Traditional saunas use heated rocks to create a dry heat that radiates and warms the air, providing an authentic and rejuvenating sauna experience with real health benefits. The high temperature of the air allows the heat to penetrate through the skin and into the muscles. This diffusion of heat deep into the tissue is what provides the relaxation, detoxification, and recovery for which sauna bathing is renowned. Infrared saunas use - you guessed it - infrared light to heat the body directly without heating the air as much. Many infrared saunas, particularly the type found in your average commercial gyms and spas, only heat the surface of the skin. While providing warmth, these units often don't reach temperatures high enough to achieve the deep therapeutic benefits that traditional saunas offer. For optimal sauna health benefits like improved blood flow, detoxification, pain relief, muscle recovery and relaxation, a traditional Finnish sauna is really unmatched.