minute yoga, Pilates and barre classes.

I would leave there literally dripping in sweat and feeling like I got in a serious workout. Although, according to my apple watch I didn’t necessarily burn any more calories than I would in a normal 60-minutes of working out at Orange Theory. I liked the added benefit of cleansing my body through all the sweating. Although, I will say at times breathing was more difficult because it is so dry in the sauna rooms.

Whole Body Cryotherapy

This is amazing and also hella cold! Basically, you get into a standing tank, with your head outside of it and then the temp is dropped in the tank somewhere between -166°F and -274°F thanks to gaseous nitrogen. You remain in the tank for up to 3 minutes - longest 3 minutes of your life, at least the first time around. The treatment is meant to reduce soreness, pain and inflammation, as well as improve sleep and overall health.

I first tried whole body Cryotherapy at CryoPure Spa in Highland Park after I ran the Chicago Marathon last year. I will admit the three minutes of being in a tank that cold was tough. But the results made it totally worth it. I had very little recovery time after the marathon, thanks in large part to this therapy! Usually it is a couple weeks after a marathon before I can even think about running again, but after doing this the day after the marathon,, I was back to working out later that week.

Cryoskin

This new technology freezes away the fat in a particularly troubled area - belly, thighs, love handles, etc… - to help slim and tone. (I imagine it is similar to coolsculpting, although I have not tried that.) Treatments take several 30 minute sessions in close succession and then follow-up treatments if you need an additional boost. The procedure is simple and painless. The technician applies a wand to the targeted area in a massaging motion. The wand is warm at first and then the temp drops in order to freeze away the fat cells.

I went for four sessions, targeting my abdominal area, but didn’t see any long-term difference. There was a slight difference in inches from the start of the treatment to the end of the 30-minut session, but that didn’t seen to last beyond the next day or so. With this treatment I did notice a little twinge of discomfort in the targeted area when working out the days after treatment. Nothing unbearable, but definitely there.

Have you tried any of these therapies, modern beauty technologies, or others out there? I’d love to hear your thoughts about them.