The answer is simple, far infrared saunas emit mostly far infrared waves, while full spectrum saunas emit far, mid AND near infrared waves. The main difference between a Far-Infrared sauna and a Full-Spectrum sauna lies in the types of infrared light they use and the associated benefits of each.
Far-Infrared Sauna:
- Infrared Type: Uses only far-infrared (FIR) light, which is the longest wavelength of infrared light.
- Heat Penetration: FIR heat penetrates deeply into the skin, typically reaching a depth of about 1.5 to 2 inches. This deep penetration is thought to be beneficial for muscle relaxation, detoxification, and improving circulation.
- Temperature: Operates at lower temperatures compared to traditional saunas, generally between 110°F to 140°F (43°C to 60°C).
- Benefits: Focuses on detoxification, muscle and joint pain relief, and improved circulation. FIR saunas are designed to provide a deeper, more penetrating heat for these specific benefits.
Full-Spectrum Sauna:
- Infrared Type: Combines multiple types of infrared light: near-infrared (NIR), mid-infrared (MIR), and far-infrared (FIR).
- Near-Infrared: Has the shortest wavelength and penetrates the skin the least. It's often used for its potential to promote skin health and repair.
- Mid-Infrared: Falls between near and far-infrared in wavelength, providing a balance between surface and deeper tissue heating.
- Far-Infrared: As described above, provides deep penetration and is beneficial for detoxification and pain relief.
- Heat Penetration: The combination of different infrared wavelengths provides a more comprehensive approach to heat penetration, potentially offering benefits across different layers of the body.
- Temperature: Typically operates within a similar temperature range to far-infrared saunas, but can vary depending on the specific design.
- Benefits: Aims to offer a broader range of benefits by addressing different aspects of health and wellness through the various types of infrared light. This can include enhanced detoxification, better skin health, improved muscle recovery, and more.
Full spectrum refers to all 3 types of infrared: Far, mid and near; with each offering its own unique benefits. Infrared is a portion of the Electromagnetic Spectrum.
If you examine and break down the word infrared, “infra” translates to below or further on; and “red” is simply the color. So, infrared essentially means after red, which makes sense considering that the far, mid and near terms indicate the distance of that wavelength from the visible color, red (see image below).
Notice that for the “visible light" section, all the different hues of red are on the right side. Now examine the “infrared” section: near infrared is nearest to the color red, while far infrared is farthest from red and, of course, mid infrared is in the middle of them both.
Should I get far infrared or full spectrum sauna?
Now that you have an idea on the heater differences of Far infrared and full spectrum saunas, you’re probably wondering what kind of health benefits each have. Here’s a chart below that compares that two:
