Infrared Sauna For Healing Acne And Other Skin Infections

By Dr. Candy Akers

Have you been skeptical about using an infrared sauna for skin benefits? Well, you’ve come to the right place.

The skin is the largest organ in the human body, comprising two main layers, the dermis, and epidermis. The epidermis layer (outer layer) is continuously replaced as new cells forms and are pushed to the surface. The lower layer (Dermis) contains nerve endings, sweat glands, blood vessels, and hair follicles. These blood vessels deliver nutrients and oxygen to the outer level of the skin and control temperature regulation. Our skin is considered an indicator of our general health. it is the largest organ visible to the rest of the world. It is important to take adequate care of our skin using infrared sauna therapy. Many skin conditions have been shown to improve with this therapy.

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What are infrared Saunas?

An infrared sauna is a wooden box made with infrared heaters designed to heal the skin, detoxify the body, boost immunity, and many more. Unlike conventional saunas that use dry heat to warm up a room, infrared saunas use infrared heat lights in confined spaces to raise your body temperature directly. (1)


Infrared saunas do not require increasingly high temperatures to produce sweating as the rays penetrate the skin and heat from the inside and surface of the skin.

How Does An Infrared Sauna Work For Treatment of Acne? 

When inside a sauna box, the Infrared waves pass through up to two inches into your skin hence, affecting and extending to much deeper layers of the skin. This aids blood circulation to the skin cells by increasing the development of new capillaries which are extra blood vessels that replaces the damaged ones. (2). The new blood supply carries and increases oxygen supply to the cells and allows multiple transportations of fresh nutrients into the damaged skin areas hence, promoting healing of acne, and a rush of waste products out so the cells can function better.


When you sweat in an infrared sauna, it helps your body purge itself of dirt, excess oil, toxins, and other substances that build up within the skin, thereby improving the quality of your skin and its overall health.


With blood flowing through the body more efficiently, you can expect to see your skin softer, clearer, and more healthy-looking as a result. This will make you experience a resurgence of youthful vitality.


Another method is by activating ATP (the main carrier of energy to cells) in the skin. This activated ATP allows the skin cells to dump waste products easily and accept nutrients faster. 

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Types Of Skin Infections Treated Using An Infrared Sauna

These are some common skin infection that has shown great results with infrared sauna therapy;

  • Staphylococcus 
  • Streptococcus 
  • MRSA
  • Diabetic ulcer foot
  • Skin abscess
  • Herpes
  • Shingles
  • Genital warts
  • Monkey pox 
  • Athletes foot 
  • Ringworm
  • Yeast infections 
  • Toenail fungus

Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and MRSA 

One of the most efficient means of battling staph, besides taking antibiotic medication, is the constant use of infrared sauna therapy.


Using an infrared sauna causes the body to detoxify and eliminate infections caused by staph, strep, and MRSA. This detoxification increases the white blood cell function and allows for a more efficient immune response. Infrared also eases the symptoms on your skin as inflammation drastically decreases. 

Diabetic Foot Ulcer

Infrared Sauna can accelerate the healing of diabetic foot ulcers by preventing infection and keeping the surface of the ulcer sterile and dehydrated. (3)

Abcess

An abscess is a painful inflammation on the skin filled with pus, commonly caused by a bacterial infection. Infrared light causes relief of pain and swelling in just a few sessions! 

Viral infections like Herpes, Shingles, Warts, Monkeypox 

Using infrared sauna therapy elevates the body’s immune response by heating it and causing an artificial fever which promotes a natural healing response and slows down any viral growth. 

Fungi infections - ( Yeast infections, ringworm, and toenail fungus ).

Fungal resistance may occur when oral antifungal agents are used for a long period, hence there has been a need to find a simple, reliable, and effective treatment therapy. Research has shown that raising the body’s temperature with an infrared sauna dynamically assists the body to kill fungi infections. Toenail fungus is quite resistant to conventional medications. Daily infrared heat lamps in a sauna therapy can help destroy yeast, mold, and nail fungus as they all tolerate heat poorly, making saunas suitable for keeping them under control. (4)

Infrared Sauna Skin Benefits 

Apart from clearing out acne and skin infections, here are other benefits of using an infrared sauna. 

Infrared Saunas Can Reduce Wrinkles

The red light emitted from infrared saunas stimulates elastin and collagen production. Elastin and collagen help firm and tighten your skin, reducing cellulite and stretch marks in the process. Removing those dead skin cells stimulates healthy circulation and clears out the pores. 


Infrared Can Improve Skin Tone and Glow

Exuding sweat from the body while using an infrared sauna treatment removes deeply embedded impurities, cleanses pores of toxins, and expels dead skin cells. Reduction in toxins, dead skin, and impurities will bring life back to your skin, improving texture, color, tone, and elasticity. This will help restore a Clean, clear, and healthy glow to your skin that you will love.


