INFRARED SAUNAS and SAUNA KITS

An infrared sauna creates a similar "sauna" sweating effect to a conventional Finnish sauna, but it does so in a completely different physiological way. These infrared saunas generally prove easier to use, cheaper to buy and do not produce the volumes of evaporated water associated with conventional "hot stone" saunas.

For this reason, home sauna kits frequently use the infrared radiated heating system rather than the Finnish (hot stone) sauna heating system. (Sauna kits are of course available for both heating systems.)

How an infrared sauna works

Infrared saunas generate heat by using infrared heat emitters contained within the sauna room or sauna box. The primary function of these heat emitters "is not" to heat up the air within the sauna, but rather to radiate heat directly to the skin of the human body.

These special infrared heaters warm up the skin of the human using radiation through a process called "conversion" and, by maintaining an ambient air temperature that is slightly elevated, prevent the body from cooling down. This in turn forces the skin to sweat and in so doing creates the desired sauna effect, i.e. profuse sweating.

This is a very different process to the traditional sauna, or Finnish sauna, where the heat comes from hot rocks that raise the temperature of the air. In the case of this style of sauna, it is the warm air and the high humidity that causes the body to heat up and sweat.

The two different sauna heating methods can be summed up by stating that,

• An infrared sauna causes the body to sweat by radiating heat directly to the skin.
• A Finnish sauna causes the body to sweat indirectly by heating the air within the sauna rather than the person using it.

Both systems produce a similar effect and one that is perceived as being comparable, if not identical, by most sauna users.

The safety of infrared saunas and sauna kits

Sauna kits that use infrared heat radiation take advantage of a technology that duplicates the radiation of the sun, but without the ultraviolet rays that can cause burning and long term damage to the skin.

The infrared heat is generated through electromagnetic radiation which is transferred directly to the surface of the body by the radiation waves. These waves are longer than those of visible light and cause no known damage or ill effects to the skin or the body. In fact, many claims are made that these waves offer additional health enhancing benefits. (See below for further details.)

Why buy an infrared sauna kit (advantages and disadvantages)

• Both the infrared and the Finnish saunas have their advocates and both sauna heating systems have a number of perceived advantages, and some real advantages, over the other.
• An infrared sauna is regarded by many as a clever environment that duplicates the sensation and benefits of a "real" sauna, but with a greater level of convenience and ease of use, particularly for home use.
• An infrared sauna's flexible heating system makes it available to use at any time and within minutes of turning on. The fact that the infrared heaters radiate heat directly to the body, mean that there is no necessity to pre-heat the sauna environment prior to use. The actual sauna room does not need to attain a high temperature and humidity before it can be used.
• Infrared saunas represent the most cost and energy efficient way of getting a sauna experience, mainly because there is no requirement for this kind of sauna to heat anything other than the skin of the people using it. All the energy of the heater is used to radiate heat and the sauna starts when you turn it on and finishes when you turn it off.
• Radiated heat is a dry heat, so it does not result in large volumes of water vapour, high humidity, or the potential for excessive levels of condensation which require expensive extractors and ventilation systems.
• A sauna may have one or several infrared heaters within it. Sauna kits usually have the facility to allow customisation of the number of infrared heater units within the sauna enclosure.
• There is no minimum size to an infrared sauna and the requirement for specially treated sauna construction material is generally rendered unnecessary by the lack of humidity in the sauna box room or building.
• Once the heater(s) are turned off, the sauna room will return to a "normal" temperature very quickly. There is no prolonged cooling down phase after use and the room does not require monitoring or checking.
• The wearing of any items of clothing, e.g. a gown or a towel, will impede the effect of the radiated heat in raising the body temperature. The infrared system requires direct access to the surface of the skin in order to gain its maximum heating effect.
• The generation of steam (for a steam shock) is not possible with an infrared sauna as it require hot stones.
• The sweating action of the skin is generally the same in an infrared sauna as it is in a hot stone sauna.

Additional health benefits of infrared saunas

Those who advocate infrared saunas not only promote the safety of the radiated heating system, but they also claim some additional health benefits in the removal of toxins from the body.

The claim is based around the fact that the infrared heat rays have a wavelength that is equivalent to the rate at which a water molecule will vibrate. Since the heat rays are believed to travel up to one and a half inches beneath the surface of the skin, it is thought that these vibrations can help release toxins from within the fatty cells of the body. These toxins are literally shaken out and escape through the sweat glands. This is termed as "releasing the toxic load". At present there are both converts and dissenters to these claimed benefits.

One benefit of all saunas is the increase in body fluid circulation that the sauna action promotes and this advantage is "nearly" universally accepted. There are also acknowledges benefits in having the pores of the skin opened during the sweating process.

To find out more about how infrared energy makes us feel warm go to this how infrared heat works page.

Is an infrared sauna kit superior to a hot stone sauna kit

There is no categorical evidence to support either sauna system being superior to the other. But there may be some "ease of use" advantages to an infrared sauna kit over a hot stone (Finnish) sauna kit when it comes to home use.