Everything to Know About at-Home Iv Drips

Have you ever woken up after a night of heavy drinking with a splitting headache, brain fog, and the vow that you will never drink again? If only there were some magical solution that would make your hangover disappear so that you could feel like a normal human being and resume non-horizontal life again — oh, wait, there is. Enter: at-home IV drip therapy.

This popular beauty and wellness practice is gaining speed among those looking for a quick energy fix — but does it actually work and more importantly, is it safe? To find out more, I spoke to experts and even decided to try IV drip therapy at home myself.

Below, my first-hand experience with at-home IV drip therapy and what to consider when deciding whether it's right for you.

What Is At-Home IV Drip Therapy?

IV drip therapy, first devised as the "Myers Cocktail" in the 1960s by a Baltimore doctor named John Myers to boost energy, is having a resurgence. Mobile IV lounges have popped up at film sets and music festivals like Coachella, and athletes utilize the service after competing. Famous enthusiasts include Rihanna, Kendall Jenner, and Adele, who reportedly relied on vitamin drips to get her through a grueling eight-night run at L.A.'s Staples Center. It's a booming wellness trend that shows no sign of slowing down.

The Benefits of At-Home IV Drip Therapy

Why not just pop a supplement? Dr. Frank Lipman, chief medical officer of The Well, a holistic health and wellness club, says an IV can bypass the sometimes sluggish gastrointestinal system to get nutrients directly into the bloodstream. A drip typically costs several hundred dollars and can ease dehydration from long flights, a nasty flu, or a brutal hangover.

But Dr. Sam Torbati, co-chair of emergency medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, counters that most of a drip's relief comes from the fluid itself. "Most Americans don't drink enough water and other fluids, and drips can make them feel better with more energy," he says. "For people who are more severely dehydrated, such as those with a hangover, the effect can be even more pronounced."