The proven health and therapeutic benefits of Far Infrared Heat Therapy, while familiar to health professionals, are still a mystery to most consumers. A recent "explosion" of Far Infrared Heat Therapy products on the market has prompted most people to show interest in the benefits of using those products, but like most new technological applications, most are still skeptical as to whether or not these products actually work. The first question most consumers ask is, "What is Infrared Heat?"

What is Infrared Heat?

Infrared is a band of light that we perceive as heat. While we cannot see infrared heat, we can feel its effects. Infrared radiation, or radiant heat, represents over half of the energy emitted by the Sun and is divided into three segments: near, middle, and far.

Infrared rays heat our body by a process called conversion. Through conversion, far infrared heat can penetrate organic substances such as the human body without heating the air in between. You may notice a similar effect on partly cloudy days: when a cloud obscures the sun, you suddenly feel cooler, but the air temperature around you has not had time to be affected. The cloud blocked the sun's infrared rays from penetrating your body.

By using far infrared heat as opposed to traditional heating methods, you enable the heat to penetrate deeper into your body without the skin discomfort of heating pads, hot towels, and some pain relief gels/creams. However, less discomfort is just one of many benefits of far infrared heat therapy.

What are the benefits of Far Infrared Heat Therapy?

The human body is composed of 90% water. Far infrared rays cause resonance in water molecules, activating them and ionizing them. Because of this effect, Far Infrared Heat Therapy offers a variety of proven health and beauty benefits.

Far Infrared Heat Therapy effectively helps to increase blood circulation without putting strain on your heart and increases the levels of oxygen and white blood cells in your blood. It also stimulates the production of collagen (a building block for human tissue) in your body and helps to rid your body of toxins by causing you to perspire. You get the benefit of a stronger immune system, better cardiovascular health, and a faster ability to heal from soft tissue injuries such as tears, pulls, and sprains. Believe it or not, Far Infrared Heat Therapy also serves as an effective way to help cure hangovers.

The penetrating heat of Far Infrared Heat Therapy can be used as a beauty treatment as well. It reduces the appearance of crow's feet, fine lines, and wrinkles. In addition to helping heal scars, wounds, and cuts, it also smoothes your skin's texture, lessens coarseness, and reduces pore size.

Far Infrared Heat Therapy penetrates deep into soft tissue, making it an ideal source of arthritis pain relief. Athletes and the elderly will benefit from an effective means of loosening sore muscles and stiff joints without the use of ointments or creams that can burn and have an unpleasant odor. Those who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, ALS, Lou Gehrig's Disease, and Parkinson's Disease can enjoy an easy to use form of pain relief. In addition to making you perspire and removing toxins from your body, Far Infrared Heat Therapy serves as a means of weight loss and cellulite reduction for those who cannot exercise due to health concerns or mobility issues.

How is Far Infrared Heat Therapy administered?

Thanks to the demand for pain relief applications as well as the growing knowledge and popularity of Infrared Heat Therapy, a wide variety of products are available to help you enjoy the benefits of this technology. Ranging in price from as low as $80 to as high as $2,600, Far Infrared Heat Therapy technology is used in handheld devices, stationary systems, products with built in massagers, and even highly effective home saunas.

The Light Relief® is an example of a handheld infrared therapy device. It uses either an AC adapter or batteries and can be held against your body with your hand or attached to your body using the long strap included with the product. It is a great solution for targeting pain in specific areas such as your joints, hands, and neck.

The DPL - Deep Penetrating Light Therapy System is a device that consists of two large panels, mounted on a stand, that contain dozens of infrared LED lights. The DPL can sit on a table to apply the skin-related benefits of infrared therapy to your face, or the two panels can be removed and either held or strapped to the body. When removed from the stand, the two infrared panels are ideal for relieving pain, healing, and increasing circulation in larger parts of the body such as the lower back, the upper back, thighs, shoulders, and abs.

Perhaps the most effective form of Far Infrared Heat Therapy, the Far Infrared Home Sauna offers many more benefits than any other device. Unlike traditional saunas that heat up to over 200 degrees Fahrenheit, the Far Infrared Home Sauna only reaches a maximum of 150 degrees. The infrared technology allows the heat to penetrate even deeper into your body while eliminating the discomfort of extremely high temperatures. The air is fresh and steam-free as opposed to being humid and stale, and this sauna uses a fraction of the energy a traditional one uses. Because the temperatures are low enough to not affect electronics, the Far Infrared Home Sauna includes a sound system with CD player and a reading light.

Will Far Infrared Heat Therapy Work For Me?

Far Infrared Heat Therapy has been shown to work on people of all backgrounds. The range of benefits from this effective form of heat therapy can be felt regardless of skin type, physical disabilities or limitations, and athletic condition. Simply use the available types of Far Infrared Heat Therapy for 15 - 30 minutes per day and enjoy the benefits of a healthier lifestyle.