Traditional saunas usually use steam (wet saunas) or hot air (dry saunas) to heat the user up. This requires very high temperatures (i.e. 185 to 195 degrees F) and can often feel uncomfortable.
Far infrared saunas however use direct infrared heat which can penetrate deeper into the skin than traditional sauna heat.
Because of the direct heat, infrared saunas don't need to be heated up as high as traditional saunas in order to cause sweating (about 120 to 150 degree F). These lower temperatures make a FIR sauna more comfortable than traditional saunas.
Infrared heat is completely safe. In fact our own bodies actually emit infrared heat and many hospitals use infrared incubators for premature babies.
Because the heat penetrates the body tissues deeper (up to 2 inches) than a traditional sauna it's ideal for deep detoxification.
In fact some estimates say we get 7 times more sweat with an infrared home sauna than a traditional sauna because of the direct heating of the body.
You can also burn a lot of calories in one of these units - up to 700 calories in one session. Which makes these units very popular for weight loss and cellulite reduction.
With far infrared saunas, you don't need rocks or steam. Far infrared saunas use heat panels - either carbon or ceramix which emit infrared heat. Panels are usually placed on opposite sides of the sauna room and sometimes on the side.
There's usually outside and inside control panels that let you set the heat, time, turn on lights, etc. Most saunas also come with instructions for set up and use.
As with anything, some sauna products are better than others. Ideally, you want a sauna that heats up fast (so you don't waste electricity) and that gives an even distribution of heat (with no hotspots in the sauna).
Things to look at include number of panels (more is obviously better) and type of heater (carbon tends to heat up faster and give better heat absorption). (See the article on Best Infrared Sauna for more information).
So is a FIR sauna for you?
Well, it depends on who you are and what you want. If you don't like high heat temperatures but still want the detoxifying and weight loss effects of a sauna, then a far infrared unit may be for you.
If you're not bothered by high heat and just want the sauna for recreation (not necessarily for detox or weight loss), you might be find with a traditional sauna. Prices really aren't that different.
No matter what you decide to do, remember to consult your doctor before using any sauna as they aren't recommended for certain health conditions, children or pregnant women.
More Information:
Best Sauna - Discover the key features of a high quality sauna.
Where To Buy - A list of places to buy Infrared saunas at a discount.
Far infrared saunas are one of the latest detox and weight loss wonder-miracles on the market today.
Dr Oz talked about them on Oprah and many detox experts like Dr. Don Colbert and Brenda Watson of 'The Detox Strategy' recommend them.
"Weight Loss is faciliated through use of an infrared sauna, probably due to the increase in growth hormone that it produces" - Brenda Watson, CNC - The Detox Strategy
But what exactly are they - and are they right for you?
First of all, FIR saunas are a new kind of sauna that uses infrared heat to start your body sweating.
