Infrared Body Wrap: How It Works and How to Do It at Home
An infrared body wrap uses far infrared heat to warm the tissue under the skin, where cellulite and trapped fluid sit. Done with a mineral mud, it smooths cellulite, firms the skin and lightens heavy legs. Done with a heated sauna blanket, it mostly makes you sweat.
Far infrared rays, or FIR, are a type of heat you feel but can't see, at wavelengths of about 4 to 14 microns. Unlike hot air or a hot towel, they pass through the skin's surface and warm the tissue 2 to 3 cm down. A review of far infrared research from Harvard's Wellman Center describes how this deep, gentle warmth improves blood flow at capillary level.
GUAM makes infrared body wraps from seaweed mud. Egidio Siena created our first mud in Italy in 1986, using Atlantic seaweed hand-harvested off Brittany. Our infrared formulas add Black Tourmaline, a mineral that absorbs your body heat and sends it back as far infrared rays, so the wrap heats itself. In a 2024 clinical study, 60 women who used our infrared seaweed mud saw cellulite nodules fall by 81% after 8 wraps in 4 weeks.
Below: what an infrared body wrap is, its benefits and side effects, the results to expect, and how to do one at home.
Which GUAM Infrared Body Wrap Is Right for You
| Your goal | Start with | Wrap time |
|---|---|---|
| Cellulite on thighs, buttocks and hips |
Guam Seaweed Body Wrap with Infrared Heat, the formula from our 2024 study Best place to start |
45 minutes |
| Same results, less time | Turbo Toning Infrared Anti-Cellulite Body Wrap | 15 minutes |
| Loose skin and cellulite on the stomach | Tummy Tightening Cellulite Stomach Wrap with Infrared Heat | 45 minutes |
| A full 4-week course with the after-wrap gel | Economy Pack: Original Infrared Body Wrap and Strengthening Gel | 45 minutes, plus gel after |
Compare every formula in our seaweed body wraps for cellulite collection.
What Is an Infrared Body Wrap?
The name covers two quite different treatments, and it helps to know which one you are reading about.
Infrared sauna blankets and spa wraps
An infrared sauna body wrap, sometimes sold as an infrared body wrap system, is an electric blanket or set of pads with infrared heating elements. You lie inside for 30 to 60 minutes and sweat heavily. You lose water weight, which comes back when you drink, and many people find it relaxing. On its own it puts nothing active on the skin.
Far infrared mud wraps
A far infrared body wrap applies a mud or cream that contains a mineral such as Black Tourmaline. The mineral takes the heat your body already gives off and returns it as far infrared rays, so the warmth comes from the wrap itself, without electricity. At the same time, the mud delivers active ingredients into warm, receptive skin. This is the kind of IR body wrap GUAM makes.
| Far infrared mud wrap | Infrared sauna blanket | |
|---|---|---|
| Heat source | Black Tourmaline in the mud, powered by your body heat | Electric heating elements |
| Needs a device | No | Yes, plugged in |
| On your skin | Seaweed, marine clay, plant extracts | Nothing |
| What you feel | Gentle warmth and tingling | Heavy sweating |
| Main effect | Smoother cellulite, firmer skin, lighter legs | Temporary water loss |
| Cellulite evidence | Nodules down 81% in a 2024 study | None for cellulite |
The Best Infrared Body Wraps
All three use seaweed mud with Black Tourmaline, which turns body heat into far infrared warmth. Most women start with the original. If time is short, or the stomach is the main concern, one of the other two fits better.
Best infrared body wrap: the original seaweed mud
For cellulite on the thighs, buttocks and hips, start with the Guam Seaweed Body Wrap, Anti-Cellulite Mud with Infrared Heat. It's the formula from our 2024 study. Seaweed and marine clay draw out trapped fluid, and Black Tourmaline turns body heat into far infrared rays that warm the tissue beneath.
- The formula used in the 2024 clinical study
- Nodules down 81% after 8 wraps
- Heats itself, no device needed
- Thighs, buttocks, hips and stomach
Best fast infrared wrap for busy weeks
If 45 minutes is hard to find, the Turbo Toning Infrared Anti-Cellulite Body Wrap works in 15. It has a higher concentration of seaweed and essential oils for a faster osmotic pull, with the same Black Tourmaline far infrared warmth.
- 15 minutes per wrap
- Same far infrared Black Tourmaline
- Higher seaweed concentration
- Fits a weekday routine
Best infrared wrap for the stomach
For loose skin and cellulite on the stomach, use the Tummy Tightening Cellulite Stomach Wrap with Infrared Heat. It's made for the thinner skin of the belly, with far infrared warmth from Black Tourmaline to firm and smooth after weight loss or pregnancy.
- Made for belly and waist
- Firms loose stomach skin
- Far infrared warmth from Black Tourmaline
- Same 4-week course
How Does an Infrared Body Wrap Work?
Deep warmth. Cellulite tissue is usually cooler than the skin around it, because blood flow there is poor. Far infrared rays reach 2 to 3 cm into the tissue and warm it from inside. In tests at the University of Genoa, skin temperature rose by 1.8 to 2.6 degrees Celsius 15 minutes after one GUAM infrared treatment.
Better circulation. Warm tissue gets more blood at capillary level. Animal research links far infrared to improved skin microcirculation. Better flow brings oxygen in and carries fluid and waste out.
Osmotic drainage. Seaweed mud is saltier than the fluid trapped in your tissue. That difference creates an osmotic pull, drawing fluid out through the skin during the wrap. It's why legs feel lighter as soon as you rinse.
Active ingredients reach warm skin. Heat and the cling film over the mud help the seaweed minerals and plant actives work on the skin instead of drying on the surface.
We cover the physics in more depth in how far infrared wraps work and Black Tourmaline for skin.
