The Difference Between a Steam Bath and a Sauna

Even though steam baths and saunas are very similar, they are not the same thing. It’s important to know the difference in order not to make a mistake when choosing between them.

5-Minute Crafts is going to tell you about the differences between these 2 options.

Steam bath

A steam bath uses wet steam during the procedure. Together with hot air, steam makes the body sweat. Steam baths are great for people with dry skin because the wet steam makes the skin moisturized. However, if you have oily skin, you should remember that too much moisture may clog the pores.

Steam baths are not too hot — usually around 122°F. Because steam baths are moist, higher temperatures might heat the water too much and burn the skin. Also, it’s quite hard to breathe in steam baths because of the humidity, but it depends on the person.

Sauna

Unlike steam baths, saunas use dry steam. This is why they are usually much hotter — the absence of water in the air allows you to set the temperature close to the boiling point of water (212°F). Not only can you tolerate such a temperature, but you can enjoy it for quite some time. Still, saunas often have a bucket of water in them so you can control the humidity level. Also, saunas have ventilation systems.

Which to choose

Both steam baths and saunas have their pros. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Sauna:

• It’s great after doing sports.
• You can spend more time there than in a steam bath.
• It’s good for the blood vessels.
• It can lower blood pressure in the long term.

Steam bath:

• It’s great if you have a stuffy nose.
• It relaxes the muscles.
• It improves blood circulation in the body.
• It moisturizes the skin.