Purify RVA uses infrared saunas in its studios, swapping steam for radiant heat from infrared light. (Photo by Nicki Metcalf Photography)
Wellness movements are inherently viral — the unexpected tricks and “life hacks” that are sometimes just crazy enough to work, other times just plain crazy. On paper, contrast therapy — the nonpharmacological treatment that alternates between cryotherapy (cold exposure) and thermotherapy (heat exposure), promising better muscle recovery, sharper focus and stress relief — is exactly the kind of trend that makes friends ask, “You did what?”
What began as a niche practice in the fitness world has now spilled into the broader population, and Richmond is feeling the shift. Across the city, dedicated studios and reimagined wellness spaces are popping up or expanding, inviting residents to experience the hot-cold ritual for themselves.
Mary Warren, owner of Purify RVA (Photo by Nicki Metcalf Photography)
“It’s trending, but I wouldn’t say it’s just a trend,” says Mary Warren, owner of sauna therapy practice Purify RVA. “I think that [contrast therapy] is beneficial and that it’s taking off more and more because it’s effective.”
Warren was inspired to open her business in Richmond in the 2010s, after a visit to California showed the practice had gained traction long before social media and wellness influencers amplified it. Her experience in an infrared sauna on that trip solidified her vision for Purify RVA.
In 2015, she debuted the brand at 5609 Patterson Ave., the first dedicated sauna space in the city. It has since grown to two locations, adding a Short Pump studio in 2017. Since the facility opened, Warren says, she’s steamed and soaked thousands of clients from Richmond and beyond.
At many wellness studios, a sauna session can run for 15 to 20 minutes within a temperature range of 150-210 degrees Fahrenheit. The experience is purported to relax muscles, improve blood circulation and provide nervous system benefits; some surveys suggest saunas can influence mood and reduce stress by increasing endorphins and modulating cortisol levels.
“Most people use it once, and it’s an immediate relaxation and stress release,” Warren says. “In the beginning, our clientele was mostly women, but as they brought their husbands and men in their lives, who maybe wouldn’t have tried it themselves, it just grew.”
While Purify initially focused on thermotherapy, Warren noticed a growing number of clients asking whether she would introduce cold plunges at either location. The deliberate interplay of heat and cold exposure interested Warren, and by 2023 Purify added cold plunges to its spas.
A cold plunge, usually done for five to 10 minutes in a tub of ice and water at 60 degrees or lower, targets inflammation and muscle recovery and could provide psychological benefits, according to some studies.
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Sauna Plunge RVA uses portable cold plunge basins for its contrast therapy sessions. (Photo courtesy Sauna Plunge RVA)
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Sauna Plunge RVA’s mobile sauna fits up to six participants per session. (Photo courtesy Sauna Plunge RVA)
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Sauna Plunge RVA’s mobile sauna (Photo courtesy Sauna Plunge RVA)
“Pairing the sauna and cold plunge together is a pretty old practice, especially in Finnish culture,” says Joshua Crowley, owner of Sauna Plunge RVA. Crowley opened the mobile sauna and cold plunge business in 2024 to provide recovery, relief and community through contrast therapy.
“Saunas are more well known, but in recent years, fitness influencers have gotten into cold plunging, so it’s become more trendy,” Crowley says. Last year, he saw that rising trend firsthand: More than 500 people had their first cold plunge through Sauna Plunge in 2025.
Crowley, a Williamsburg native, has used contrast therapy since his mid-teens, later traveling the world seeking saunas and cold plunges in countries where the practice has long been woven into daily life. Sauna Plunge’s mobile model aims to bring contrast therapy directly to people’s homes and businesses to enable everyday practice.
Crowley notes that while the rising internet popularity of contrast therapy plays a role in getting clients through the door, it’s not what keeps them coming back.
“The first time, if you come to one of my events, I will coach you through it, and you will feel the effects that evening,” he says. “You’ll be very relaxed, and you’ll sleep like a baby. There’s a lot of science surrounding this kind of therapy, but what’s most compelling is how your body actually feels afterwards.”
Crowley’s observations align with a small but growing body of research that suggests potential mental and physical benefits beyond anecdotal reports. While scientific studies on contrast therapy, especially the effects of cold plunges, are limited, a 2025 study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine reviewed existing research on contrast therapy for musculoskeletal conditions and suggested benefits including improved circulation, reduced inflammation and overall improvements to well-being, while highlighting areas where further research is needed.
For Crowley, forming a community of wellness-minded clients is as impactful as contrast therapy’s potential medical benefits. “It makes me really proud to have repeat customers that are creating their own kind of ritual and ceremony around sauna and plunging,” he says. “When I do events, seeing new faces come out is always wonderful, but seeing those familiar faces that I’ve seen over the years is really powerful.”
