Many claim that applying extreme heat to the skin—using anything from tanning beds to heat saunas—is a fast way to get tanned. However, it’s critical to determine if an infrared sauna indeed caused the tan. Far Infrared saunas don’t produce tanning since they do not include the UV rays seen in tanning beds or sunshine. By typing “tanning beds near me” into Google Maps or looking through Yelp listings, you can locate nearby salons. Spas and gyms in excess also provide tanning services.

Because UV radiation may cause skin damage over time, using an infrared sauna with longer wavelengths than UV radiation is a safer and more affordable method to encourage skin detoxification and sweating via heat. This article explores why infrared baths dramatically don’t encourage tanning despite their capacity to raise body temperature.

Does tanning come from infrared saunas?

No, infrared baths do not give people tans. The primary light delivered by infrared steam rooms burns the skin, causing sweating, relaxation, and cleanliness. Infrared heat does not promote tanning, in contrast to UV light, which does so by encouraging the skin’s creation of melanin. As a result, users of infrared baths shouldn’t anticipate getting tanned after using them.

Differences between an infrared sauna and a tanning bed

The processes and intended purposes of infrared saunas and tanning beds are where the main differences between them occur. By heating the body inside with infrared radiation, these saunas encourage sweating, relaxation, and cleansing. But browning results from the UV radiation from tanning beds increasing the amount of melanin the skin produces.

Infrared saunas target skin purification and therapeutic advantages; tanning beds, on the other hand, are made with tanning in mind. Compared to tanning booths, which may expose the skin to higher quantities of UV radiation, infrared baths typically run at lower temperatures. Consequently, people must comprehend these differences and select the course of action that best suits their goals and health concerns.

See also: Can Saunas Treat Acne? (Break Outs, Pores, Pimples, & More!)

Difference Between Infrared Rays and UV Light

The primary difference between the two forms of light is found in their frequencies, which are defined as the intervals between successive wave crests. With deeper wavelengths than UV radiation, infrared heat is visible to the normal eye. Compared to ultraviolet (UV) rays, infrared waves are about a thousand times longer.

Furthermore, the body absorbs infrared rays, whereas UV radiation mostly activates certain skin colors. Its characteristics help the body release toxins by raising body warmth and allowing for deeper tissue entry. In contrast to UV radiation, infrared rays help to cleanse the skin rather than cause tanning.

Infrared Saunas Don’t Emit UV Rays

UV lights, which are used in tanned spas, emit smaller wavelengths of light than visible light, which assists in triggering skin colors and results in tanning. As opposed to UV light, infrared radiation has longer wavelengths and hence has a different effect on the skin.

It causes a warming feeling throughout the body and may go up to 1.5 inches (3.81 cm) under the skin, making waste and toxins easier to remove. In particular, infrared heat doesn’t release UV rays as UV light does. This difference reduces the possible long-term harm linked to UV exposure, which is especially helpful for people who like infrared spas.

Are UV rays and infrared waves similar?

Although UV (ultraviolet) light and infrared waves are both types of electromagnetic radiation, their characteristics and biological effects are very different.

1. Wavelength: Compared to UV light, infrared waves have greater wavelengths. UV light has short wavelengths ranging from around 10 nanometers to 400 nanometers, while infrared waves normally have a range of 700 nanometers to 1 millimeter.

2. Impacts on the Human Body:

• Infrared Radiation: By permeating the skin and tissues, infrared energy warms the body. It may go several centimeters deeper into the body and is frequently used for medicinal purposes, including relaxation, pain reduction, and better circulation.
• UV Light: Depending on the wavelength, UV light may have a variety of impacts on the body.
  • UV-A: UV-A causes wrinkles and signs of aging by penetrating the skin more deeply. Additionally, tanning booths employ it.
  • UV-B: The epidermis, the skin’s outermost layer, absorbs the majority of the sunburn-causing agents. The chance of developing skin cancer might rise with prolonged exposure.
  • UV-C: The Earth’s atmosphere absorbs the majority of this light, preventing it from reaching the surface. It is used for cleaning things and is extremely harmful to living things.

3. Functionality: Infrared rays are frequently utilized to produce warmth and encourage healing in medical treatments and infrared baths. On the other side, UV radiation is frequently connected to cleansing procedures, tanning salons, and exposure to sunshine.

In conclusion, although UV light and infrared heat are both types of electromagnetic radiation, their functions, effects on the body, and wavelengths are very different.

Does the sauna make you tan?

No, saunas don’t give you a tan. All saunas, conventional and infrared, produce enough heat to cause perspiration, but they do not release the UV radiation that is required for tanning. Sunlight and tanning beds include UV light, which causes the skin to produce a darker color and tan. Steam rooms can neither produce tanning nor alter the color of the skin because they only produce heat. They work well for unwinding and cleansing, but they won’t change the color of your skin.

Does sauna remove tan?

Saunas do not immediately take away a tan. Saunas don’t contain UV rays, and tanned is caused by an increase in melanin formation brought on by UV exposure. Regular hammam use, however, can enhance skin health by encouraging cleansing and circulation, which may eventually help remove tan lines as the skin regenerates.

Further removing dead skin cells and exposing fresher skin beneath can be achieved by sweating in a steam room, which may help promote a more even skin tone. It normally takes time, exfoliating, and moisturizing to remove a tan correctly. When using hot tubs, never forget to stay hydrated.

