Red Light Therapy vs Infrared Sauna: Key Differences
Red light therapy vs infrared sauna at a glance
The simplest way to separate red light therapy vs infrared sauna is to ask what each one is trying to deliver: light or heat.
| Red light therapy | Infrared sauna | |
|---|---|---|
| What it delivers | Light dose to the skin | Whole-body heat |
| Main wavelengths | Visible red ~620-700 nm, near infrared ~800-900 nm | Mostly mid and far infrared (several µm and longer); full spectrum adds near infrared |
| Typical source | LED panels, masks, red glass lamps | Carbon fiber, ceramic or red glass heaters |
| Air temperature | Room temperature | About 43-57 °C (110-135 °F) |
| Do you sweat? | Usually not | Yes |
| Typical session | 5-20 minutes, close to the panel | 20-30 minutes |
| Main research areas | Skin, wound healing, some pain conditions | Heat exposure, relaxation, cardiovascular markers |
Is red light therapy the same as infrared?
No. Red light and infrared are neighbors on the electromagnetic spectrum, not the same thing.
- Visible red light runs from roughly 620 to 700 nanometers (nm). You can see it.
- Infrared (IR) starts around 780 nm, just past the edge of human vision, and extends to 1 mm.
ISO 20473, the international standard for optical spectral bands, divides infrared into near infrared (NIR, about 0.78-3 µm), mid infrared (MIR, 3-50 µm) and far infrared (FIR, 50-1000 µm). Sauna marketing often uses looser definitions, labeling carbon and ceramic heaters that peak in the 5-15 µm range as "far infrared."
The confusion comes from devices. Most red light therapy panels mix visible red LEDs (often around 630-660 nm) with near infrared LEDs (often around 810-850 nm). So when people ask "is infrared the same as red light," the honest answer is that red light therapy products often include some infrared, but an infrared sauna's heat-producing infrared is a different band doing a different job.
How does red light therapy work?
Red light therapy is a form of photobiomodulation (PBM), meaning low-intensity light that changes cell activity without burning or heating tissue. A 2016 review of PBM mechanisms by de Freitas and Hamblin describes the leading theory: red and near infrared photons are absorbed by cytochrome c oxidase in mitochondria, which can influence cellular energy production and signaling.
What the human evidence shows is narrower than the marketing:
- A 2014 controlled trial by Wunsch and Matuschka enrolled 136 volunteers. After 30 twice-weekly sessions with red (611-650 nm) or broader 570-850 nm light, treated groups showed improved skin complexion, roughness and ultrasound-measured collagen density compared with untreated controls.
- Cleveland Clinic says red light therapy shows potential for some conditions, including oral mucositis from chemotherapy and certain pain conditions, but that there is not enough evidence to support most uses. It found no evidence for weight loss, cellulite removal or depression.
Red light therapy appears safe short term when used as directed, but eye protection matters with bright panels.
How does an infrared sauna work?
An infrared sauna heats your body with radiant energy rather than heating the air to 80-100 °C like a traditional stove sauna. Cleveland Clinic puts infrared cabins at 110-135 °F (43-57 °C), compared with 150-195 °F (66-91 °C) for traditional saunas, and recommends sessions of about 20 to 30 minutes for experienced users.
The research base for sauna bathing in general comes mostly from Finnish traditional saunas. A 2018 systematic review by Hussain and Cohen found regular dry sauna use associated with cardiovascular and other benefits, with many studies observational. Infrared-specific trials are smaller. For detail, see infrared sauna benefits, risks and safety.
Heater type changes the feel of an infrared sauna:
- Carbon fiber panels: large surface, lower surface temperature, even far infrared heat.
- Ceramic heaters: smaller, hotter elements with a more intense far infrared output.
- Full spectrum (red glass) heaters: add near infrared and visible red output alongside mid and far infrared.
Our infrared heater comparison explains each option, and full spectrum infrared explained covers near, mid and far infrared bands in depth.
Infrared sauna with red light therapy: how combined cabins work
An infrared sauna with red light therapy puts both tools in one cabin. Usually far infrared carbon or ceramic heaters handle the warming, while red light panels or red glass full spectrum heaters add visible red and near infrared light aimed at the skin.
What to check before buying a red light infrared sauna:
- Wavelengths: Ask for the stated wavelengths of the red light elements (for example 630-660 nm red and 810-850 nm near infrared), not just "red light."
- Position: Light intensity falls quickly with distance, so panels should face the seat at a close, consistent distance.
- Heat rating: LED drivers and panels must be rated for the cabin's operating temperature.
- Control: Separate switches for heat and red light let users run either alone.
- Electrical: Combined cabins draw more power; check the circuit with the power calculator.
- EMF and certification: Look for listed certifications such as CE or ETL and published EMF data.
Mars Sauna builds red light therapy saunas and full spectrum infrared saunas with red glass heaters, and offers OEM customization of heaters, size and control panels for distributors.
Can you add red light therapy panels to an existing sauna?
Adding red light therapy lights to a sauna is possible but needs care. Standard consumer panels are often designed for room temperature. Inside a cabin running 50-65 °C (122-149 °F), they can overheat, shut down or age quickly. If you add red light for a sauna yourself, use panels rated for the ambient temperature, keep wiring outside the hot zone where possible, and do not modify the cabin's original heater wiring. In a traditional stove sauna at 80-100 °C, most LED panels are unsuitable.
