Full-Spectrum Infrared Saunas: Near, Mid and Far, Explained

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Full-spectrum is not the same as far infrared

Some brands now sell far infrared saunas with a red light added and call them full-spectrum. They are not the same. Infrared has three bands, and each band does a different job.

• Far infrared: the sweat. It heats the whole body. It gives you the deep sweat and the heart workout that sauna research measures. Every infrared sauna has it.
• Mid infrared: muscles and joints. It is absorbed in soft tissue: muscle, joints and connective tissue. It is studied for circulation and muscle recovery. A far infrared sauna does not have it.
• Near infrared: skin and cell energy. It is absorbed in the skin and the tissue just under it. It is studied for skin health, wound healing and cellular energy. A far infrared sauna does not have it.

What you miss with far infrared only: the two bands studied for joints, muscle recovery, circulation and skin. You get the sweat. You miss the rest.

• Why far infrared saunas cost less. Carbon panels make far infrared only, and they cost much less to build. Near and mid infrared need halogen and quartz heaters. The Fuji has all three: carbon panels plus halogen and quartz heaters (700–25,000nm).
• A red light panel is light, not heat. It does not turn a far infrared sauna into a full-spectrum sauna.

Ask any brand what produces the near and mid infrared. If the answer is carbon panels only, the sauna is far infrared.

Full-spectrum saunas from PEAK

Four good places to start. Prices shown are Black Friday prices, before your code.

For oneMiniOur smallest sauna. 1-person, indoor.$5,450 $7,295View MiniFor twoFujiOur best seller. 2-person, indoor.$8,250 $9,995View FujiFor threeDenaliRoom for three. Indoor.$9,750 $12,995View DenaliFor the yardPatagoniaA 2-person outdoor sauna.$10,950 $13,995View Patagonia

Not sure? Compare all models or take the 30-second quiz.

The red light: therapy, not lighting

PEAK pioneered the pairing of full-spectrum infrared and medical-grade red light in one sauna. Other brands now copy the look and sell it for less. Compare the panel before you compare the price. These are the numbers for the panel in the Fuji.

• 8 wavelengths, not 1 or 2. Four red wavelengths (630, 650, 660 and 670nm) work at the skin: collagen, skin repair and circulation. Four near-infrared wavelengths (810, 830, 850 and 1060nm) reach deeper: joints, muscles and recovery. Most consumer panels use 1 or 2 wavelengths.
• 175 mW/cm² at 6 inches, and 80 at 24 inches. This number is the light power that reaches your skin. It decides if a session is therapy or decoration. At 24 inches, about where you sit, the panel still delivers 80. Many budget panels deliver 20 to 60.
• 216 dual-chip LEDs on a 9″ × 36″ panel. It is built into the front wall and runs from head height to shin height.
• Use it with the heat or without it. The red light runs on its own. Use it for a morning skin session or a sore knee, with the sauna off.
• Included, not extra. The panel is a $1,799 value. You do not buy a separate device.

The research on red light is strongest for skin. In a controlled trial of 136 volunteers, red and near-infrared light improved skin roughness and collagen density (Wunsch and Matuschka, Photomedicine and Laser Surgery, 2014).

“The infrared heat and the red light Therapy are amazing with the deep penetrating heat working deep into the tissue and joints, definitely affecting the muscles/joints and the sciatica that I am currently dealing with!”
Debbie B., verified buyer

Ask any brand for two numbers: how many wavelengths, and the irradiance at the distance where you sit. If they do not publish them, the red light is lighting, not therapy.

Why owners use a sauna every week

Regular sauna use is one of the most-studied longevity habits. A 20-year study of 2,315 men found that those who used a sauna 4–7 times a week had 40% lower all-cause mortality and 50% lower fatal cardiovascular disease than once-a-week users (Laukkanen et al., JAMA Internal Medicine, 2015).

A 15-year study of 1,688 men and women aged 53 to 74 found the same pattern. Those who used a sauna 4–7 times a week had 70% lower fatal cardiovascular disease than once-a-week users (Laukkanen et al., BMC Medicine, 2018).

The benefit grew with frequency. That is the reason to own a sauna and not book one.

Owners also tell us they sleep better, move with less joint pain, see clearer skin and feel calmer.

“I honestly have spent years researching different saunas and trying to decide on a brand that had everything I wanted. It’s a huge purchase, so something to not just rush into! I could not be happier!”
Susan L., verified buyer

Why a PEAK is worth more

• Add up what is included. A lower-priced sauna does not include a medical-grade panel or guided sessions. Add those costs to its price before you compare.
• Guided wellness, free for life. PEAK is the only sauna with guided wellness included free for life. Your PEAK Wellness Club membership gives you daily guided sessions, 30-day programs and an expert research library. It is a $588 per year value.
• Heat to 150°F. The Fuji reaches a max 150°F. Many infrared saunas stop at 140°F.
• Delivered in a wooden crate. PEAK is the only sauna brand that ships in a crate, not a cardboard box.
• A U.S.-based team for life. Call or text (470) 665-3747. You reach our team, before and after you buy.
• Proof. More than 4,200 reviews. Rated 4.8 out of 5 on Google. More than 10,000 customers trust PEAK.

Will it work in your home?

• Assembly. Clasp-together panels. Two adults finish in about 2 hours.
• Delivery. Free crate delivery in the contiguous U.S. The carrier calls you to book a time.
• Controls. Set the temperature and session length in the app or on the touchscreen. Preheat it from your phone.
• Size and power. Each sauna page lists its exact size and its electrical needs. Check both before you order.

Ways to pay, and our promise

• HSA/FSA. Select “Pay with HSA/FSA” at checkout and pay with pre-tax dollars.
• Financing. Available through Bread Pay for qualified buyers.
• Limited Lifetime Warranty and lifetime U.S.-based support.
• 30-day home trial. Assemble it, use it and decide. See our refund policy for return terms.

Get all three bands.

The research is about frequency. Every week you wait is a week of sessions you do not get back.

In-stock saunas ship in 2 to 4 business days. Black Friday prices end Nov 27 at 11:59 p.m. ET, or while stocks last.

Questions first? Call or text (470) 665-3747.