Health and Wellness in Orange County: A Journey Through Red-Light Therapy and Cryotherapy

The Global Wellness Summit identified longevity clinics as the “fastest-growing business genre,” and they’ve popped up throughout Orange County—places that offer services from an infrared sauna to a cold plunge. One such spot is Newport Body Works in Costa Mesa, which offers a slew of modalities, including cryo-, float, and red-light therapies; compression sleeves; infrared sauna; and cold plunge, as well as IV therapy, facials, massages, and even Botox, PRP facials, and more. The staff is impressively knowledgeable and will walk you through the different benefits of each service to find what might work best for you. Each service takes place in a private room, so you can enjoy your 30-minute or hour-long experience alone. 

FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE 

I walked into the wellness and beauty lounge located in a Costa Mesa strip mall and was greeted by esthetician and manager Tiffany Pavon-Johnstone. After discussing what I’d like to target, we decided the red-light therapy, compression sleeves, and cryotherapy—something I’ve been nervous to try for years— would be the best options. 

The experience began in the red-light therapy and compression sleeve room, where I was able to choose from Normatec compression sleeves for my arms, legs, or hips. I opted for the hip sleeves. After Pavon-Johnstone clipped me in, I laid down on a reclined chair while the sleeves squeezed my upper thighs, then my waist, then my glutes. The squeezing felt like having my blood pressure taken, but I had the ability to adjust the constriction at any time. It was shocking how much the machine was squeezing me, but eventually I got used to it and even enjoyed it. And when it was over, I noticed the pain in my hips had subsided. Next, I stripped down, put on a pair of provided sunglasses, and sat on a cushion in between two infrared-light panels for 10 minutes. The treatment is said to improve sleep and skin complexion, facilitate tissue repair, and boost energy. 

Finally, I was led to the cryotherapy chamber. Pavon-Johnstone took my height measurements and adjusted the pads in the chamber so my head would stick out of the top, since the machine blows out nitrogen. The chamber takes about 10 minutes to start cooling down. In that time, I changed into a robe, gloves, and slippers. Once the machine was ready, Pavon-Johnstone helped me into the chamber, which reached -220 degrees, and took my robe. It felt similar to what I would imagine walking in a Costco freezer in your underwear would be like; surprisingly easier to do for three minutes than a cold plunge. Once time was up, she handed back my robe and I stepped out of the chamber. Did it work? Well, that night, I slept better than I had in days.