Red Light Therapy vs Infrared Sauna: Which Is Better?

If you’ve ever wondered, “Red light therapy vs infrared sauna”, what’s the difference, and which one should you choose? The answer boils down to your wellness goal. Red light therapy delivers targeted cellular healing, ideal for skin rejuvenation, inflammation, and deep tissue repair, while infrared saunas offer whole-body heat therapy that promotes detoxification, relaxation, and cardiovascular comfort. 

Let’s dive deeper into these well-being powerhouses, so you can discover which suits your path to feeling radiant and restored.

What Is Red Light Therapy?

Red light therapy is a treatment that uses special kinds of light to help your body heal. The light comes in two types, red light and near-infrared light, which can go deep into your skin. These lights “wake up” the tiny power stations inside your cells (called mitochondria) so they can make more energy. This extra energy helps your body repair itself faster.

Airvida Radiance Red Light Therapy Bed 

It can help your skin make more collagen, which keeps it smooth and firm, reduce wrinkles, heal injuries, and even help sore muscles and joints feel better. Since it doesn’t make heat, it’s comfortable for people who are sensitive to high temperatures.

Benefits of Red Light Therapy

Red light therapy offers a wide range of benefits, red light therapy for hair growth to red light therapy for wrinkles. Here are some of the main ways it can help your body and mind.

1. Better Skin Health

Red light therapy can boost your skin’s natural collagen production. Collagen is a protein that keeps your skin firm, smooth, and elastic. When your body makes more collagen, it can help reduce wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging skin.

It can also make your skin feel softer and look more even in tone, giving you a fresher and more youthful appearance. Based on our experience, using red light therapy regularly at home can lead to noticeable improvements over time, without the need for painful or invasive treatments.

2. Pain Relief

Red light therapy is often used to help manage pain. We’ve seen it work well for both long-term problems like arthritis and short-term issues such as sore muscles or sports injuries.

The light reaches deep into your tissues, targeting the areas that hurt and helping your body’s natural healing process. It reduces inflammation and improves blood flow, which can make the pain easier to handle, without the need for heavy medications or frequent doctor visits.

3. Reduced Inflammation

Many health problems, from sore joints to skin conditions, start with inflammation. Red light therapy helps calm inflammation by triggering your body to release natural anti-inflammatory substances.

This makes it useful for people with conditions like arthritis, tendonitis, or even acne-related redness. With regular use, many people notice less swelling, less pain, and healthier-looking skin.

4. Faster Wound Healing

One of the most impressive benefits of red light therapy is how it can speed up healing. The treatment improves blood circulation to the injured area, which means more oxygen and nutrients are delivered to help repair the tissues.

This can be especially helpful for people recovering from surgery, cuts, or injuries. It may also reduce the risk of infection and help wounds close faster.

5. Better Mental Health

Red light therapy isn’t just for physical health, it can also support mental well-being. The light can help your body produce more serotonin, a brain chemical that helps control mood.

Higher serotonin levels are linked to feeling happier, calmer, and more focused. This makes red light therapy a helpful, natural option for people dealing with mild depression, anxiety, or stress.

What Is an Infrared Sauna?

An infrared sauna is a special type of sauna that uses invisible light called infrared to warm your body directly, not just the air around you. This heat goes deep into your muscles and tissues, making you sweat and helping your body get rid of toxins. It can also improve blood flow, relax your muscles, help with joint stiffness, and even lower stress by making your body release “feel-good” chemicals called endorphins.

Benefits of Infrared Saunas

Infrared saunas use gentle heat from invisible light waves to warm your body from the inside out. This deep, soothing warmth offers many health and wellness benefits.

1. Detoxification

Sweating is one of the body’s natural ways to get rid of toxins. Infrared saunas help you sweat more deeply and effectively, flushing out heavy metals, chemicals, and other waste through your skin.

2. Improved Circulation

The deep heat from infrared saunas increases your heart rate and widens your blood vessels, helping blood flow more easily. This improved circulation can deliver more oxygen and nutrients throughout your body, supporting better healing and energy levels.

3. Muscle Relaxation & Pain Relief

Infrared heat reaches deep into muscles and joints, easing stiffness, soreness, and tension. Many people find it helpful for muscle recovery after exercise, as well as for chronic pain conditions like arthritis.

4. Stress Relief & Mental Well-being

The calming warmth helps relax both your body and mind. Infrared saunas can lower stress hormones, release “feel-good” chemicals called endorphins, and improve your overall mood.

5. Skin Health

Sweating in an infrared sauna can help clear clogged pores, improve skin tone, and promote a healthy glow. The heat also boosts blood flow to the skin, which can help it look fresh and rejuvenated.

6. Weight Support

While sitting in an infrared sauna isn’t a replacement for exercise, the heat can slightly increase your heart rate and calorie burn, similar to a light workout.