Does sauna tan your skin?

Saunas don’t cause the skin to turn tan. Both conventional and infrared baths employ heat or infrared light to raise body temperature and encourage sweating; however, they do not release ultraviolet (UV) rays, which are necessary for tanning. Tans are produced by UV exposure, which is why spas are unable to cause melanin formation in the skin. Although they won’t change your skin tone, baths can improve the appearance and health of your skin by encouraging circulation and detoxifying.

Does sauna remove natural tan?

A natural tan cannot be eliminated by a sauna. Because UV rays cause the skin to produce an increase in melanin, sunbathing is the effect; melanin levels are unaffected by spas. Steam rooms have no direct effect on the tan itself, although they can encourage perspiration and aid in skin exfoliation, which may cause a tan to appear slightly less bright over time. Using a hot tub will help hydrate and nourish your skin, which may improve the way your tan looks.

Do infrared rays and UV light have the same effects on the skin? 

As opposed to ultraviolet (UV) light, infrared rays have several advantages for a better circulatory system, pain relief, skin renewal, and metabolism. It is becoming a common heat source used in conventional saunas. Numerous healthcare facilities like the wavelengths in the far infrared range in particular. They claim that this particular form of therapy is more successful in encouraging weight reduction, lowering stress levels, and detoxifying the skin.

Benefits and Dangers of Infrared Rays and UV Light

Certainly, infrared radiation and ultraviolet light have advantages, but they may also be toxic. This is an overview:

The Advantages of Infrared Rays:

• Pain Relief: By boosting blood flow and lowering inflammation, infrared treatment has been shown to relieve pain in the muscles and joints.
• Better Circulation: By opening blood vessels, infrared radiation helps to improve circulation all over the body.
• Detoxification: Sweating is a natural way for infrared saunas to encourage the body to release toxins and other pollutants.
• Wound Healing: By boosting collagen synthesis and encouraging tissue repair, infrared treatment may improve wound healing.

Dangers of Infrared Rays:

• Overheating: Heat fatigue, dehydration, and overheating can result from extended exposure to high amounts of infrared radiation. It’s critical to monitor exposure levels and maintain hydration.
• Skin Sensitivity: Some people may be sensitive to infrared radiation or experience skin irritation, especially if they are exposed for long periods or at high intensities.

Advantages of UV radiation:

• Vitamin D Synthesis: UVB rays cause the skin to create vitamin D, which is necessary for strong bones, a healthy immune system, and general well-being.
• Treatment of Skin Problems: Psoriasis, vitiligo, and eczema are just a few of the skin problems that UV light therapy may effectively cure under regulated circumstances.
• Mood Enhancement: UV radiation exposure can increase serotonin synthesis, an amino acid linked to mood control, which may improve mood and help prevent depression and seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

Dangers of UV light:

• Skin Damage: Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation, especially UVA and UVB rays, can result in sunburn, early aging, and a higher chance of developing skin cancer.
• Eye Damage: UV light can cause damage to the eyes, resulting in disorders including photokeratitis (snow eyesight), eye diseases, and macular degeneration (MD).
• Immune Suppression: Prolonged exposure to UV light can weaken an individual’s defenses against infections and illnesses.
• DNA Damage: UV light has the direct ability to harm skin cells’ DNA, which might result in abnormalities and skin cancer.

In conclusion, there are possible hazards associated with both UV light and infrared rays, disregarding their medicinal benefits. It is imperative that you exercise caution, follow safety protocols, and speak with a medical expert before beginning any kind of light treatment.

Warning

Because they don’t emit UV radiation, infrared saunas don’t cause tanning, yet using them still requires caution. It’s crucial to keep an eye on your body’s temperature to avoid overheating. It’s important to be well hydrated, and it’s highly recommended to speak with a doctor ahead to make sure you’re suitable for thermal exposure—taking into account things like high humidity and temperature.

Conclusion

I hope you now have a thorough idea of the differences between a tanning chamber and an infrared sauna from this essay. The benefits of infrared light include relaxation and detoxification, as well as sweating without tanning. Use online maps or directories, such as Google Maps or Yelp, and search for “tanning salons near me” to locate tanning salons in your area.

Although tanning salons provide services using UV light from tanning beds, infrared spas only release infrared radiation with longer wavelengths. This distinction is important because tanning requires UV radiation with shorter wavelengths, which infrared saunas cannot provide. If you are more concerned about your health than anything else, an infrared sauna is the best option.

See also: Does a Sauna or Steam Room Help a Sunburn? (With Caution!)

FAQs

The most frequently asked questions are given below:

Does infrared tan your skin?

White tan is achieved using infrared light; hence, there is no real tan occurring, in contrast to the tan most Americans have become familiar with, which employs UV light to enhance hair synthesis.

Can saunas darken skin?

In a sauna, prolonged exposure to heat can result in skin darkening. If you spend more time in a bathhouse than is required or expose yourself to heat higher than is advised, you run the risk of developing hyperpigmentation, discoloration, and accelerated aging.

Does infrared heat tan you?

Infrared heat is frequently utilized as a heating source in yoga centers and medical institutions because it promotes circulation, reduces muscular pain, and does not cause skin tanning.

See more: Skincare Products Are Used in Saunas (Before, During & After)