Red Light Sauna: What You Need to Know Before Buying One

Red light therapy has become one of the hottest add-ons in the infrared sauna industry.

I’ve tested infrared saunas for years, and lately I’m seeing more manufacturers add red LEDs, “red light therapy,” chromotherapy, full-spectrum heaters, or some combination of all four.

The problem is that those things are not interchangeable.

A sauna can glow red without providing meaningful photobiomodulation. A sauna can have full-spectrum infrared heaters without having red light therapy. And an actual red light therapy panel installed inside a sauna can vary tremendously depending on its wavelengths, intensity, coverage, and how far your body sits from it.

So if you’re shopping for a red light sauna, the question isn’t simply:

“Does this sauna have red lights?”

The better question is:

What exactly is producing the light, what wavelengths does it produce, how much usable light reaches my body, and am I paying extra for something that would be better used separately?

That’s what we’re going to break down.

What Is a Red Light Sauna?

“Red light sauna” isn’t a particularly precise technical term.

In the marketplace, I’ve seen it used to describe several very different things:

• An infrared sauna with ordinary red-colored LED lighting
• An infrared sauna with chromotherapy lighting
• A sauna with quartz or halogen “full-spectrum” infrared heaters that visibly glow
• An infrared sauna with dedicated red and near-infrared LEDs
• A sauna with an actual photobiomodulation panel installed inside the cabin

Those aren’t the same technologies.

This distinction matters because someone shopping for a sauna may see a red glow and reasonably assume they’re also getting the benefits associated with red light therapy. That isn’t necessarily true.

Red Light Therapy and Infrared Saunas Work Differently

An infrared sauna primarily uses infrared radiation to deliver heat.

Red light therapy—more technically called photobiomodulation (PBM)—uses specific wavelengths of light to produce photochemical effects in tissue without relying on significant heating as its primary mechanism.

That’s the first distinction I want buyers to understand:

• Infrared sauna = primarily thermal therapy.
• Photobiomodulation = primarily light therapy.

There can be wavelength overlap between devices, but wavelength alone doesn’t make the therapies equivalent.

That’s why I don’t consider a sauna’s “full spectrum” label proof that it also functions as a red light therapy device.

What Wavelengths Are Used for Red Light Therapy?

Red light therapy devices commonly use wavelengths in the red and near-infrared portions of the spectrum.

You’ll frequently encounter LEDs around 630–670 nm in the visible red range and 810–850 nm in the near-infrared range.

660 nm and 850 nm have become especially common in consumer PBM products, although those aren’t the only wavelengths studied or used.

This is where sauna marketing can become confusing.

Infrared sauna heaters may emit energy across infrared wavelengths, but that doesn’t automatically make them equivalent to a dedicated LED photobiomodulation device.

Wavelength is only one variable.

You also need to know things like:

• irradiance
• treatment distance
• exposure time
• total dose
• illuminated area
• wavelength distribution

If a manufacturer only tells you that something is “red light” or “full spectrum,” you don’t have enough information to evaluate it as PBM.

Chromotherapy Is Not Red Light Therapy

This is probably the easiest mistake for sauna buyers to make.

A lot of infrared saunas include chromotherapy lighting. You select red on the controller, the cabin turns red, and visually it can look a lot like a red light therapy treatment.

But red-colored ambient lighting should not automatically be treated as photobiomodulation.

Chromotherapy systems are generally designed to illuminate the cabin and change its color. A PBM system is designed to deliver a measurable amount of light at particular wavelengths to tissue.

Those are completely different performance requirements.

So when I test a sauna and see red LEDs in the ceiling, my first question isn’t:

“Does it turn red?”

It’s:

“What are these LEDs actually designed to do?”

If the manufacturer can’t provide wavelengths, output information, or meaningful specifications for the system, I would not pay a premium for it under the assumption that I’m getting a serious red light therapy device.

Full-Spectrum Infrared Is Not the Same Thing as Red Light Therapy

This one causes even more confusion. You’ll see infrared saunas advertised as:

• far infrared
• full spectrum
• near + mid + far infrared

and increasingly: full spectrum + red light therapy.

Those descriptions need to be separated.

