The Amazing Anti Aging Benefits Of An Infrared Sauna

Aging is a normal process, which happens to all living things on the planet. While some signs of it can go unnoticed, others are well visible to all, like changes to the skin. Every year, the cosmetic industry makes billions off anti-aging skincare, like creams, lotions and serums intended for the reduction of wrinkles, fine lines, and pigmentation. 

Besides these already established resources, others may be beneficial and even enhance the anti-aging power of cosmetic products. One of those allies to return the youthfulness of the skin can be infrared saunas, now available for private use in homes as state of the art wellness devices. And before we show you exactly how you can turn back time with infrared technology, let’s start with the aging process and how it can affect human life, both physically and psychologically.   

Why Does Our Skin Age?

Skin can age for various reasons — the most impactful one being the natural aging process. It's an unavoidable occurrence that takes place on a cellular level inside the body from the moment we are born. However, humans become aware of this event only when they notice spots, wrinkles, dullness and other changes in the skin that contribute to aging. This is the reason you can often hear that it's crucial to have appropriate skincare as early as from your teen years.

In a way, as much as you can keep your skin looking younger with timely care, you can also help it age more quickly with unhealthy habits. Smoking can not only cause serious medical conditions, but it can make you look older as well. Simply put, every time you smoke a cigarette, you make your blood vessels thinner, decreasing the blood flow through your body. This can deprive your skin of oxygen and nutrients, vital to fighting off free radicals and helping with collagen and elastin production. Not to mention that smokers can develop their own set of wrinkles around the mouth called the “smoker's pucker,” caused by repetitive motions of inhaling the smoke.  

Another unflattering habit is exposure to sunlight. UV rays penetrate the skin and damage fibers that make it firm, which in turn leads to the appearance of wrinkles. Additionally, sun-exposed skin can often develop hyperpigmentation or “liver spots,” especially on the face and hands. It's believed that the sun is responsible for an astonishing 80% of facial aging signs, with even all the other factors present, such as stress, illness and tobacco [1]. When it comes to environmental damage, pollution is another culprit for premature aging as it slows down collagen synthesis [2]. Collagen and elastin are naturally occurring proteins in the human body that make the skin firm and toned. Over time, their production lessens, and deposits in the skin get depleted, unless something speeds up that process, like pollutants in the air.

For the most part, the best anti-aging skincare is leading a healthy lifestyle, but that is not always possible. Even with the regular use of sunscreen and the elimination of smoking, you may still be exposed to damaging factors that can quicken aging. This is why turning to infrared therapy can be advantageous since its medical benefits [3] can also slow down the impact of environmental and lifestyle factors on your skin.

Skin Aging And Quality Of Life

The state of your skin can greatly affect quality of life, with your mental health being a leading example. People with skin conditions can have lower self-esteem and suffer from social anxiety, even depression. The same may apply to persons with pronounced aging signs, leading to poor self-image and, unfortunately, ageism [4]. The media does not help with this either by constantly pointing out the wrinkles of movie stars and other public figures.

Because of the constant feeling of pressure to look younger, some people choose to try more radical approaches, like plastic and cosmetic surgeries. These are invasive procedures that require total anesthesia and possible post-surgery complications. Alternatively, low-level light therapy as a growing skin treatment technology can have a beneficial effect on wrinkles [5]. However, there are positive sides to skin aging, such as inspiring a person to change their habits and lead a healthier lifestyle. Drinking less alcohol and more water, eating a well-balanced diet and physical activity are only some of the improvements that can have anti-aging effects on the skin. And if these healthier behaviors are combined with infrared therapy benefits, then your skin can get the ultimate treatment to rejuvenate and gain back some of its radiance.

Anti-Aging Benefits Of Infrared Sauna

Infrared light consists of three different wavelengths and each can be beneficial as an anti-aging resource. Near infrared can be beneficial for the replenishing of collagen and elastin deposits — two proteins responsible for firmer and wrinkle-free skin [6]. With age, their quantities in the body decrease, and near infrared light can stimulate their production and bring skin its previous vitality back to a certain degree.

Anti-aging benefits of mid infrared are also reflected in boosting dermal collagen which can lead to a reduction of fine lines or rhytides [7]. The majority of infrared sauna benefits can be attributed to far infrared wavelengths. Of all three, this type of infrared light penetrates the deepest to the fat tissue, causing the body to heat up from the inside. This characteristic can have many positive effects on the skin, contributing to its youthful appearance. The heat that far infrared generates can improve circulation, delivering more oxygen and nutrients to the skin and other organs, which helps cells regenerate [8]. 

Sweating is another result of far infrared light, helping the skin rid itself of pollutants accumulated in the pores and afterward, allowing better absorption of anti-aging skincare [9]. The best results come from using all three together, enabling the body to relax and eliminate the toxic effects of stress on the skin and its acceleration of aging. 

Say “Yes” To Radiant Skin

Owning a personal infrared sauna is not a luxury, but a necessity in today's world. Pollution, insufficient physical activity, stress and the indulging of unhealthy food are taking a toll on a vast amount of the population. Infrared saunas are an excellent example of how something beneficial can be both affordable and practical at the same time. Unlike invasive procedures, infrared therapy doesn't hurt, it's comfortable and can bring a lot of positive changes for the body and mind. Regular infrared sauna sessions may not be able to make all the aging signs disappear, but they can allow you to get older on your own terms.

Resources

[1] Frederic Flament, et al. (2013). “Effect of the sun on visible clinical signs of aging in Caucasian skin.” ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, National Center for Biotechnology Information, September 2013, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3790843/.

[2] Seo-Yeon Park, et al. (2018). “Air Pollution, Autophagy, and Skin Aging: Impact of Particulate Matter (PM10) on Human Dermal Fibroblasts.” ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, National Center for Biotechnology Information, September 2018, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6163910/.

[3] Tsai SR, and Hamblin M.R. (2017). “Biological effects and medical applications of infrared radiation.” ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, National Center for Biotechnology Information, May 2017, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5505738/.

[4] Gupta, MA and Gilchrest, BA. (2005). “Psychosocial aspects of aging skin.” ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, National Center for Biotechnology Information, October 2005, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16112440.

[5] Pinar Avci, et al. (2013). “Low-level laser (light) therapy (LLLT) in skin: stimulating, healing, restoring.” ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, National Center for Biotechnology Information, March 2013, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4126803/.

[6] Lee, JH, et al. (2006). “Effects of Infrared Radiation on Skin Photo-Aging and Pigmentation.” ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, National Center for Biotechnology Information, August 2006, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2687728/.

[7] Fatima Toor, et al. (2018). “Mid-infrared Lasers for Medical Applications: introduction to the feature issue.” ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, National Center for Biotechnology Information, December 2018, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6491011/.

[8] Brunt, V. E, et al. (2016). ”Passive heat therapy improves endothelial function, arterial stiffness and blood pressure in sedentary humans.” ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, National Center for Biotechnology Information, June 2016, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27270841.