POST-SURGICAL RECOVERY
Heal first. Then warm up.
After surgery, your body has a lot of rebuilding to do: closing the incision, restoring circulation, and getting muscles working again. Far-infrared warmth can support the later stages of that recovery. Timing and your surgeon's go-ahead make all the difference.
Your surgeon comes first. Never use a sauna or apply warmth to an incision until it has fully healed and your surgeon has cleared you for heat. Every surgery and every recovery is different. Use this page to start that conversation.
of surgically created dialysis fistulas kept working at one year with far infrared, vs. 67.6% without1
faster maturation of new dialysis fistulas with far infrared in a 2023 trial2
the collagen in healing skin wounds with far infrared in an animal study3
Daily heat cut muscle shrinkage during 10 days of leg immobilization4
Your green-light ladder
Warmth fits recovery one stage at a time. Move up only when your surgeon says you're ready.
HEAL
Incision healing (about 0–2 weeks)
Your body is sealing the wound. Keep the incision clean and dry, follow your surgeon's instructions, and walk as directed.
No sauna. No heat on the incision.
CLEARED
Incision closed, surgeon approves heat (often 2–6 weeks)
Start gently with short, low sauna sessions and passive far-infrared products away from the scar. Hydrate and stand up slowly.
With your surgeon's OK
REBUILD
Rehabilitation (weeks to months)
Warm up before physical therapy to ease stiffness, and use far infrared around a fully healed scar to support comfort and movement.
Pair with your rehab plan
The lead study
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NEPHROLOGY · 2007
Far infrared and surgically created blood vessels
Lin et al. · 145 hemodialysis patients · randomized, one year
People on dialysis have a surgically created connection between an artery and a vein in the arm, called a fistula. Researchers applied far infrared to the fistula for 40 minutes during each dialysis session and compared the results with no treatment.
fistula problems with far infrared
fistula problems without it
still working on their own at one year
A 2023 trial found new fistulas were ready for use about 11 days sooner with far infrared, with fewer complications.2 This is the one surgical setting with solid trial evidence for far infrared.
An honest caveat. These trials were done mostly in Taiwan and China. Researchers in Denmark found no immediate change in fistula blood flow after a single session, and a larger Danish trial was designed to test whether the benefits hold elsewhere.5 And fistula results don't automatically apply to knee, hip, back, or other surgeries.
Three ways to support your recovery
STAGE 2 AND UP
Relax Sauna
Gentle whole-body warmth with your head outside the cabin, once your surgeon clears you for heat.
Evidence: supports circulation and muscle; no sauna trial after surgery yet.
HEALED SCARS ONLY
Raylieve
Apply around, and later over, a fully healed scar to ease stiffness. Never on an open or healing incision.
Evidence: based on far-infrared circulation research; not yet tested after surgery.
AWAY FROM THE INCISION
HexTex
Passive far infrared overnight with no electricity and no added heat, positioned away from the surgical site.
Evidence: based on far-infrared research; check placement with your surgeon.
What far infrared may do during recovery
01 Circulation
Far infrared increases blood flow in the skin and helps vessels relax through nitric oxide.
02 Tissue repair
In animal wounds, far infrared sped closure and doubled collagen without raising skin temperature.
Evidence: animal research only; not tested on surgical incisions.3
03 Muscle protection
Time in bed or a brace costs muscle quickly. Daily heat helped preserve muscle size and energy capacity.
Evidence: human study using deep heat.4
04 Stiffness
Warm tissue moves more comfortably, which can help during range-of-motion exercises in rehab.
Evidence: established tissue research.
How strong is the evidence?
DIRECT · SPECIFIC
Trials show far infrared helps surgically created dialysis fistulas.
RELATED
Deep heat preserved muscle during immobilization in people.
EARLY
Faster wound healing has been shown in animals only.
NOT YET STUDIED
Far infrared after joint, spine, abdominal, or other common surgeries.
What we do not claim
Recovering from surgery is serious. Here's exactly where far infrared stands.
- Far infrared must never be used on a fresh or healing incision, and sauna use needs your surgeon's clearance.
- It is not a wound treatment. Faster healing has only been shown in animals.
- It has not been shown to reduce scarring, infections, or complications after surgery.
- Fistula results don't automatically apply to other operations.
- It does not replace follow-up visits, physical therapy, or medications your care team prescribes, including blood thinners.
OPEN QUESTION
What would settle it?
A trial in people recovering from knee replacement, starting after the incision heals and the surgeon approves, comparing physical therapy plus far infrared against physical therapy plus a sham. Researchers would measure range of motion, function, swelling, muscle size, scar quality, and safety over 12 weeks. That's the kind of question our research initiative is designed to pursue.
How to use it
Ask your surgeon first.
Bring this page to your follow-up visit and ask when, and whether, heat exposure is safe for your procedure.
Wait for a fully healed incision.
No sauna, soaking, or heat on the incision until it's sealed and your surgeon gives the green light.
Start low and short.
Begin with 10 minutes at a low setting. Drink water before and after, and stand up slowly, especially if you're taking pain medication.
Warm up before rehab.
Once cleared, a session before physical therapy can ease stiffness and make exercises more comfortable.
Protect numb areas.
Skip local warmth on any skin that still feels numb from surgery or a nerve block.
Keep moving as directed.
Walking and your prescribed exercises remain the foundation of recovery.
Contact your care team right away if you have
- Spreading redness, warmth, swelling, or drainage at the incision, or a fever
- Calf pain, swelling, or tenderness in one leg (possible blood clot)
- Shortness of breath or chest pain (seek emergency care)
- An incision that opens, bleeds, or develops a growing lump
- Dizziness or fainting when standing, especially on new medications
Ready when you are
The Relax Sauna delivers 9.4 µm far infrared with your head outside the cabin, so when your surgeon gives the green light, you can support your recovery at home.
Explore the Relax SaunaReferences
- Lin CC, et al. Far-infrared therapy: a novel treatment to improve access blood flow and unassisted patency of arteriovenous fistula in hemodialysis patients. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2007;18(3):985-992.
- Huang J, et al. Effect of far-infrared therapy device on arteriovenous fistula maturation and lifespan in hemodialysis patients. Front Surg. 2023;10:1260979.
- Toyokawa H, et al. Promotive effects of far-infrared ray on full-thickness skin wound healing in rats. Exp Biol Med. 2003;228(6):724-729.
- Hafen PS, et al. Daily heat treatment maintains mitochondrial function and attenuates atrophy in human skeletal muscle subjected to immobilization. J Appl Physiol. 2019;127(1):47-57.
- Lindhard K, et al. Effect of far infrared therapy on arteriovenous fistula maturation, survival and stenosis: the FAITH on fistula trial. BMC Nephrol. 2021;22(1):283.
- Kraaij et al. A phase 1 randomized trial of a far-infrared emitting patch on local skin perfusion. Exp Dermatol. 2024.
- Park JH, et al. Far-infrared radiation acutely increases nitric oxide production. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2013;436(4):601-606.
This page is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Far-infrared therapy is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always follow your surgeon's instructions and consult your care team before using heat therapy after surgery.
