Infrared saunas are often touted for various health benefits, but can sitting in one actually make your hair grow faster or thicker? The link between infrared sauna use and hair growth is not straightforward.
There haven’t been direct scientific studies on sauna bathing itself as a cure for hair loss. However, there are some related insights from the world of dermatology and phototherapy that can help answer this question.
Factors That Make It Possible for Saunas to Improve Hair Growth
Improved Scalp Circulation
One of the main ways an infrared sauna might indirectly help with hair growth is by boosting blood flow. The heat from the sauna causes blood vessels to dilate throughout your body, including your scalp. This increased circulation means more blood – carrying oxygen and nutrients – reaches the hair follicles. Hair follicles rely on a steady supply of nutrients to produce new hair strands. In theory, better circulation could create a healthier environment for hair growth.
Some people notice that their scalp looks a bit red or flushed after a sauna – that’s a sign of the increased blood flow. While improved circulation alone won’t miraculously reverse pattern baldness, it could support the health of existing hair follicles and hair strands.
Relaxation and Stress Reduction
Chronic stress is known to be a factor in hair shedding conditions like telogen effluvium (stress-related hair loss). Infrared sauna sessions promote relaxation, lower stress hormones, and often improve sleep quality. By helping you destress, regular sauna use might indirectly benefit your hair.
When your body is less stressed, hair cells can devote more resources to growth rather than diverting energy to stress responses. So while this is not a direct cause-and-effect, the general wellness benefits of saunas could create conditions that are friendlier to hair growth (since excessive stress is bad for hair).
Infrared vs. Red Light Therapy Benefits
It’s important to distinguish infrared sauna heat from the specific red light or low-level laser therapies used to treat hair loss. There are FDA-cleared devices (like laser combs and LED caps) that emit red or near-infrared light to stimulate hair follicles. These devices operate at particular wavelengths (often around 650 nm red light) and have shown some efficacy in encouraging hair regrowth in conditions like androgenetic alopecia. The mechanism is thought to involve stimulating cellular activity in hair follicles and increasing growth factors.
However, an infrared sauna is not the same as a targeted low-level laser therapy device. Saunas emit a broad spectrum of infrared heat to warm your body; they are not optimized specifically for hair follicle stimulation the way medical laser therapy is. While an infrared sauna does emit some infrared light, it’s primarily the heat aspect that you experience, not a concentrated light dose to the scalp.
That said, if your infrared sauna happens to have added features like near-infrared or red light panels (some newer models do combine therapies), those could potentially offer similar benefits to stand-alone red light therapy for the scalp. But a standard far-infrared sauna by itself is more about heat than light therapy.
Scalp Health Benefits
Sitting in a sauna will make you sweat all over, including your scalp. Sweating can help unclog pores and hair follicles by flushing out dirt, oils, and toxins. Some sauna enthusiasts claim that this “detox” effect on the scalp can improve hair health – for example, by potentially reducing dandruff or minor scalp inflammation, which could indirectly create a better environment for hair growth. Also, the humidity in some infrared saunas (depending on the model, though most are dry heat) might help condition the hair and prevent dryness. Keeping the scalp clean and healthy is a foundational aspect of maximizing hair growth potential.
No Miracle for Baldness
It’s important to set realistic expectations. If someone is experiencing hair loss due to male or female pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia), an infrared sauna isn’t a proven treatment for that. The primary medically-proven treatments for such hair loss are medications like minoxidil and finasteride, low-level laser therapy devices, and hair transplantation.
There’s no clinical evidence that using a sauna can stop genetic hair loss or regrow significant hair on a balding scalp. Some infrared sauna companies or blogs may suggest hair benefits, but these are usually anecdotal.
Hair Care Considerations
While using an infrared sauna, you might actually need to protect your hair to prevent damage. The heat can dry out hair strands if exposed for too long. If you have longer hair, you may want to wrap it in a towel or apply a conditioner before your session to keep it from becoming brittle due to the heat. Hydrating your hair (just like hydrating your body) is a good idea if you sauna frequently.
Some people use hair oil or a conditioning treatment on their scalp and hair during a sauna session, taking advantage of the heat to help it penetrate – this can be a beneficial “sauna beauty treatment” but is more about maintaining hair moisture than growth per se.
Conclusion
In summary, an infrared sauna is not a direct hair growth therapy, but it may provide an environment that’s conducive to healthy hair. The improved blood flow to scalp, reduction in stress, and potential cleansing of pores can all support the natural hair growth cycle to function optimally. If you’re using clinically proven hair growth treatments like minoxidil or laser caps, an infrared sauna could complement your overall wellness routine. Just don’t expect the sauna alone to fill in bare patches or significantly thicken your hair.
Think of it as one supportive tool: it improves circulation and well-being, which in turn can help your hair be as healthy as possible. Always combine such wellness approaches with proper hair care (gentle handling of your hair, a balanced diet rich in protein and vitamins, and treating any underlying scalp conditions). If you have concerns about hair loss, it’s best to consult a dermatologist for targeted therapies. Meanwhile, enjoy the sauna for what it reliably gives – relaxation and health benefits – and consider any hair improvements a bonus.
References
Avci, P., Gupta, G. K., Clark, J., Wikonkal, N., & Hamblin, M. R. (2014). Low-level laser (light) therapy (LLLT) for treatment of hair loss. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine, 46(2), 144–151. https://doi.org/10.1002/lsm.22170
Lueangarun, S., Visutjindaporn, P., Parcharoen, Y., Jamparuang, P., & Tempark, T. (2021). A systematic review and meta-analysis of home-use low-level light therapy devices for pattern hair loss. Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 14(11), E64–E75.
