Benefits of Traditional Sauna vs Infrared Sauna?

Question

Could you help me list the benefits of Traditional Sauna and why we should not Infrared and stick to traditional?

Answer 1

Infrared heat has some distinct advantages over traditional steam heat saunas, however many steam sauna advocates feel that an infrared sauna does not provide the same relaxing and invigorating experience as steam for a steam sauna or steam shower. This is an issue of personal preference.

Infrared heaters warm the body in the same manner as natural sunlight. FIR heat therapy uses the wavelength of the visible and non-visible light spectrum of sunlight that heats the body normally.

Traditional steam saunas raise the temperature of the air to a very high level within the chamber to warm the body. Some people have difficulty breathing in this extremely warm air. FIR saunas work differently. Instead of heating the air within the enclosure, FIR saunas heat the body directly. The result is a lower power bill and deeper tissue penetration. In the FIR sauna, the body perspires and receives all of the healthy benefits but avoids the harmful and extremely hot air of a traditional steam sauna. FIR saunas are safe for all ages.

Traditional saunas are more likely to spread and cultivate bacteria in the humid air, therefore an infrared sauna creates a more sanitary environment. An Infrared Sauna will heat up in a shorter time period than a steam sauna because it can heat the skin directly and does not need to heat the air.

Answer 2

Hi Hayes. I believe you have the concept backwards. I know of no advantages to a 'traditional sauna', only advantages to a far-infrared sauna.

Traditional saunas can be dangerous to patients with heart/vascular diseases because of the high heat. This is not a problem with far-infrared because of the much lower heat generated by these saunas.

Traditional saunas (I believe their heat would be considered near-infrared) produce heat that does not significantly impact the subdermal fat deposits. These deposits are major depositories for chemical toxins. Therefore, a far-infrared sauna, which does mobilize toxins from the subdermal fat, would be a much better detoxification process than a 'traditional sauna'.

On a more practical level, the moisture produced by traditional saunas is a potential problem because of mold growth and related mositure issues. These, of course, are not problems with a far-infrared system.

Best wishes.

Answer 3

An infrared sauna uses infrared heaters to emit infrared light experienced as radiant heat which is absorbed by the surface of the skin. Traditional saunas heat the body primary by conduction and convection from the heated air and by radiation of the heated surfaces in the sauna room. Your skin is the largest organ of your body. The subcutaneous fatty layer is located just below the skin. An infrared sauna emits rays that penetrate into the tissues to a depth of 1.5 inches. This heat stimulates our fat cells to release the accumulated debris that they have been holding on to.
http://www.xcspa.com/
The infrared sauna also stimulates the sebaceous glands to release harmful toxins such as petrochemicals, mercury and other heavy metals. Since humans are bio-accumulators, toxins that cannot be expelled immediately after entry are stored in our bodies. One of the reasons infrared saunas are so beneficial with a variety of different illnesses is the ability of the FAR waves to accelerate the removal of toxins that are often at the core of many different health challenges.

Answer 4

Your body is an amazing system that has the capacity to heal itself. You have experienced the bodily crash of a flu or infection when your body counteracts the illness through producing a fever. Your body literally burns the infection out of your body. Unfortunately, as painful and annoying as having the flu is, it’s telling you that you’ve allowed your body to get away from its healthy balanced state. Too often, you place demands on your body too fast and too furiously for your body to compensate and rejuvenate. This is where owning or consistently using a sauna can help you maintain that balance. The heat penetrates your body tissues to a depth of about an inch and a half or 3.81cm inducing a natural fever situation without an illness.

Answer 5

Can't really help you. I only have experience with the traditional type. Perhap the infrared element is susceptible to damage from the humidity where the traditional gas burner is not. That would be my guess.

Answer 6

See the Chinese way of sauna

http://www.shen-nong.com/eng/treatment/sauna.html