Over the past few years, I have often been asked “What is the difference between a Formostar infrared body wrap and an infrared sauna?” Well, there is a huge difference to say the least, but first let me explain what far infrared is.
Keeping it simple, far infrared (FIR) light is a form of thermal energy and is invisible to the eye. It is the heat you feel on your skin when you are outside in the sun. FIR is measured in wavelengths called microns that humans absorb best within the range of 3 to 50 microns, with the optimum being 9.4 microns. This is the exact wavelength the Formostar is programmed for.
The effects of FIR weaken with distance, so the closer to the source of the FIR your body is, the more impact they will have. This is where the difference between a wrap and a sauna begins!
When close to the body, FIRs can penetrate 4-5 cm / 2 inches through the skin (dermis), muscles, blood vessels, lymph glands, nerves, and cells. Infrared also only travels in a straight line and does not reflect. The FIR elements of the sauna are hidden behind the walls and stay out of sight, so it can be tricky to figure out how far away you can be from them. These elements will warm you and the air around you; however, the penetration will not be as deep into the tissue layers. Due to its proximity to the skin, 93% of the rays emitted by Formostar are absorbed through the skin and deeper tissues. Another advantage the wrap has over a sauna is that when you have a Formostar infrared body wrap, your head is free of heat and you can breathe clean room air – an unavoidable problem associated with a sauna.
Most infrared saunas only last a half-hour session. It actually takes the body 20-30 minutes to warm up to a fat-burning stage, so the sauna ends right when it starts. A Formostar lasts fifty minutes, giving you more than enough time to sweat a storm and burn up to 1,200 calories.
Far infrared energy vibrates cells helping to break the connections between deposits such as fats and toxins. The continuous vibration of the body’s molecules increases the temperature of the dermis, dilates blood vessels, stimulates circulation and activates metabolism in tissues and cells. With the specific and deep effect of the Formostar wraps, the areas where we have the largest fat deposits (abdomen, hips and thighs) are targeted so that those cells underneath are more activated and release more fat and toxins.
Formostar is German made and is the only machine of its kind in the world that uses non-allergenic high density silicone in its casings. This is necessary for the wraps to be certified for use on the human body. Being silicone, the wraps are impervious to bacteria and are also very easily cleaned from body fluids with an organic disinfectant between clients. While there have been bacteria problems with multiple users in a sauna, there are no known problems with using Formostar.
The Formostar has been approved as a type 2 medical device in Europe, the US and Australia, and has been tested for safety and compliance in Australasia. It is listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Products and is the only infrared device with these approvals. If the products are not listed as approved therapeutic devices, the companies are not legally allowed to claim that their products can achieve specific results, especially for weight loss and pain relief. In order to make claims that their product can actually produce these results, companies must have their own studies. You will find that most other infrared products are based on articles posted on the web and anecdotal evidence regarding the benefits of infrared to sell your products. The Formostar has two clinical studies and a third ongoing.
Each Formostar customer must complete a medical questionnaire prior to wrapping to ensure there are no contraindications. Other products that warm the body do not. All personnel must receive training and be accredited to be able to use Formostar on clients; Other infrared products not listed have this accreditation process.
