HeySilkySkin™ Infrared Sauna Blanket

Not in the way the marketing usually implies. You will weigh less immediately after a session, but that is water lost as sweat and it returns as soon as you rehydrate — which you should. Heating your body does burn some extra calories, roughly comparable to a gentle walk, and that is real but small. If someone is selling a sauna blanket as a weight-loss device, be sceptical. Buy it for recovery and relaxation and you will not be disappointed.

No, and we would rather say so. Sweat is over 99 per cent water with traces of salt and urea. Detoxification is done by your liver and kidneys, and sweating more does not make them work harder or better. The benefits here are circulation, muscle relaxation and stress — which are worth having on their own.

A traditional sauna heats the air to 80-90°C and the hot air heats you. Far-infrared is absorbed by your body directly, so it works at 40-70°C with comfortable air to breathe. That is why a blanket session is tolerable for half an hour when a hot room often is not.

Twenty to thirty minutes, three or four times a week, is a sensible routine. Start at the lower end of both the temperature and the time and build up. Daily is fine once you are used to it, provided you are drinking enough.

Long sleeves and leggings, or wrap yourself in a towel. Bare skin against the lining is uncomfortable at temperature and makes the blanket harder to keep clean. Cotton is better than synthetics.

Yes, or at least rinse off. You will finish a session with sweat and whatever was on your skin sitting on the surface, and leaving it there is the fastest way to break out.

Let it cool completely, then wipe the inner lining with a damp cloth and a mild cleanser and let it dry fully before folding. The outer is waterproof PVC. Never submerge it and never put it in a washing machine.

Do not use it if you are pregnant, if you have a pacemaker or implanted electronic device, or if you have a condition that affects how you sense heat or sweat — including neuropathy and some autoimmune conditions. Speak to your doctor first if you have heart disease, low or unstable blood pressure, are on medication that affects blood pressure or hydration, or have any chronic condition. Do not use it after drinking alcohol.

No. Set a timer, keep water within reach, and get out if you feel light-headed, nauseous or your heart is racing uncomfortably. Passive heat raises your core temperature and you need to be awake to notice when you have had enough.

Anywhere you can lie down flat with a socket nearby — a bed, a sofa, the floor. There is no plumbing, no ventilation and nothing to install. It folds to 38 x 30 x 20 cm and goes in a cupboard between sessions.

Far less than a room sauna, because it heats you rather than a whole cabin. A half-hour session is comparable to running a domestic heater for the same period.

Many people find it does. The mechanism is well established: raising your core temperature and then letting it fall triggers the drop your body reads as a cue for sleep. A session ninety minutes before bed tends to work better than one right before it.

One person at a time. Unfolded it is 215 x 84 cm, which suits most adult heights comfortably.

Heat and sweat can provoke both. Start at the lowest temperature, keep sessions short, wear cotton, and rinse off straight afterwards. If your skin flares, stop — and check with a dermatologist before continuing.

No. It is a wellness product for relaxation and recovery, not a treatment for any condition, and nothing here is medical advice.