The infrared sauna is a recent invention as it can only work with electricity. In 1800, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg of Michigan created what he termed a “light electric shower” made up of light bulbs around the clock (emitting a lot of light near the infrared).
How does infra red sauna work?
Infra red rays can affect in an unique and a positive way in the body organs and cells, something that traditional saunas can’t do. While traditional saunas warm the air or the steam, infra red saunas use the invisible light only under the red light frequencies to break through the skin and to warm the cells until 1.5 inch.
Though our eyes cannot see it, we can feel it as soft heat. The mechanism which the infra red sauna works is called photobiomodulation which means a form of therapy that uses light.