‘Cryotherapy' freezing treatment may heal injuries, slow signs of aging

Like most East Coasters, Ben Famiglietti has not enjoyed the chilly weather this winter. But that's not stopping the 43- year-old New Yorker from trying a "cool" health trend to help treat a sports injury.

"It's terrifically cold. It's like walking into an Arctic cloud. You go into this chamber that has no moisture and no pressure, so it's really cold," Famiglietti told FoxNews.com.

The cooling treatment, known as cryotherapy, requires spending time in a "cryosauna" that's cooled to -264 degrees. The method is not new, but it is said to reduce inflammation, improve athletic performance and even slow signs of aging.

"We always equate cold therapy (ice) with reduction of inflammation, and cryotherapy is used every day in some form or another. ‘Cryo-' meaning ‘cold,' has been harnessed in liquid nitrogen and is used as routine medical and surgical techniques," Dr. Kelly Powers, a podiatric surgeon at Stamford Hospital/NY Presbyterian, and in private practice in Greenwich, Conn., told FoxNews.com.