Infrared saunas help in healthy wound healing 

Infrared saunas can speed up the wound healing process in an astounding way. This is because infrared light therapy accelerates cell regeneration, has proven results in healing skin burns and scars, and supports enhanced tissue growth.

Our skin is responsible for regulating and protecting the body against harmful substances and so, if your skin is broken, its ability to carry out these functions may diminish leaving you vulnerable to various bacteria and diseases.


Infrared Sauna Skin Detoxification

Have you been wondering If a sauna cleans your pores? the short answer is yes! The rigorous sweating caused by infrared light therapy has a cleansing reaction on glands and pores, expelling impurities from within the skin. Hence, your skin will be less prone to blackheads, acne, and pimples.

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Since your skin benefits so greatly from red light therapy you will want to get an infrared sauna that includes red light. There are a few ways to do this:


1- Buy An Infrared Sauna And Add Red Light Panels

2- Buy An Infrared Sauna And Add A Red Light Mask

3- Buy An Infrared Sauna That Already Includes Red Light

Dr. Candy's Recommendations 

Best Infrared Saunas For Skin Healing and Acne

3. Buy An Infrared Sauna That Already Includes Red Light

Sauna Space’s Luminati Infrared Sauna

For this approach, I recommend Sauna Space’s Luminati Infrared Sauna


What I like:

 - Simple setup- not a lot of wood panels or complicated circuit boards

- Tent style is portable and folds up

- Heat lamps cover the full red light spectrum

$3,900.00

learn more

Bonus accessories for acne and skin infections:

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Supercharge Copper Body Brush

On this body brush, there are some bristles that are coated with copper. The copper ions help to cleanse and heal your skin cells while it exfoliates. Copper naturally has antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties. The copper body brush can be beneficial for skin issues such as pimples, blisters, abscesses, rashes, athletes foot and more. Body brushes are also used for lymph drainage and cellulite. This brush should be used gently while dry and prior to your sauna session.


** Medical note: Not all skin disease responds well to brushing or exfoliation, so please speak with your doctor if you are not sure about your particular condition. 

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Wooden Bamboo Dry Skin Body Brushes

Body Detox Brush and Beauty Set By Creatrix Solutions

Your body can greatly benefit from dry skin brushing, especially when engaging in infrared sauna therapy. Skin brushing loosens toxic matter and stimulate mucus expulsion. For best results, Creatrix recommends dry brushing your skin immediately before taking a sauna. 

This brush set comes with:

- Konjac sponge for face exfoliation

- Face brush

- Long handle body brush

- Hand held body brush

- Long handle fascia wooden nub head

= Cotton bag

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Radiance Microdermabrasion Exfoliation Device

- Improves overall skin texture

- Diminishes fine lines and wrinkles

- Decreases the appearance of superficial pigmentation

- Treats oily and enlarged pores

- Decreases blackheads

- Improves acne scarring

Resources: 


1 - Hussain, J., & Cohen, M. (2018). Clinical effects of regular dry sauna bathing: A systematic review. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2018, 1857413-30.

2 - Ramakrishnan, K., MD, Salinas, R. C., MD, & Higuita, Nelson Ivan Agudelo, MD. (2015). Skin and soft tissue infections. American Family Physician, 92(6), 474-483E.

3 - Baker, L. B. (2019). Physiology of sweat gland function: The roles of sweating and sweat composition in human health. Temperature (Austin), 6(3), 211-259. https://doi.org/10.1080/23328940.2019.1632145

4 - Kemper, K. J. (2018). “Let there be light.” research on phototherapy, light therapy, and photobiomodulation for healing – alternative therapy becomes mainstream. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 41, A1-A6.

5 - Wu, Y., Deng, Y., & Huang, P. (2021). Application of red light therapy for moderate‐to‐severe acne vulgaris: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 20(11), 3498-3508.


6 - Li, J., Li, J., Zhang, L., Liu, X., Cao, Y., Wang, P., & Wang, X. (2022). Comparison of red light and blue light therapies for mild‐to‐moderate acne vulgaris: A randomized controlled clinical study. Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine, 38(5), 459-464. 

7 - NA, J. I., & SUH, D. H. (2007). Red light phototherapy alone is effective for acne vulgaris: Randomized Single‐Blinded clinical trial. Dermatologic Surgery, 33(10), 1228-1233.


Writer resources-

8 - https://www.academia.edu/9234608/What_is_a_Far_Infrared_Sauna

9- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/289187026_Infrared_sauna_and_healthy_subjects_the_physiological_effects_of_hyperthermia

10- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5136462/

11- https://www.candidacurecenter.com/infrared-saunas-cancer-parasites-yeast-infection/