In a wellness centre, once you have enjoyed a warm environment in a sauna or steam room session, it is recommended to take a cold contrast therapy to complete the whole wellness experience.
The aim of this treatment is to create a thermal contrast that helps dilation, circulation and vasoconstriction.
There are several cold wellness solutions, some using water and others using air. The cold water bath or cold plunge offers a very high and sharp contrast. This can be too much for some users who prefer a smoother and more progressive cold contrast experience.
One of the alternatives that is gaining more weight in the wellness industry is the installation of an ice cabin.
Ice cabins in Spa and Wellness centres around the world are growing in popularity. It consists of a closed cabin, like a cold room, which integrates a wall of ice to keep the temperature between 6 and 10 degrees below the outside temperature.
Therefore, it is possible to achieve the thermal contrast that is sought after enjoying a Finnish sauna, but in a less drastic way than in a cold plunge pool.
The innovative technology applied in these installations is based on radiant cooling. This is how we can achieve the desired contrast that is so beneficial to our body, but in a much more comfortable and less shocking way for the user.
The main benefit of an ice cabin is that it allows you to enjoy a thermal contrast experience in a gentle and pleasant way, without the risk of getting a cold.
The thermal contrast encourages dilation and vasoconstriction. It helps to stimulate the blood, improves circulation and also provides a feeling of energy renewal for those who experience it.
It is also a highly recommended choice for any wellness centre, making it possible to combine an ice cabin with a cold plunge pool. This provides very similar benefits to the body, but in a different way.
The ice cabin is a more passive treatment, in which you only have to enter into the room to feel the benefits. A cold plunge pool requires an abrupt immersion in the water, which for some people can be extreme.
There are other people, however, that prefer the more accentuated contrast of the cold water in a plunge pool to the gentler effects of an ice cabin. Having both options available covers the preferences of both customer profiles.
In a thermal spa, the benefits of water treatments have to be accompanied by attractive features that enhance the customer experience.
Ice cabins can be compared to what happened with steam baths, not only for their efficient service, but also for their evolution toward a more attractive and striking design.
Lighting, in particular, is a key factor in ice cabins. It is even possible to combine chromotherapy options with a succession of colours to blend their therapeutic benefits with decorative resources, which is something customers love.
At Fluidra, we consider the ice wall to be inseparable from ice cabins, as they offer a complete cold wellness experience with the highest possible efficiency. Another option is the backlit side walls which are lined with salt stone imitations that resemble blocks of ice.
It is also advisable to install an ice fountain. This enables the client to rub the automatically dispensed crushed ice onto the surface of their body to obtain even greater effects from a contrast treatment, similar to what happens with snow or ice massages. This fountain can be installed in the ceiling or in a side wall, both on the inside or outside of the ice cabin.