Infrared saunas use lower heat than regular saunas (around 50–65°C), so they feel gentler but still give you the relaxing and cleansing benefits.

Red Light Therapy vs Infrared Sauna: Key Differences

In short: red light therapy offers precision and comfort, while infrared saunas deliver a warming, full‑body wellness experience.

When to Choose Red Light Therapy vs Infrared Sauna

• Choose red light therapy if your main goal is to improve your skin’s health, such as reducing wrinkles, speeding up wound healing, calming inflammation, or giving your skin a fresher, healthier look. It’s also a good choice if you prefer a quick session without heat, making it easier to fit into a busy day.

• On the other hand, choose an infrared sauna if you’re looking for deep, full-body relaxation, improving your heart health, supporting detox through sweating, or relieving stress after a long day. The gentle heat from an infrared sauna warms your muscles, improves circulation, and helps your body release toxins through sweat.
  
  

You can even combine the two for added benefits, start with a sauna session to relax your body and muscles, then follow up with red light therapy to help with recovery and skin support. While some people enjoy this combination, scientists are still studying exactly how well the two work together.

Combining Both: Red Light Therapy + Infrared Sauna

If you want to experience the benefits of both treatments, from deep detox and improved circulation to glowing skin and faster tissue repair, combining infrared sauna sessions with red light therapy can be a powerful approach. Begin with an infrared sauna to gently warm your body, open your pores, boost blood flow, and melt away stress. 

Once your body is relaxed and your circulation is flowing, move on to red light therapy to target cell repair, reduce inflammation, and encourage collagen production for healthier skin. This back-to-back method can leave you feeling both deeply relaxed and refreshed, offering a complete wellness boost. While many people love the combination, research is still ongoing to confirm exactly how much more effective the two are when used together.

Making the Right Choice for Your Wellness Journey?

Choosing between red light therapy vs infrared sauna ultimately depends on your personal wellness goals and preferences. If you’re looking for targeted treatment for skin rejuvenation, pain relief, faster muscle recovery, or reduced inflammation without the use of heat, red light therapy is an excellent choice. On the other hand, if you prefer a full-body experience that encourages detoxification, stress relief, improved circulation, and overall relaxation, an infrared sauna may be the better fit. 

Many people find that combining both therapies delivers the most comprehensive benefits, using an infrared sauna to prepare the body through gentle heat and relaxation, followed by red light therapy to stimulate cellular repair and enhance recovery. By pairing the two, you can create a powerful wellness routine that supports your body inside and out. 

Ready to elevate your wellness?

Explore Airvida Chambers’ red light therapy devices today, whether it’s a sleek panel for your desk, a radiant full-body bed, or a professional-grade system. Light up your health, inside and out.

Related Reads You Might Like:

Ultimate Guide to Red Light Therapy for Hair Growth 2025

Discover the Power of Red Light Therapy for Pain Relief

Best Medical-Grade Red Light Therapy Devices

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best red light for wrinkles?

The best red light for wrinkles typically falls within the 630–660 nm wavelength range. This range penetrates the skin’s surface to boost collagen production, improve elasticity, and reduce fine lines. For deeper tissue benefits, some devices also combine near-infrared light (810–850 nm) with red light for enhanced skin rejuvenation.

Can you do infrared sauna and red light therapy together?

Yes, you can safely combine an infrared sauna session with red light therapy. Many people start with the sauna to relax muscles, improve circulation, and open pores, then follow with red light therapy to support tissue repair and skin health. While the combination may enhance overall wellness, research on exact synergy is still developing.

Is infrared more powerful than red light therapy?

Not exactly,  they work differently rather than one being universally “more powerful.”

• Red light therapy (630–660 nm) primarily targets skin-level concerns, boosting collagen and reducing inflammation without heat.
  

• Infrared light (700–1,000 nm) penetrates deeper into muscles, joints, and tissues, producing gentle heat that promotes relaxation and circulation.
  
  The “power” depends on your specific goal, surface-level rejuvenation vs. deeper tissue support.
  
  

Does red light therapy help under eye bags?

Yes, red light therapy can help reduce under-eye bags over time. By increasing circulation, stimulating collagen, and reducing inflammation, it can improve skin firmness and minimize puffiness. However, results are gradual and work best alongside good sleep, hydration, and healthy lifestyle habits.

Does infrared tighten skin?

Infrared therapy can help improve skin tightness by stimulating collagen and elastin production deep in the dermis. The gentle heat boosts blood flow and cell repair, which may lead to firmer skin over consistent use. For optimal results, it’s often combined with red light therapy.

Disclaimer

Airvida and partners' advice does not constitute medical advice and is intended for informative and educational purposes only, with no medical or non-medical claims being made. While research & studies show the potential of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) and Hyperbaric Air Therapy (HBAT) may have implied benefits, individual results may vary. It is required by Airvida & Partners to consult with doctors before being approved for Hyperbaric Therapy (HBOT & HBAT). Read More HERE