What To Wear To Sauna? What Should I Wear In My Sauna?
The infrared sauna, steam room, and portable sauna are just a few of the modern alternatives to the traditional Finnish sauna that are available to us today.
Your emotional state and physical wellbeing are the main goals of the sauna, as you are probably aware.
What to wear in the sauna, once you’ve decided to use it, is one of the most important considerations. Basically, you can choose to wear a swimsuit, cover with a towel, try cotton clothes, wear flip flops or slippers in the sauna.
Let’s work together to solve the puzzle.
Sauna Etiquette
The one thing you must do before using a sauna is to change out of your work clothes and take a shower. Before using a sauna, this helps to remove sweat and dirt, which will prevent stains and dirt buildup on the benches and backrests of the sauna.
Now, if this is your first time using a sauna, you probably wonder what to wear.
You probably already know this, but many people visit the sauna while unclothed. In Finland, whether in a personal or professional setting, this is customary. The majority of Finns frequently visit the sauna naked. If you are not Finnish, you might be more discreet and prefer to experience the true Finnish Sauna experience while wearing only a bathing suit, a towel, or nothing at all.
Go Naked
Although the topic of this post is what to wear to the sauna, in all honesty, wearing nothing is the most comfortable option. The majority of Finns have no problem going to the sauna naked with friends, family, and complete strangers.
The best way to test it is to visit a sauna and see how it feels. We have options for you if you don’t feel at ease.
What To Wear To Sauna
Wear A Swimsuit
Swimsuits are preferred by those who do not feel comfortable visiting the sauna in their underwear.
Just make sure to confirm that you can wear a swimsuit by checking the regulations at the public saunas you intend to visit. If you want to be certain, call in advance or check the website.
Most of the time, they’ll ask you to take a shower and get ready before going into the sauna. Make sure your swimwear is completely sanitized to prevent the spread of germs in the sauna.
- Refrain from wearing swimsuits with ornamental dangles. When these accessories get hot, they can burn your skin.
- The health benefits of a sauna session will be lost if you wear a swimsuit made of PVC because it will prevent your skin from breathing properly.
- By preventing your skin from breathing, you may overheat and become dehydrated.
- Too much heat can cause PVC fabric to melt. Additionally, it might release chemicals and harmful fumes.
- Do not forget to wear a natural-materials swimsuit. Whenever possible, the fit should be loose as well. Better airflow to your skin is made possible by this.
Cover With A Towel
Most public or hotel saunas have towels you can use to cover up with if you don’t have a swimsuit.
Bring your own towel or use one from the public sauna or gym you plan to visit. Simply inquire if there are guest towels available, and make sure they are clean before using them.
Cotton Clothes
Wear cotton while in your sauna to avoid the hassle of selecting the proper bathing suit. Although perhaps less fashionable, this choice is more secure and beneficial.
- Make sure your cotton clothing is clean to start. It is not advisable for your skin or hygiene to enter a sauna wearing unclean clothing.
- For the best level of comfort, wear an oversized t-shirt that you wear for sleep.
- Make sure your clothing fits loosely at all times. Cotton shorts or a wrap are also acceptable.
- Overheating waves can be effectively absorbed by cotton. Furthermore, it permits proper skin ventilation.
- You ought to always have a towel handy, even if you only wear cotton clothing. It will help you stay away from bacteria and keep your sauna clean if you sit on it.
- When wearing a bra, make sure there is no wire inside and avoid wearing tight cotton underwear.
Flip Flops Or Slippers
Although you don’t necessarily need to wear these in a sauna, it is strongly advised that you do just in case you need to move around the room. In fact, it is a good idea to wear them so that you can shield yourself from all the grime and grit that you might come into contact with in such a public setting.
Only flip-flops or shoes are permitted in a home sauna. But in public saunas, wearing shoes or flip-flops might be considered impolite by those who are barefoot. In a sauna, wearing shoes is impolite because it makes the lower areas unclean.
Some might claim that it won’t harm to enter the sauna in clean shoes or flip-flops. However, wearing shoes in a shared area can make other users feel unwelcome, especially if they are barefoot. This is true regardless of how clean they are. You must therefore take other users into account.
Check the regulations before wearing flip-flops into a sauna. For their patrons, some saunas offer flip-flops.
You are free to choose what is acceptable or unacceptable if your home has a sauna, though. To maintain high levels of hygiene, saunas should generally be shoe-free.
Loofah
A loofah is a popular tool used by some sauna goers to remove dry, dead skin. Yes, it is wonderful and very good for your skin, but you should give it some thought before using it.
You’re free to scrub your body with a loofah in your personal, portable infrared sauna, but don’t you think it’s rude to other visitors?
Make Sure Your Bathwear Is Sauna-appropriate
Don’t let the thought of entering a sauna naked deter you from reaping its benefits if you find it unsettling. You’re free to sit in your bathing suit. A swimsuit will do, even though the goal is to wear as little as possible.
If your bathing suit has any metal fasteners, remove them before entering a sauna because they will become extremely hot and could burn you. Saunas can get quite hot. Even if you decide to wear a swimsuit, you’ll still need a towel to sit on for cleanliness and comfort.
To safely store your valuables while you take advantage of the treatments and other amenities, most saunas also offer lockers for watches and jewelry.
Putting aside the types of people you might encounter in a sauna, the dry or wet heat sessions provided by the sauna have some wonderful therapeutic advantages, encouraging sweating and cleansing while also fostering a sense of relaxation and wellbeing.
