I had a client reach out a few days ago asking about infrared saunas and whether we sell them. The short answer was yes - we are able to provide all of our saunas without heaters allowing you to outfit them with any heat source you like. We can even facilitate sourcing infrared sauna heaters. They then asked me what my personal heat preference was and what my thoughts were on infrared. This is what I shared.
A traditional steam sauna with hot stones has been shown to be effective over and over again - which keeps me quite loyal to a traditional Finnish experience using electric or wood heaters. My anecdotal experience in an infrared sauna is that it has much lower heat, it takes me WAY longer to sweat, it’s dry (no steam options), they are usually smaller and more uncomfortable. I did notice that you can stay in the sauna much longer because of its lower temp. That had me wondering if there is a potential benefit there? I will also admit that because of the lower temperature and the extended amount of time I could spend inside - I could actually bring my phone in and get some work done. Shameful, but it's a real option for those busy folks. Other pluses are that they tend to be smaller so you can fit them in an unused corner of the house. Some even connect right into a standard household outlet which makes things even easier.
There seems to be a lack of science supporting the detoxifying benefits of infrared saunas. You can read a bit more here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
It's also worth noting that although traditional saunas heat via convection (the heating of the air in the room) they also heat with radiation (far infrared). As the sauna walls, stones and benches heat up they then radiate the heat to the body. If you allow the sauna room time to heat up by running your heater for a longer amount of time, you will then reap the benefits of both convection and infrared heat.
Electric saunas have come a long way. Most issues I have seen have been the under sizing of sauna heaters - especially in saunas that aren't insulated and are "drafty". Most pre-fab saunas that you will see on the Canadian, North American and European market will be un-insulated. If you size the heater right, an electric sauna can be really great and can get to some really high temps. They can be controlled remotely, are user friendly and consistent. The downside side would be cost, maintenance and longevity. They also lack a bit of ambience in my opinion.
Wood fired saunas are the choice of most enthusiasts and connoisseurs (and mine personally). The ambience and smell of a wood sauna is pretty special. That warm glow from the fire at night. You can get a wood sauna much hotter than an electric sauna (if that's your goal). They are more cost effective to purchase and operate as they don't draw any power - and depending on where you are located, suitable firewood can be acquired for free. There is of course the task of lighting the fire every time you want to have a sauna, so reflecting on your usage and skill set would be beneficial when making a decision. I have a wood fired sauna at my cottage which is a space where I tend to have more free time. We usually run the sauna for several hours as folks take their turns having a sweat. At home I also have a wood sauna which I do use a lot, but it has crossed my mind several times to put in an electric heater. Because I have a more traditional work schedule while at home, I seem to have less time to get a fire going - waiting the 30 minutes it takes to heat up seems lower in the priority list. I would probably sauna more there if the stove was electric and I could turn it on from bed or on my way home from the shop. But....it would be hard for me to let go of the charm and feeling of wood. It's also worth noting that I have access to plenty of free dead fall and scraps from sauna builds, so sourcing firewood is not an issue. Wood burning saunas would also heat the stones, the wood panels, benches and other surfaces faster and hotter, giving you a better radiant (far infrared) experience.
On the topic of detoxification - I would also say that one of the best ways to detoxify the body is through sweating. So it seems reasonable to think that having a sauna where you sweat more will allow you to detox more.
Here is a link to a highly referenced and respected study which does not discuss infrared saunas but scientifically shows the benefits of a traditional Finnish sauna:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
My feeling is that the Finnish people and other cultures around the world that have been using fire, heat and steam to heal their body, mind and spirit have been doing so for thousands of years for a reason. The effect it has on people's well being and overall happiness is evident - the stories and science shows it.
What is shared here is simply my opinion, which is done so in the spirit of creating discourse with other sauna enthusiasts. I am always learning and experiencing new ways to sauna. Please email any links to other studies and information if you have some.
Any sauna is better than no sauna!
-Mike.