So many things have gone high-tech, and so has skincare. The market is bombarded with numerous at-home LED masks and micro-needling tools, and not to mention the cryotherapy treatments you come across at every spa. But what about the latest trend – home infrared saunas?
Across traditional and modern-day media, bloggers, journalists, and influencers are putting a home infrared sauna on a pedestal for their effective treatment. They claim that just 30 minutes in the best infrared sauna will leave your skin with a beautiful glow.
Celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Selena Gomez often like to talk about an infrared sauna’s beauty and health-boosting benefits. However, before you go out and buy your own home infrared sauna, keep on reading to find out more about how infrared saunas work and what health and beauty benefits to expect as a result.
How Do Infrared Saunas Work?
Most of us are familiar with traditional saunas, which use hot stones and water to produce steam. This heats up the room and the occupants inside the space.
On the other hand, infrared saunas use infrared light, which is a type of light that is invisible to the naked human eye, but we can sense it as heat. This heat is very effective at directly warming the body.
An infrared sauna can heat the body gradually and as a result, your body produces a vigorous effective sweat at a much lower and comfortable temperature compared to a traditional sauna.
Most home infrared saunas have “experience-boosting” elements such as a sound system and Bluetooth to listen to music as you sit, relax and get your sweat on and you can control the heat level as well as the color of the light to set the mood.
What Are The Most Essential Infrared Sauna Benefits?
Infrared saunas have lots of anecdotal as well as proven scientific evidence. Some doctors have started to use infrared saunas to help their patients with arthritis, and Lady Gaga believes regular infrared sauna sessions help her deal with chronic pain. In fact, there are many potential benefits of infrared saunas such as the following:
It’s Great For The Skin
Since an infrared sauna heats the body at very high temperatures, you sweat profusely, which can help your body purge dirt, oil, and other particles that deposit on the skin and clog up your pores. Since infrared saunas provide a low-level light therapy, they are also known to help with acne, psoriasis, and eczema.
When you don’t have the right blood circulation, the skin cells begin to age rapidly which results in dry, fatigued and dull skin. Infrared saunas enhance the general quality of the skin by boosting blood circulation.
The deep penetrating heat that is emitted from an infrared sauna increases the blood flow in the body. This guarantees that oxygen and vital nutrients are transported to each and every cell of the body. Infrared saunas are very effective since they work on two major aspects of skin health which are detoxification and circulation.
The skin cells hoist a lot of blood, which result in a healthier-looking and more vibrant skin, while making you feel rejuvenated. Get ready to say hello to a beautiful, healthy glow!
It Improves Cardiovascular Health
A 2011 study found that a 15 to 30-minute infrared sauna session in an infrared sauna can reduce systolic blood pressure. Also, sauna therapy has proven to improve blood pressure in people with hypertension.
Encourages Energy And Better Mental Health
An infrared sauna session can leave you with more energy and mental clarity. A 2015 study revealed that participants with chronic fatigue syndrome noticed an increase in energy and a decrease in anxiety and depression while using an infrared sauna daily for at least 15 minutes.
Supports Exercise Recovery
A 2015 study on 10 male participants found that exposure to infrared light helped them to recover faster from endurance workouts.
Are There Any Risks?
Even though infrared rays make up part of sunlight, long term exposure does not cause tanning or skin damage, contrary to ultraviolet rays. For this reason, you should not have any concerns about any harmful side effects.
Are There Any Drawbacks To Infrared Saunas?
Infrared saunas are very safe, pose no risks and will definitely help you get a good sweat going. However, just like any other treatment if you have any underlying medical condition, pregnant, have a heart condition or take any medications, speak to your doctor before using an infrared sauna. Also, consult with your doctor if you have low blood pressure or kidney disease, especially if you have any condition that affects your ability to sweat or tolerate heat.
Therefore, you should keep in mind that overusing a sauna can lead to overheating and dehydration. If you are new to infrared therapy, you should ease yourself into it. Don’t get too enthusiastic and overuse in your first week since there is always an adjustment period with any new thing you start.
It is highly recommended to begin with low temperatures and spend brief amounts of time in the sauna. Over time, gradually add more time and days to your infrared sauna regimen.
Infrared sauna sessions have been linked with improved skin hydration, improved complexion, and better general health. Infrared saunas are more successful at achieving this compared to traditional saunas since the infrared rays emit an invisible light that heats the body directly.
An infrared sauna has infrared panels that allow the heat to enter the body tissue. A big advantage of infrared saunas over conventional saunas is that they let you remain in the sauna for a longer time because there is less heat in the surrounding air inside the sauna.
Celebrities from around the world are living their best life and looking fantastic because of the amazing effectiveness that regular infrared sauna use can provide. Infrared saunas are highly effective at making you look good and feel good about yourself, and self-love is a very important quality to attain.