Richmond Sauna and Cold Plunge Operators Offer Infrared Therapy and Cold Immersion

Richmond’s contrast-therapy scene is expanding as studio operator Purify RVA and mobile business Sauna Plunge RVA offer infrared heat paired with cold immersion to attract runners, athletes, and recovery seekers.

Purify RVA runs full-spectrum infrared saunas and a Renu Cold Plunge tank, and it structures sessions as heat, cold and rest. Purify’s published plan reads: “Up to 15 minutes — Warm up in our full-spectrum infrared sauna,” followed by “1-5 minutes — Plunge into our refreshing 50 degree water” and “1-3 minutes — We offer a 60-minute session. You go 2-3 times a cycle!” Purify lists two Richmond-area sites: Short Pump at 301 Maltby Boulevard Suite C, Henrico, VA 23233, phone (804) 360-0003, and Patterson at 5609 Patterson Ave Ste D, Richmond, VA 23226, phone (804) 573-9925. The company notes that the cold plunge is currently available only at the Short Pump location and promotes introductory offers including “First Time Cold Plunge BOGO: $19!” and “First Time Contrast Therapy BOGO: $59!”

Purify frames contrast therapy as a long-standing athletic recovery practice and markets a long list of benefits, including accelerated muscle recovery, reduced inflammation, improved lymphatic circulation, boosted immune response and “nurtures peaceful sleep.” A studio photo credits Nicki Metcalf Photography and highlights that Purify uses infrared saunas, “swapping steam for radiant heat from infrared light.”

Sauna Plunge RVA operates on a mobile model, bringing saunas and cold plunges to homes and workplaces. Owner Joshua Crowley, a Williamsburg native who says he has used contrast therapy since his mid-teens and traveled the world seeking saunas and cold plunges, opened the business in 2024 to “provide recovery, relief and community through contrast therapy.” Crowley notes that “Pairing the sauna and cold plunge together is a pretty old practice, especially in Finnish culture,” and that “Saunas are more well known, but in recent years, fitness influencers have gotten into cold plunging, so it’s become more trendy.” He also observed that while internet popularity draws first-timers, “it’s not what keeps them coming back.” Sauna Plunge reported that more than 500 people had their first cold plunge through the service in 2025.

Operators and users should be clear about geography: a business named Reviva Lounge appears in Richmond, British Columbia, not Richmond, Virginia. Reviva Lounge describes guided and self-guided cold plunge and Nordic-style sauna sessions, advertises a brother-owned operation and a 10 percent Reddit discount code REDDIT10, and positions itself as a recovery resource for local runners and fitness communities in Richmond, BC.

What this means for Richmonders is straightforward: contrast therapy is easier to try now, whether you book a session at a studio, use a mobile setup at an event or workplace, or explore offerings elsewhere. Purify’s locations and promotions give an entry point for beginners, while Sauna Plunge’s mobile service expands access in neighborhoods and workplaces. Verify plunge temperatures, safety protocols and medical guidance before you book, and expect the trend to keep evolving as users move from curiosity to regular practice.