Soon after Hermann Joseph Meller exposed the mutagenic effect of radiation in 1927, all forms of radiation were seen as a threat to our health because (due to that mutagenic effect) they could cause cancer. 

In contrast, infrared lamps and infrared saunas are very popular nowadays. It is even said that Infrared light therapy has several health benefits such as: regularized blood pressure, better heart function an increased metabolism, higher energy levels etc. 

Does this mean that, unlike other forms of radiation, infrared light is not harmful but even beneficial to our health?

Infrared has a lot more advantages than disadvantages.

Research shows that infrared radiation often has more benefits than drawbacks. The potential disadvantages of IR (thermal burns and premature skin aging) are outweighed by its benefits (improved cardiovascular health, reduced inflammation and pain, better muscle recovery and detoxification), especially when you know that these drawbacks can be avoided by using the "milder" Infrared rays.

There are certain types of infrared that have no drawbacks

It is important to distinguish between the different types of infrared rays based on wavelengths: IR-A, IR-B and IR-C. Among these, IR-A has the shortest wavelength and therefore the deepest effect in the skin. IR-C has the longest wavelength of the three.

Consequently, Infrared rays cannot all penetrate the skin to the same extent. That is why different Infrared rays can also have different effects, and some sorts of infrared light contain a bigger risk towards our health than others.

Therefore, we can think of IR-B and IR-C as the "milder" Infrared rays. These types of rays are often chosen for therapeutic treatments.

Nevertheless, a study published in the Journal Of Photochemistry shows that skin exposure to IR-A can also have more benefits than disadvantages when a small range and moderate intensity/dose of it is used. So, in addition to wavelength, the effects of infrared also depend on the intensity or dose and range of the radiation.

The benefits of infrared therapy with IR-B and IR-C

When you want to enjoy health benefits related to the skin or body parts not far below the skin ( e.g. Blood vessels), it is best to use IR-B and IR-C.

By creating heat at the skin's surface and just below it, these types of infrared radiation provide many benefits. We've listed them below:

Accelerated muscle recovery

Infrared stimulates the mitochondria (the energy factories of the cell), speeding up muscle recovery.

Cardiovascular health

The heat from IR increases the production of nitric oxide in the blood. In turn, nitric oxide ensures the health of our blood vessels: It relaxes the arteries and prevents blood from clotting and coagulating. In addition, it also fights free radicals to prevent oxidative stress and regulate blood pressure.

Detoxification

When our whole body is heated by infrared (e.g. in an infrared sauna), our body temperature rises causing detoxification to take place in the body cells. Thanks to this detoxification, food digestion will also improve.

Infrared can be used as a possible cancer treatment

Although most other types of radiation are carcinogenic, infrared does just the opposite: it can activate specific antibodies that fight cancer cells. (See video for more explanation)

Conclusion

Infrared is a type of radiation that has more advantages than disadvantages. Moreover, it is possible to avoid its disadvantages and only enjoy its benefits by using "milder infrared radiations" (IR-B and IR-C) with long wavelengths and low intensity. It is also those types of IR that infrared saunas and infrared lamps emit.