Sauna vs Red Light Therapy: 7 Key Differences for Skin & Wellness

Sauna vs red light therapy are terms most frequently contrasted by individuals searching for non-surgical techniques for skin and general wellness care. While they can both help your body heal on its own, they could not be more different.

In this article, we dispel the myth of the real differences between sauna and red light therapy, specifically with respect to skincare and anti-aging. 

We will also show you how red light therapy beautifully complements skincare actives, like Maysama's Green Rooibos Pressed Serum, to yield improved results.

Is Red Light Therapy the Same as Infrared Sauna?

This is an often-asked question, and it's easy to see why. 

Both red light therapy and sauna use some form of infrared technology, but they differ from each other. An infrared sauna primarily uses far-infrared light to heat the body and induce sweating. 

Red light therapy uses red and near-infrared wavelengths of light to stimulate biological processes at the cellular level.

So while each treatment has its application, they target different systems in the body.

Infrared saunas impact thermal detoxification and circulation. 

Red light drives mitochondrial function, promotes collagen and contributes to skin rejuvenation without warming your core temperature. 

Being aware of these differences is critical for choosing the best treatment for your needs.

The Core Difference Between Sauna and Red Light Therapy

Whereas both treatments exist to contribute to your well-being and health, the way these processes work are as different as could be imagined. 

Sauna therapy is all about heat in order to induce effects like detoxification and circulation. Red light therapy is about light—i.e., red and near-infrared wavelengths affecting cellular energy, repair, and regeneration.

This fundamental distinction is the reason that red light therapy is successful with skin revitalisation and anti-ageing, as opposed to the body-wide, sweat-based detox that saunas are famous for. 

With that in mind, let's now explore the major differences in more depth.

Sauna vs Red Light Therapy: Quick Comparison Table

1. Heat vs Light: What’s Really Happening?

Let's begin at the beginning. Saunas, particularly infrared saunas, can be considered a type of thermal therapy. They work by applying heat to increase your body temperature. This induces a sweat response and overall detox effect. 

Red light therapy, in contrast, is considered a low-level light therapy. It applies low-level red and near-infrared light wavelengths to improve your cell’s mitochondrial health—no sweat required.

So, is an infrared sauna equivalent to red light therapy? No. Even though they may both include infrared wavelengths, the mechanisms and effects are quite different.

2. Red Light Therapy Works at the Cellular Level

Red light therapy (RLT) or photobiomodulation stimulates mitochondria—the powerhouses within your cells. This increases the manufacture of ATP, which powers repair, regeneration, and collagen production.

Infrared saunas don't conduct ATP stimulation per se. They generally work primarily with heat stress, increasing circulation and calling upon the body to cool itself by sweating.

It is this cellular benefit that compels Maysama to advocate Pulsed LED Light Therapy, in particular employing their Chin2Chest LED Light Therapy Device, for effective and controlled rejuvenation of the skin without the savagery of whole-body heat treatment.

3. Infrared Sauna vs Infrared Light: Don't Confuse the Two

It's easy to mix up infrared sauna vs infrared light, but they are not the same thing. Infrared saunas utilise far-infrared heat to warm the body, while infrared light therapy (e.g., Maysama's LED technology) utilises near-infrared light for cellular and deep tissue impacts, conducting photorejuvenation.

Far-infrared is almost exclusively thermal. Near-infrared is bioactive. That is a huge distinction for skincare benefits.

Red light therapy heals skin cells without overwhelming them with heat, making it ideal for sensitive skin, rosacea, melasma, or ageing concerns. 

In contrast, overexposure to sauna heat can even increase skin redness or inflammation in some users. 

4. Skin Rejuvenation: Red Light Takes the Lead

If your goal is smoother, tighter, and brighter skin, red light therapy is the winner.

Clinical studies show that red and near-infrared light stimulate collagen, leads to wrinkle reduction, provides elastin support, and cause even tone.

Sauna use may indirectly benefit healthy skin by stimulating detoxification and circulation, but unlike red light, it does not promote cell renewal.