Infrared Body Wrap Benefits
The infrared wrap benefits below come from a body wrap infrared mud course, not a sauna blanket.
Smoother cellulite. In the 2024 study, cellulite nodules fell 81% after 8 wraps, measured by ultrasound, and biopsies showed less swelling and inflammation in the tissue.
Firmer skin. Skin elasticity rose 40% in the same study, and hydration rose 58%.
Lighter legs. Draining trapped fluid relieves the heavy, swollen feeling many women have by evening.
Softer skin. Marine clay lifts dead skin as you rinse, so the surface feels smooth straight away.
Time to rest. Forty-five minutes lying down, warm, with nothing to do. Many women say it's the most relaxing part of their week. Our article on FIR seaweed body wrap benefits goes further into each benefit.
How to Do an Infrared Body Wrap at Home
Infrared body wraps at home take about an hour, including the wrap time. You need the mud, cling film, a towel and somewhere warm to lie down.
- PrepareLay a towel or sheet on the floor. The mud is real mud and it drips.
- ExfoliateScrub the areas in the shower. Clean, warm skin responds better.
- Apply the mudSpread a thick, even layer over thighs, buttocks, hips or stomach.
- WrapWind cling film around each area, snug but never tight. Cover with a towel or blanket.
- Wait45 minutes for most formulas, 15 for Turbo Toning. Warmth and tingling are normal.
- Rinse and finishRinse with lukewarm water and massage in a strengthening gel.
Finish with the Hot Infrared 24hr Boosting Gel to extend the effect through the next day. Our guide on how to apply a seaweed mud wrap covers amounts and timing in more detail.
How Often to Do an Infrared Body Wrap
Infrared wraps work as a course. This is the official GUAM schedule, starting on a Monday.
- Week 1Four wraps: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Week 2Four wraps: Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
- Week 3Two wraps: Monday and Friday.
- Week 4Two wraps: Monday and Friday. Measure on day 28.
- ThenOne or two wraps a week to maintain.
That's 12 wraps. A 2.2 lb jar covers the full course, a 1.1 lb jar about 5 to 6 wraps.
Infrared Body Wrap Before and After: What to Expect
After the first wrap, skin looks smoother and legs feel lighter, mostly because trapped fluid has gone. Over 4 weeks, the change goes deeper: in the 2024 study, ultrasound showed fewer cellulite nodules and firmer, better hydrated skin.
On infrared body wrap weight loss: the inches you lose straight after a wrap are mostly water. A wrap course firms and smooths, but it does not burn fat. Read thigh wraps for weight loss for what wraps can and can't do for your size, and thigh wraps for cellulite for wrapping the legs.
Infrared Body Wrap Side Effects and Who Should Avoid It
Warmth, tingling and pink skin are normal. They mean the wrap is working and fade within an hour. Burning, strong redness or itching are not: rinse straight away and stop.
Patch test first on the inside of your elbow, especially if you have sensitive skin.
Don't use a heating wrap if you are pregnant, on broken or irritated skin, or over varicose veins. If you have a circulatory condition, heart condition or diabetes, check with your doctor first.
Sauna blankets carry extra risks: heavy sweating can dehydrate you and the heat can make you dizzy. Drink water and keep sessions short.
If heat doesn't suit you, a cooling wrap does a similar job. Our body wrap treatments guide compares hot and cold formulas.
FAQ
What is an infrared body wrap?
A treatment that warms the tissue under the skin with far infrared heat. It can be an electric sauna blanket, or a mineral mud wrap where Black Tourmaline turns body heat into far infrared rays.
Do infrared body wraps work for cellulite?
Mud wraps with far infrared minerals do. In a 2024 study of GUAM infrared seaweed mud, cellulite nodules fell 81% and skin elasticity rose 40% after 8 wraps in 4 weeks. See the clinical study.
Do infrared body wraps help you lose weight?
Not fat. The inches lost right after a wrap are mostly water. A course firms the skin and smooths cellulite, so pair it with diet and exercise for weight loss.
How long should an infrared body wrap stay on?
Most GUAM infrared muds stay on for 45 minutes. Turbo Toning needs 15 minutes. Leaving a wrap on longer does not improve results.
How often should I do an infrared body wrap?
Follow a 4-week course of 12 wraps: four in week one, four in week two, then two a week for two weeks. After that, one or two a week keeps results.
What are the side effects of an infrared body wrap?
Warmth, tingling and pink skin are normal and fade within an hour. Stop if you feel burning or itching. Avoid heating wraps in pregnancy and on broken skin.
Is an infrared mud wrap better than an infrared sauna blanket?
For cellulite, yes. A sauna blanket heats you and makes you sweat. A far infrared mud wrap adds seaweed and minerals that drain fluid and firm the skin.
Can I do an infrared body wrap at home?
Yes. A far infrared mud wrap needs no device: apply the mud, wrap with cling film, rest for 45 minutes and rinse.
Takeaway
An infrared body wrap works when there is something active under the heat. A far infrared mud wrap uses Black Tourmaline to turn body heat into warmth that reaches 2 to 3 cm into the tissue, while the seaweed mud draws out trapped fluid and firms the skin. A 4-week course of 12 wraps smooths cellulite and firms the skin; a sauna blanket on its own mostly makes you sweat. If you want one place to start, start with the original infrared seaweed wrap.
Sources
- Amuso D, et al. A pilot study on the efficacy of a seaweed mud application in the treatment of cellulite. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2024;23(6):2181-2189.
- Vatansever F, Hamblin MR. Far infrared radiation (FIR): its biological effects and medical applications. Photonics Lasers Med. 2012.
- Biological effect of far-infrared therapy on increasing skin microcirculation, PubMed.