A full-spectrum infrared sauna generally refers to its heating system producing infrared energy across different portions of the infrared spectrum.

Photobiomodulation generally refers to delivering controlled light using parameters selected specifically for PBM.

So a glowing quartz heater can emit near-infrared energy. That doesn’t mean I would automatically classify the sauna as a red light therapy device.

This is why I prefer evaluating the actual hardware instead of shopping from marketing labels.

How Do You Tell Whether a Sauna Has Real Red Light Therapy?

If you’re considering paying extra for an infrared sauna with red light therapy, here are the questions I’d ask.

What are the wavelengths?

The manufacturer should be able to tell you. If all you can find is “therapeutic red light,” that’s not particularly useful.

What is the irradiance?

Irradiance tells you how much optical power is reaching a given area. It’s commonly expressed in mW/cm².

But there’s an important catch: At what distance was it measured?

A fantastic-looking irradiance number measured directly against the LEDs doesn’t necessarily tell you what reaches your body while you’re sitting on the sauna bench.

Where is the panel located?

This is something that gets overlooked constantly.

Imagine a small red light panel mounted several feet away from you on the opposite wall. Now compare that with a large panel positioned close to your torso.

Those aren’t remotely equivalent implementations.

This is very similar to something I’ve learned testing infrared saunas themselves: placement matters.

You can install powerful heaters in a sauna and still create mediocre heating if they’re poorly positioned relative to the person sitting inside. Light therapy has the same basic problem.

How much of your body does it cover?

A little rectangle of LEDs aimed at part of your chest isn’t whole-body red light therapy. That’s not necessarily bad. But buyers should understand what they’re actually getting.

When I evaluate these systems, I care about usable coverage from the seated position, not how impressive the LEDs look in product photography.

Can the red light operate independently?

I really like seeing this option.

If the PBM system can operate separately from the heaters, you have much more flexibility. You could potentially use the light before heating the sauna, use it independently, or choose whether you want simultaneous exposure.

That makes the feature considerably more useful to me than a system that’s permanently tied to the heating cycle.

What About Using Red Light Therapy While the Sauna Is Hot?

This deserves more nuance than some of the claims you’ll see online.

Photobiomodulation has a dose-response relationship. More light is not automatically better, and treatment parameters matter.

Heat also produces its own physiological effects.

What we don’t have is strong evidence establishing a universal rule that combining sauna heat with PBM either dramatically improves the therapy or completely eliminates its effects.

So I wouldn’t tell you: “Heat makes red light therapy useless.”

I also wouldn’t assume: “Combining them automatically makes both therapies better.”

Those claims get ahead of the evidence.

From a practical standpoint, I prefer having the ability to control the two therapies independently.

If I owned a sauna with a legitimate integrated PBM system and wanted to be conservative about combining the modalities, I’d be perfectly comfortable using the red light during the beginning of the session before the cabin and my skin became extremely hot—or simply using a separate red light panel outside the sauna.

That brings us to the bigger buying question.

Is It Better to Have Red Light Therapy Built Into Your Sauna?

Sometimes. But I wouldn’t make it a requirement when buying an infrared sauna.

I’ve tested enough saunas to know that there are more fundamental things I care about first.

For me, those include:

• heater placement
• heater proximity
• leg and foot coverage
• electrical requirements
• materials and odors
• EMF/ELF performance
• interior space
• actual heat performance
• build quality
• warranty and support

A mediocre sauna doesn’t suddenly become a great sauna because somebody bolted LEDs to the wall.

And I wouldn’t choose an inferior sauna over a better-performing one solely because the first one advertises red light therapy.

Why I Often Prefer a Separate Red Light Panel

There are several advantages. A dedicated panel lets you choose:

• your distance from the LEDs
• which part of your body you’re treating
• your exposure time
• whether you’re hot or cool
• your position relative to the light

You can also replace or upgrade the red light device without replacing your sauna. That’s a big deal.

Saunas can last many years. Consumer red light technology is changing much faster.

I don’t necessarily want my entire sauna purchase tied to whatever LED technology a manufacturer happened to integrate into the cabin that year.

But Integrated Red Light Can Still Be Convenient

There is a legitimate argument for integration: convenience.