To maximise these skin benefits, the most critical is the combination of red light therapy with topical antioxidants. Maysama's Green Rooibos Pressed Serum is clinically formulated to synergize with LED light, optimising antioxidant defence and light penetration because of its high concentration of Aspalathin-rich Green Rooibos Extract.

5. Sweat vs Soothing: What Does Your Body Need?

Infrared saunas are invigorating, especially for people who enjoy the purifying of a sweat session. But intense heat is not tolerated by everyone.

Red light therapy is gentle, pain-free, and does not raise your body temperature. That makes it a great option for folks with heat intolerance, people with chronic skin disorders, or individuals recovering from illness or injury.

Maysama's Pulsed LED devices offer an even more relaxing option compared to continuous wave LEDs from less heat load and more penetrating light.

6. Frequency and Convenience: Red Light is More Practical

Let’s face it: Getting to a sauna isn't always possible. With time, space, and access, attending a sauna regularly can be tricky. Red light therapy, however, can easily be used at home.

With devices like the Maysama PRANA LED Light Therapy Mask, you can target key areas in just 10 minutes a day. Combine that with a few drops of the Green Rooibos Pressed Serum, and you’ve got a daily anti-ageing ritual that fits seamlessly into your routine.

With your own home LED device, you can raise your at-home skincare routine to the next level. Sure, light saunas have their own benefits, but they are not a suitable LED face mask alternative and cannot measure the impact of consistent skin treatment.

7. Red Light Plus Antioxidants = Maximum Results

One of the greatest advantages of red light therapy over saunas is that it is able to work harmoniously with topical skincare.

Red light increases transdermal penetration, particularly when combined with water-based serums that complement antioxidant function. 

That's where Maysama's Green Rooibos Pressed Serum excels. It aids in protection against oxidative stress while maintaining your skin barrier and enhancing LED light absorption.

While sauna sessions count only on heat to push benefits, red light therapy invites active skincare synergy—rendering it a wiser, more synergistic beauty treatment.

Can You Use Both Sauna and Red Light Therapy?

Yes—and for most, using both therapies together has a synergistic effect that is very powerful. 

A session in an infrared sauna can open up pores, increase circulation, and relax the body. Then using red light therapy allows you to target specific benefits to the skin, such as increased collagen production, reduced inflammation, and accelerated healing.

If you're combining the two, we recommend sauna first and then cooling down prior to using red light. This is the optimal time to apply a targeted LED-friendly antioxidant serum, which enhances red light bioavailability and outcome

Clinical Evidence Supporting Red Light Therapy

Red light therapy has growing peer-reviewed evidence behind it. Studies have shown that:

• Red light (630–660nm) and near-infrared light (810–850nm) increase mitochondrial function and increase ATP output (Chung et al., 2012).
• Photobiomodulation increases skin colour enhancement and wrinkle reduction, as proven in double-blind, placebo-controlled trials (Barolet & Boucher, 2010).
• Pulsed LED light may be able to offer greater tissue penetration and reduced thermal burden compared with continuous wave LED (Barolet et al., 2009).

These findings support the advantages Maysama products are designed to maximise.

Final Thoughts: Which One is Right for You?

When it comes to sauna vs red light therapy, honestly, it is a matter of your objectives.

• Need complete body detox and a sweat? Saunas are the way to go.
• Looking for non-surgical skin renewal and anti-ageing benefits? Red light therapy is the victor.

The good news? The treatments can be combined. Relax and recharge with a sauna, and then keep your skin healthy in the long run with red light and antioxidant-infused skincare.

To reap red light therapy at its best, pair the Maysama LED Light Therapy devices with the Green Rooibos skincare collection.

It's a combination that yields noticeable results for healthier, firmer, and more youthful skin.

Learn More About Maysama

At Maysama, we specialise in LED-friendly skincare and light therapy technology. If you're ready to take your skincare to the next level, browse our clinically backed line of products:

• Green Rooibos Pressed Serum
• Chin2Chest LED Light Therapy Device

These are the products that we'd recommend if you'd like to switch up or supplement your sauna routine with something skin-focused and evidence-based.