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We Tried Hyperbaric Oxygen, Infrared Sauna, Whole Body Cryotherapy & HydraFacial at °CRYO Hong Kong | Review
Updated: Jul 23
HONG KONG
Central isn't short on wellness studios promising to make you feel like a new person, but most ask you to commit to one thing at a time — a facial here, a float tank there. °CRYO Hong Kong takes a different approach. It's a full recovery-and-beauty circuit under one roof, and on a recent visit, we decided to move through as much of it as we could in a single afternoon. Here's an honest account of what we did, what it actually felt like, who each treatment is really for, and the science behind it.
Where We Went, and What We Booked
°CRYO Hong Kong is based at 18F One Chinachem Central, on Des Voeux Road, and positions itself as a recovery and wellness hub — part clinic, part high-end spa, built around advanced recovery and beauty therapies rather than a single signature treatment. The Hong Kong outpost opened in 2022 as part of a wider international °CRYO network.
Between the two of us, we booked five treatments in one visit, in this order:
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Infrared Sauna
Whole Body Cryotherapy
HydraFacial Signature
°CRYO Slim Facial
1. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
We started here, and it turned out to be the perfect low-key opener. Our session ran a full hour, and the chamber comfortably fit both of us at once — it's set up more like a small, pressurised lounge than a medical pod. There's a screen inside with Netflix, you're allowed to bring your phone in with you, and there was no sense of claustrophobia at all; you can see out in every direction the whole time. We ended up just watching a movie together while the chamber did its thing, which made the hour fly by.
What it actually does: Inside the chamber, you breathe in oxygen concentrations well above the roughly 21% found in normal air — HBOT can push that close to 96%. That flood of extra oxygen into the bloodstream is what's behind the treatment's reputation for speeding up recovery, easing inflammation, sharpening mental clarity, and supporting anti-ageing efforts. The chamber needs about ten minutes to pressurise and a similar amount to depressurise afterward, so budget for that on either end of your session.
Who it's for: People managing fatigue, brain fog, or slow recovery from injury or illness, but honestly also just anyone who wants an hour of forced, comfortable stillness. If you're someone who struggles to sit still and relax, having a show to watch removes the main psychological barrier — this doesn't feel like "treatment," it feels like an hour off.
2. Infrared Sauna
Next, we moved into the infrared sauna. Sessions run 30, 45, or 60 minutes, using infrared light to heat the body directly rather than simply warming the air around you — the idea being better circulation, looser muscles, and a proper sweat-driven detox.
It's a slower burn than a traditional steam room. You don't feel like you're baking; you feel like the heat is working from somewhere underneath the skin. By the time we stepped out, we were both properly warm and pleasantly glassy-eyed.
What it actually does: Raising the body's core temperature this way is meant to improve blood flow, relax sore or tight muscles, and help flush out toxins through sweat, while also giving your cardiovascular system a gentle workout.
Who it's for: Anyone dealing with muscle tightness or stress, or who just wants a proper, unhurried sweat. It's also the ideal set-up move if you're planning to go straight into cryotherapy afterward, which brings us to the best discovery of the day.
3. Whole Body Cryotherapy
This was the one we were most curious about, and honestly, a little nervous for going in — and doing it immediately after the sauna turned out to be the move. The chamber drops the entire body into temperatures between -110°C and -140°C for a three-minute session. Going in already warm and slightly sweaty (even after a shower) made the cold hit sharper, and the contrast made the "reset" feeling afterward even more pronounced than either treatment alone.
The process itself is simple: a private changing room, protective gear for your hands, feet, and ears, then straight into the chamber with a specialist talking you through it the whole time. The door is never locked, so stepping out early is always an option.
What it actually does: The extreme cold triggers a natural fight-or-flight response that pulls blood toward your core to protect your organs, then floods the body with oxygen-rich blood again once you step out and warm back up. That's behind the energy boost, reduced inflammation, and mood lift people report almost immediately afterward.
Who it's for: Athletes and anyone recovering from muscle soreness or joint pain, but also just anyone chasing a genuine energy spike — the after-effect isn't subtle. If you've ever wanted to know what a real endorphin hit feels like without exercise, this is close.
4. HydraFacial Signature
The HydraFacial Signature is the classic deep-clean treatment: exfoliation, painless pore extraction, and a hydration boost from antioxidant and hyaluronic acid serums, finished off with a blast of chilled air. Every session at °CRYO closes with a short, calming facial add-on.
What it actually does: It works through the skin systematically — lifting away dead skin, clearing out pores, then replenishing with hydrating serums — leaving skin visibly smoother and brighter with zero downtime.
Who it's for: Pretty much any skin type or concern, from acne to dryness to pigmentation. It's the one to book if your priority is an all-over refresh rather than a specific fix.
5. °CRYO Facial
We also tried the °CRYO Slim Facial, which takes a different route entirely — cryogenically cooled air reaches -162°C, aimed at stimulating collagen and blood flow to soften fine lines and sharpen the jawline.
What it actually does: The combination of temperature contrast and massage is designed to boost circulation and collagen production, with results said to be visible from the very first session.
Who it's for: Anyone more focused on jawline definition and a lifted look than a deep clean — it's positioned as a gentler, non-invasive stand-in for more aggressive treatments, with no downtime at all.
Our Honest Takeaway
Running through all five treatments in one sitting turned what could have been a fairly clinical wellness appointment into something closer to a proper spa day, just with considerably more science underpinning it. Starting with the HBOT session set a relaxed tone for the whole afternoon, and the sauna-into-cryo pairing was, without question, the standout combination of the day.
A few practical notes for anyone considering the same run as a duo:
Start with HBOT if you can — it's the gentlest entry point, and having something to watch makes the hour disappear.
Do the sauna immediately before cryotherapy, not the other way around — going in warm makes the cold hit harder and the after-effect land stronger.
Hydrate properly throughout, particularly around the sauna and HBOT, since both involve genuine fluid loss or extended time in a sealed environment.
For anyone building this into a regular routine, cryotherapy is generally recommended two to seven times a week and infrared sauna three to five times weekly — a single visit is really just a preview of what the full routine is meant to feel like.
Location: °CRYO Hong Kong, 18/F One Chinachem Central, 22 Des Voeux Road Central, Central, Hong Kong | Phone: 2117 9618 | Instagram: @cryohongkong
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