If you’re already sitting in the sauna several times per week, having a legitimate PBM panel right there means you’re more likely to use it.

And some newer integrated systems are becoming substantially better than the tiny decorative arrays I’ve seen in older saunas.

That’s why I don’t dismiss integrated red light therapy. I just evaluate it separately from the sauna itself.

There are really two questions:

Is this a good infrared sauna?

and:

Is this a good red light therapy implementation?

A manufacturer has to earn both answers independently.

Red Light Sauna vs Infrared Sauna

Here’s the simplest way I can explain the distinction.

That’s why the phrase “red light sauna” can be misleading unless you know what’s actually installed.

What About Infrared Saunas With Red Light Therapy?

These can be worthwhile. But when I test one, I want to evaluate the systems independently.

For the sauna:

• How well does it heat?
• Where are the heaters?
• How close are they to your body?
• Does it heat the legs and feet?
• How long does it take to warm up?
• What are the EMF readings where someone actually sits?
• What does the cabin smell like after heating?

For the red light system:

• What wavelengths are being used?
• What’s the irradiance at the actual seating distance?
• How large is the illuminated area?
• Can it operate independently?
• Where is the panel relative to the body?

Those questions tell you far more than a badge saying FULL SPECTRUM + RED LIGHT THERAPY on a product page.

Should You Buy a Red Light Sauna?

I wouldn’t start there.

I’d start by buying the best sauna for your needs and budget. Then I’d evaluate red light therapy as an additional feature.

If two otherwise excellent saunas are close in price and performance and one includes a well-designed PBM system, that’s a meaningful advantage.

If the red-light-equipped sauna compromises heater placement, heat performance, materials, electrical requirements, or other fundamentals I care about, I’m taking the better sauna.

You can always add red light therapy. Fixing a poorly designed sauna is much harder.

For a budget-focused starting point, see my infrared sauna buying guide for a 1–2 person setup under $4,500.

What I Look for When Testing Red Light Saunas

After years of testing infrared saunas, I’ve become increasingly skeptical of feature lists. More features don’t necessarily create a better sauna.

I’d rather have excellent heater placement + good materials + strong real-world performance than Wi-Fi + Bluetooth + chromotherapy + “full spectrum” + red LEDs + an impressive brochure attached to a sauna that doesn’t heat me evenly.

So when manufacturers add red light therapy, I’m going to continue testing the same way:

measure what can be measured, look at where the hardware is positioned, use the sauna, and separate marketing claims from actual performance.

That’s ultimately what Certified Saunas is for.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is red light therapy the same as an infrared sauna?

No. Infrared saunas primarily use infrared energy to generate heat, while red light therapy or photobiomodulation uses specific wavelengths and doses of light to produce photochemical effects. A device can contain both technologies, but they aren’t interchangeable.

Is chromotherapy the same as red light therapy?

No. Selecting red on a sauna’s chromotherapy lighting system doesn’t automatically turn it into a photobiomodulation device. A legitimate PBM system should have meaningful specifications such as wavelength and optical output.

Is full-spectrum infrared the same as red light therapy?

No. “Full spectrum” generally describes the infrared output of the sauna’s heating system. It does not by itself establish that the sauna contains a dedicated photobiomodulation system.

What wavelengths should a red light sauna have?

Many consumer PBM systems use visible red wavelengths around 630–670 nm and near-infrared wavelengths around 810–850 nm. However, wavelength alone doesn’t determine whether a system is well designed. Irradiance, dose, treatment distance and coverage also matter.

Can you use red light therapy and an infrared sauna at the same time?

You can, and products exist specifically for simultaneous use. However, evidence doesn’t establish that combining them is automatically superior to using each separately. If possible, I prefer systems that allow independent control.

Is a red light sauna worth it?

It can be, especially when the red light system is properly specified and integrated into an already excellent sauna. I wouldn’t pay substantially more merely because a sauna has red LEDs or “red light therapy” printed on the feature list.

What’s more important: red light therapy or the sauna itself?

If I’m buying an infrared sauna, the sauna comes first. Heater layout, heat performance, materials, electrical requirements, EMF performance, size and support matter more to me than an integrated red light feature.