Sauna chromotherapy and the color therapy chart
Sauna chromotherapy is often confused with red light therapy. Chromotherapy lights for a sauna are low-power RGB LEDs that cycle through colors for atmosphere. A typical sauna color therapy chart assigns moods to colors:
| Color | Commonly claimed association |
|---|---|
| Red | Energy, warmth |
| Orange | Optimism |
| Yellow | Alertness |
| Green | Balance, calm |
| Blue | Relaxation |
| Violet | Meditation |
Treat these associations as ambience, not medicine. Chromotherapy LEDs deliver far less light to the skin than a therapy panel, and there is little clinical evidence for color-specific infrared sauna color benefits. If you enjoy blue light to wind down, that is a valid reason to want it.
What about halotherapy saunas and infrared steam saunas?
Other combinations show up in searches:
- Halotherapy sauna: a cabin with a salt wall or salt aerosol generator. Cleveland Clinic says evidence for salt therapy is limited and there are not enough well-designed studies to confirm breathing or skin benefits.
- Infrared steam sauna: usually a portable tent or pod with a steam generator. Infrared heaters and steam are separate technologies; a true infrared cabin is a dry heat environment. See sauna vs steam room.
- Portable far infrared sauna or pop up infrared sauna: soft-sided tents with small heaters; quicker to set up but less even heat. Compare in portable sauna vs cabin sauna.
Which is better, red light therapy or infrared sauna?
Choose based on what you want:
- You want a heat session, sweat and relaxation: an infrared sauna.
- You want targeted light exposure for skin: red light therapy, accepting that the evidence is still developing.
- You want both in one routine: a full spectrum infrared sauna with red light therapy, sized for the number of users (a 2-person cabin is the most common home size).
This article is general information, not medical advice. People who are pregnant, have heart disease, light sensitivity, low or high blood pressure or other conditions should talk to a doctor before using a sauna or red light device.
Key takeaways
- Red light therapy delivers visible red (about 620-700 nm) and often near infrared light to the skin; an infrared sauna delivers heat to the whole body.
- Red light is not infrared: infrared starts around 780 nm, and ISO 20473 splits it into near, mid and far bands.
- Evidence for red light therapy is strongest for some skin and pain uses and limited elsewhere; infrared sauna research mostly extends from traditional sauna studies.
- Combined cabins should state the wavelengths, distance and heat rating of their red light elements.
- Chromotherapy is mood lighting, not a therapeutic light dose.
Frequently asked questions
Is red light therapy the same as an infrared sauna?
No. Red light therapy shines low-power visible red light, roughly 600-700 nm, and often near infrared light onto the skin without meaningfully heating you. An infrared sauna uses mostly mid and far infrared heaters to raise body temperature and make you sweat. Some cabins combine both, but the mechanisms and goals differ.
Is red light infrared?
Red light is not infrared. Visible red light sits at roughly 620-700 nm, while infrared begins around 780 nm, just beyond what the eye can see. Many red light therapy devices combine visible red LEDs with near infrared LEDs around 800-900 nm, which is why the two terms are often confused in product listings.
Which is better, red light therapy or infrared sauna?
Neither is better overall; they suit different goals. An infrared sauna is a whole-body heat session, studied mainly for relaxation and cardiovascular-style heat exposure. Red light therapy is a targeted light treatment, studied mostly for skin and some pain conditions. Cleveland Clinic notes the evidence for most red light uses is still limited.
Can you add red light therapy to a sauna?
You can, but only with panels or lamps rated for the cabin's heat. Ordinary LED panels may fail or overheat above their rated ambient temperature. Factory-built cabins with integrated red light heaters or panels are wired, positioned and tested for the sauna environment, which is simpler and safer than retrofitting.
What is sauna chromotherapy?
Sauna chromotherapy is colored mood lighting, usually RGB LEDs that cycle through red, blue, green and other colors inside the cabin. It is low-power ambient light for atmosphere. It is not the same as red light therapy, which delivers a measured dose of specific wavelengths to the skin, and there is little clinical evidence for color-specific health benefits.
Does red light in an infrared sauna make it hotter?
Only slightly. Red and near infrared LEDs or red glass lamps add some heat, but in a combined cabin most of the warming comes from the carbon or ceramic far infrared heaters. Red light elements are there for light exposure on the skin, not to raise the air temperature.
Sources
- Cleveland Clinic: Red light therapy, benefits, side effects and uses
- Cleveland Clinic: 6 possible benefits of infrared saunas
- de Freitas LF, Hamblin MR. Proposed mechanisms of photobiomodulation or low-level light therapy. IEEE J Sel Top Quantum Electron. 2016
- Wunsch A, Matuschka K. A controlled trial to determine the efficacy of red and near-infrared light treatment. Photomed Laser Surg. 2014
- ISO 20473:2007 Optics and photonics, spectral bands
- Hussain J, Cohen M. Clinical effects of regular dry sauna bathing: a systematic review. 2018
- Cleveland Clinic: Could salt therapy improve your health?