Think About Your Preferences
Unbelievably, taking a shower and completely changing into underwear is the first thing you should do before entering the sauna. You must remove the soiled and soiled shoes you wore throughout the working day, along with your soiled and soiled clothing.
Dirt and dust will be released into the air by the heat if you enter the sauna wearing regular clothing. As a result, it will lessen the advantages of using a sauna.
Decide then what to wear or not wear for the following 10 to 45 minutes. Basically, it will depend on how you feel about social conventions and how comfortable you are.
Take off your clothes if you don’t care about conventions and allow your entire body to benefit from the high temperatures and subsequent sweating. Of course, if you have your own home sauna, you won’t have to worry about the clothes either. Feel the advantages of using the sauna while unclothed in that case.
If not, you should choose your outfit while lounging in the public sauna. Whatever option you choose, you should definitely abide by the straightforward guidelines to wear as few clothes as possible and to prevent wearing the wrong things.
Your aim should be to unwind and take advantage of the sauna’s benefits as much as you can. Spending time being uncomfortable or ashamed serves no purpose.
See our related article: What to Wear After The Spray Tan?
Tips For Choosing Sauna Clothing
The short response to what to wear in an infrared sauna is kept as revealing as possible. Wear as little as possible to get the most out of the sauna’s benefits. Keep yourself completely naked if you’re alone in there.
If not, wear airy, loose clothing to enable sweat and other undesirable substances to escape from your skin’s pores.
When choosing sauna clothing, follow these tips:
Looseness
Choose clothing that touches the skin as little as possible to encourage proper sweating from the body.
Wearing restrictive clothing will only obstruct your skin’s pores and lessen the benefits of your sauna session.
Lightness
Given that they will inevitably come in contact with skin, the clothing must also be light. The fact that they are light should prevent them from obstructing the pores in that case. It ought to be able to let sweat through.
Breathability
In addition to being loose and light, sauna attire should also be permeable to air, as this promotes proper sweating and allows hot air to directly contact the skin.
Ease Of Removal
The temperatures can occasionally become too uncomfortable in the sauna, which causes excessive perspiration.
You can choose to leave the room in this situation or apply less makeup to your skin. It is best to have clothing that can be quickly removed if you decide to go with the latter option.
Wearing jewelry such as bracelets, necklaces, and earrings can cause skin damage and scarring. As a result, avoid wearing them. Smart devices, including smartwatches, are extremely heat-sensitive and could even catch fire in the sauna.
These pointers will help you get the most out of your sauna sessions, allowing you to enjoy and even gain from them.
What To Avoid In The Sauna
Whether you use the traditional or infrared sauna, there are things you shouldn’t bring inside, including:
- soiled and constricting attire – It is uncomfortable to allow the heat to liquefy the dust and release it into the air.
- Workout attire and a sweatsuit are the incorrect choices for using the sauna because PVC clothing is prone to melting in high temperatures.
- Metal and piercing jewelry may cause you harm because it heats up.
- Lotions and creams – They will clog up your pores and prevent your skin to breath freely
- There is no excuse for wearing shoes in the sauna; they are filthy, retain heat, and you risk leaving with athlete’s foot.
- Don’t believe what the television commercials claim—sauna suits were a terrible invention. They are not as breathable as cotton, made of plastic, and emit toxic fumes that are harmful to not only you but also those around you. Heated plastic has been linked to several types of cancer.
- A bad idea is wearing a sweatsuit. In the sauna, they have the opposite effect; they insulate your skin and postpone perspiration. All of the benefits of using a sauna depend on you perspiring while using it.
- In the sauna, avoid wearing your sweaty workout attire.
- Street clothes are the worst choice for sauna attire and will quickly get you kicked out and banned. Put simply, don’t do it.
So, how can you get the most out of a sauna by dressing appropriately? A towel or a bathing suit, or nothing at all? When it comes to visiting a sauna, there are essentially no serious rules, and how you do it depends largely on the country you’re in and the specific sauna.
What to wear shouldn’t be a concern or a distraction. Sitting still while feeling tense and uneasy will not help you at all; this is the opposite of what relaxation is all about. The goal is to unwind, indulge in a few drinks, and savor the feeling of having a cleansed body and mind.
The benefits of the sauna can be enjoyed every day if you’re one of the fortunate people to have a built-in sauna or steam room in your home.
In this situation, we advise you to do as the Scandinavians did and enter the sauna wearing nothing; the more skin you can expose to the steam, the better the health effects.
The seat can burn your buttocks and make you uncomfortable when changing positions, so bring a towel with you to sit or lie on during your session.
Breathe in some steam, unwind, and let yourself relax as you enter a state of complete physical and mental bliss.
A sauna works simply; the heat produced should permeate into your body’s tissues; the depth to which it does so directly determines the therapeutic effects a sauna offers.
Conclusion
The most hygienic and likely best option is to visit the sauna while naked. There is no other way to experience the utmost pleasure and reap the rewards of sweating. The best part is that you won’t have to worry about attire if you go into the sauna naked. Simple: nothing is the answer.
Unfortunately, the majority of us are reluctant to use this unusual strategy. You have a few options if you’re one of those people who feels uncomfortable going bare-chested in public. The best experience the sauna has to offer is ultimately all that counts.
I appreciate you reading.