Short answer
No. Infrared saunas do not tan the skin the way sunlight or tanning beds do, because they do not emit the UV radiation that drives melanin tanning. Cleveland Clinic describes infrared saunas as using infrared light for warmth, not UV. Heat may leave you temporarily flushed; that is not a UV tan.
Search interest in this question usually comes from confusing “warm like the sun” with “tans like the sun.” Warmth and ultraviolet tanning are not the same thing.
Do infrared saunas cause a tan?
No. The FDA explains that a sun tan is extra melanin produced after UV exposure damages the skin. Infrared saunas are built around infrared heaters or panels that warm you; Cleveland Clinic describes them as using infrared light for warmth at roughly 110–135°F (43–57°C), not as UV tanning beds.
Related reading: does a sauna make you tan, lighter or darker skin after sauna, and sauna before or after tanning.
Infrared heat vs UV tanning beds
- Infrared sauna: radiant heat from infrared wavelengths; goal is warmth and sweating in a cabin or blanket.
- Tanning bed / sunlamp: UV lamps. The FDA’s tanning-products page notes that those lamps emit UVA and often UVB, with cancer and eye risks, and that under-18 use is restricted in labeling rules.
- Sunlight: contains UV that can tan and burn; infrared is only one part of solar energy and is not what drives a classic melanin tan.
A 2013 photobiology review on PubMed (Sklar et al.) summarizes that UVB is effective for erythema followed by delayed tanning, UVA drives pigment darkening and tanning, and infrared radiation produces erythema that is probably thermal — not the same pathway as a UV tan.
Why you might look darker or redder anyway
- Heat flush: blood vessels near the skin widen; redness usually fades after you cool down.
- Sweat and lighting: wet skin and cabin lighting can change how tone looks in photos.
- Not melanin tanning: if colour shifts fade within hours and you had no UV exposure, it was not a UV tan.
Claims this page no longer makes
Older versions of this article talked about detox, toxin extraction, weight loss from sweat, and infrared as a “safer tanning alternative.” Those lines are removed. Sweating is not a proven heavy-metal detox treatment, and an infrared sauna is not a substitute for medical skin care or for UV safety advice.
Heat safety in an infrared sauna
Cleveland Clinic advises starting with shorter, cooler sessions, staying hydrated, and getting out if you feel dizzy or nauseated. The NHS heat-exhaustion guidance is the same idea: cool down, drink water, and seek help if symptoms are severe. Ask a clinician before regular heat use if you are pregnant, unwell, or have a condition that reacts poorly to heat.
If you want colour on your skin
Use sunless products per their labels, or accept that any UV tan (sun or bed) carries the risks the FDA describes. Do not use an infrared sauna as a tanning device — it will not deliver a UV tan, and chasing ever-longer heat sessions only raises heat-stress risk.
Frequently asked questions
Do infrared saunas cause a tan?
No. A lasting tan is a response to UV damage that increases melanin. Infrared saunas heat with infrared wavelengths, not the UV used in sunlight and tanning lamps, so they are not a tanning method.
Why do I look red after an infrared sauna?
Heat can flush the skin. A photobiology review notes that infrared radiation can produce erythema that is probably a thermal effect, which is different from UV-driven delayed tanning.
Are infrared saunas safer than tanning beds?
They are different tools. The FDA states there is no such thing as a safe UV tan and links indoor tanning to skin-cancer risk. Infrared saunas are not UV tanning devices, but heat still has its own risks such as dehydration.
Do near-infrared or far-infrared panels tan you?
Consumer infrared saunas are sold for heating, not for UV tanning. Do not assume any “full spectrum” marketing means UV is included; check the manufacturer’s stated wavelength range. If a device emits UV, it is not a normal IR sauna claim.
Can I tan and then use an infrared sauna?
Heat does not replace sunscreen advice. If you already have a sunburn, skip the sauna until the skin has calmed. For order-of-session questions, see our sauna before or after tanning guide.
Does a traditional sauna tan you?
Traditional electric or wood saunas heat air and stones; they are not UV lamps either. Neither traditional nor infrared cabin heat is a tanning method.