Cryotherapy, in which the body is subjected to extreme cold, has soared in popularity in recent years, as people have coveted the treatments available to top-level athletes. But Ben Feinson of the newly opened Cryofuel on Canal says that performance-related issues are only one reason clients come for cryotherapy, citing arthritis and other joint pain, inflammation, insomnia, and weak immune systems.

For the full-body canister (above), you strip down to underwear or less—and no jewelry—and put on special socks, shoes, and gloves to prevent frostbite. For up to three minutes, your body is an environment that’s -220 degrees Fahrenheit. There’s also local cryotherapy, which uses a wand on specific areas—perhaps for a tight upper or lower back, or the fascia in your feet. At the opposite end of the temperature spectrum, Cryofuel will soon have an infrared sauna that can reach 150 degrees. “It’s seven times more detoxifying than a regular sauna,” says Feinson. Yes, a post-sauna shower is available.

Cryofuel is a family business, with Feinson’s father, sister, and brother-in-law as the other partners. The latter, after selling his advertising business, wanted to do something for the greater good. “We may not be able to use money to cure cancer, but we can help people be healthier,” says Feinson. Having all done cryotherapy before, they saw the opportunity to brand it better. “So many places are like doctor’s offices. We’re a little trendier, more stylish. We want to be the coolest place”—pun not intended, I think—”where you feel like you want to hang around.” Depending on how this branch goes, of course, there may be others on the way.

Cryofuel is at 499 Canal (between Renwick and Hudson); 646-484-5682; cryofuel.com.

Recent New Kid on the Block / First Impressions articles:
• Brooklyn Flea
• Think Coffee
• INColour
• Xtend Tribeca
• L’Angolo
• Bortolami
• Marshalls
• Canal Street Market Food Hall
• Blue Ribbon Federal Grill
• Kesté