If, after a night of drinking alcohol, you wake up with a throbbing headache, waves of nausea, or a foggy feeling, some online hacks suggest dipping your face in a bowl of ice water. Proponents suggest it might help with depression, reduce anxiety, and improve skin.
Dunking your face in ice-cold water may not sound like fun, but its possible benefits may make the discomfort worthwhile. The concept is straightforward:
Fill a large bowl with ice and water.
Dip your face in for 5 to 20 seconds.
Repeat this four or five times.
We break down the science behind face ice baths and explain whether it’s really worth the hype.
Ice Bath Benefits
Dunking your face in ice cold water may not sound like the best time, but the benefits may make the pain worthwhile.
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Face Ice Baths: Do They Really Help?
Experts say the face ice bath may help address some health claims, but they maintain that you should keep certain caveats in mind.
Face Ice Baths for Hangover Relief
Hangover symptoms vary from person to person and may include:
Fatigue
Weakness
Thirst
Headaches
Nausea
Dizziness
Increased sensitivity to light and sound
Hangovers are caused by a variety of factors following a period of drinking too much alcohol such as poor sleep, dehydration, mild electrolyte imbalances, and gastric reflux, says Adam Lake, MD, a family physician and addiction medicine specialist in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
It could temporarily relieve some of these symptoms because water submersion triggers the “diver’s reflex,” says Dr. Lake. The reflex slows your heart rate, suppresses your breathing, and shifts blood away from your muscles. It’s caused by an increased parasympathetic drive (your body’s calming response to stressors), Lake says. “Anyone who has jumped in a cold pool may be able to relate to the change in breathing that happens immediately,” he says.
This activation of the parasympathetic nervous system response stimulates the vagus nerve, which may play a significant role in how the brain communicates with the digestive and immune systems.
This may explain why the ice bath temporarily relieves nausea for some (though it’s far from proven).
Face Ice Baths for Mental Health Support
Although no evidence supports it, face ice baths might support mental health through their links to the parasympathetic nervous system and the release of “feel good” hormones.
There’s some evidence that full-body, cold-water submersion can help with anxiety and depression, says Allison Young, MD, a practicing psychiatrist and an affiliate professor of psychiatry at Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine in Boca Raton.
A systematic review found that full-body cold-water immersion reduced stress for up to 12 hours after exposure and showed slight self-reported quality-of-life improvements. However, evidence supporting its impact on overall mood is lacking.
Dr. Young isn’t aware of evidence that simply dunking your face in ice water has mental health benefits because formal studies haven’t yet taken place, but it could share some of cold-water submersion’s effects on the body.
Submerging in cold water causes the body to release noradrenaline and beta endorphin, two “feel good” hormones, says Young. This triggers your parasympathetic nervous system. It’s the same effect that other relaxation techniques, like deep breathing practices, have on the body, she says.
Face Ice Baths for Skin
Water temperature is the likely explanation for face ice baths’ suggested skin benefits. The cool water constricts blood vessels, says Joshua Zeichner, MD, a dermatologist at the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.
This process can reduce redness, swelling, and skin inflammation, he explains.
While products containing benzoyl and salicylic acid are usually best for treating acne, Dr. Zeichner adds that an ice bath may help reduce the redness associated with pimples (though no formal studies have examined this).
Who Should Try (and Who Should Avoid) the Icy Trend?
If you want relief from your hangover, Lake says that for most generally healthy people, it couldn’t hurt to try the ice bath (especially for nausea). But he adds that it likely won’t help with every symptom. “If this ‘cures’ your hangover, then you were probably more tired than hungover,” he adds.
Lake also recommends hydrating and taking an over-the-counter medication, such as bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol), to help recoat the stomach lining and relieve nausea.
The shock of cold water can also trigger physiological changes in the nervous system that may cause arrhythmia (an irregular heartbeat) in some, Young cautions. If you have a cardiovascular or other nervous system condition, consult your doctor before using it.
Young suggests that those living with depression or anxiety talk to their doctor before trying any on-your-own, at-home depression treatments, particularly if you suspect that symptoms are severe enough to require treatment. Symptoms might include:
Insomnia
Difficulty concentrating
Changes in appetite and weight
Consistently low mood
Feelings of worthlessness, guilt, irritability, frustration, or restlessness
Increased isolation from loved ones
Increasd use of alcohol or drugs
Fatigue
The risk of the DIY approach is that you may miss out on evidence-based treatment that could be much more effective if you need help, she says.
And when it comes to your skin, it’s likely safe as long as you don’t overdo it, says Zeichner. “Exposure to extremes in cold temperatures can actually be damaging to the skin,” he says. “Limit your exposure to short periods of time to avoid any harmful effects.”
And take extra caution if you have sensitive skin or rosacea, as the cold dunk can be particularly irritating, Zeichner adds. “In rosacea, the blood vessels of the face are overreactive to begin with, so exposing them to extremes in temperature could lead to a flare,” he says.
The Takeaway
Face ice baths may offer temporary relief from hangover symptoms like nausea and are linked to calming the parasympathetic nervous system, but their effectiveness as a hangover cure or mental health booster is not supported by research.
While dunking your face in cold water may help with skin redness and inflammation, the lack of formal studies means it’s best to approach this with caution.
Those with cardiovascular conditions or sensitive skin conditions such as rosacea should consult a healthcare professional before using ice baths on the face due to potential risks.
For substantial or severe symptoms of anxiety or depression, seek medical advice to explore evidence-based treatments rather than relying on home remedies.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Grant Chu, MD, is an associate clinical professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Dr. Chu is also associate director of inpatient East-West consult services at the UCLA Health hospitals.
He's board-certified in internal medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine and is a diplomate of the National Certification Board for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (formerly the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine).
He received a bachelor's degree in neuroscience from Brown University, where he also earned his medical degree. He has a master's in acupuncture and oriental medicine from South Baylo University and a master's in business administration from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
He completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of California in Los Angeles and a fellowship at the Center for East-West Medicine at UCLA. He has held academic appointments at the University of California in Irvine and the University of Queensland in Australia.
Elena Barrera is an editorial intern specializing in sleep, fitness, emotional wellness, diet and nutrition. Currently a senior working toward her bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Florida, she has previously written for The Independent Florida Alligator and WUFT News.
