Shaquille O'Neil smiling as he holds a basket ball under his right arm.

WHY ICY HOT®

Ice works fast, heat makes it last.*

Purpose, passion, and commitment guide everything we do. Icy Hot® is America’s #1 topical pain relief brand† with over 50 years of expertise. Our comprehensive portfolio of adult and kids solutions help fuel your resilience to Rise from Pain.

*Refers to cooling and warming sensations. Excludes lidocaine products.

†Among OTC topical analgesics.

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Experience contrast therapy

Contrast Therapy

What is Contrast Therapy?

Contrast Therapy refers to the combination of a cooling sensation followed by a warming sensation to relieve body pain.

Inspired by physical therapy

Contrast Therapy is similar to “Contrast Baths” – a common form of physical therapy in which sore muscles are first immersed in cold water and then in hot water to help with recovery. Contrast Therapy uses the same cooling/heating concept but with much less hassle!

How does Contrast Therapy work?

Role of receptors

Your skin has many specialized receptors that detect what’s going on in the environment around you, including temperature, pain, or pressure. These receptors play a key role in Contrast Therapy.

The discovery of these receptors was awarded The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2021.

Ice works fast

When you apply Icy Hot to your body, the menthol in it starts working instantly by triggering a specific receptor, which creates a cooling sensation so you feel less pain. It feels just like using an ice pack!

This thermal image shows Icy Hot’s cooling effect at work. When applied to the shoulder, the area turns blue in the image, indicating a decrease in skin temperature within minutes.

Heat makes it last

After feeling the cooling sensation, menthol triggers different receptors, and a warming sensation kicks in so you feel continued pain relief from the pain. Blood flow also increases to the area of pain.

The hot effect

The restorative power of a heating sensation melts the pain away and provides long-lasting relief. Icy Hot® boosts blood flow and brings a warming sensation that lasts, relieving pain to help keep you in the game.

The icy effect

Icy Hot®'s menthol powered formula delivers a cooling sensation that kicks in right away. Our powerful pain relieving products offer a cooling sensation as an ice pack, bringing fast and targeted relief to sore muscles and joints.

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Ingredients that pack a punch

Our formulations don’t play around when it comes to helping relieve your pain.

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ICY HOT® VS. THE COMPETITION

When you're the leader, everyone wants to be like you — but they always end up following. Icy Hot® is the U.S. topical pain care thought leader and innovator, bringing more pain-relief solutions and reaching more households‡ than any other brand in the category. With 4x the amount of menthol than the leading branded competitor*, Icy Hot® keeps consumers coming back for more.

‡Nielsen Panel 52 Week WE 12.10.21

 *Icy Hot Original 2.5oz Roll-On

TerraCycle® Recycles the Unrecyclable

Our partnership with TerraCycle® means that we’re trying to Eliminate the Idea of Waste®. TerraCycle® works with brands, retailers, and other stakeholders to fund the recycling of materials that local recycling plants don’t process, keeping them out of landfills. Learn more about how to recycle your Icy Hot® products with TerraCycle®.

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Discover Our Portfolio

Browse our full line of pain-relieving solutions, including patches, creams, gels, sprays, roll-ons, balm, and foam. Conquer pain with our specially crafted products for muscle and joint aches, bruises, and arthritis.

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Our triumphs

Icy Hot® has been scoring big for over 50 years. Learn about awards that recognize our commitment to innovation and excellence.