Hello,
I’ve been wondering the same thing as MinnieM and the original poster, whether I can use my IR sauna while taking doxy. Sorry for the long post, TLDR: IR sauna should be fine on doxy and other antibiotics.
My experience: I’ve been on Atovaquone for 3 months, and Zithromax for 1 month, and just started doxy 1.5 weeks ago for lyme, babesia, bartonella (also cetirizine for allergies/ MCAS for 3 months). I’ve been using a dyi IR sauna for about
6 months. I generally do about
30-60 minutes every other day and tolerate it just fine (one of the best things for pain and definitely important for detox). I took about
a week off of the IR sauna while starting doxy, but sauna’ed for about
30 mins yesterday and today. Yesterday I noticed my back was a bit more splotchy than usual after I sauna’ed, but today I didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. I do feel like it may be a bit more intense, but could just also be in my head/ since I took a week off. Sidenote, I definitely feel more sensitive to direct sunlight on doxy- even 30 seconds and its starts to tingle and burn.
What my doctors said: I asked my lyme doctor and a dermatologist and they both basically said “well its not UV and what burns you is UV, so its probably fine, but be careful”. Seems to make sense to me but as a scientist I was curious.
My own research: I did some digging (I’m a research biologist and know my way around google scholar and scientific studies) and read a few recent reviews/ metanalysis papers. Its seems the consensus is that while doxy and other photosensitizing drugs can be a problem with UV light (short wavelength, 400-100 nm), photosensation is not a concern with infrared light (long wavelength, 1000-700nm). (for context, visible light is 700-400nm).
I’ve copied a couple paragraphs from two relatively recent main studies, one empirical and one review.
“Photosensitivity reactions occur as a result of direct damage to dermal tissues caused by a photoactivated compound after exposure to natural or artificial sunlight, such as in tanning booths. Most are activated by wavelengths within the UV-A (320–400 nm) range, although some compounds have peak absorption within the UV-B (<320 nm) or visible range.
No compounds are known to be activated by the infrared spectrum.20 For tetracyclines, the effective wavelength that leads to photosensitivity is between 325 and 425 nm. For demeclocycline, the most phototoxic agent in the tetracycline class, 400 nm or blue light is the most effective wavelength for photoactivation.22
Photoactivation of tetracycline-derived compounds does not occur in response to exposure to light at wavelengths in the range of IPL or laser treatments for rosacea (500–1,200 nm). Therefore, combining IPL (with a cutoff filter above 400 nm) or PDL (595 nm) treatments with anti-inflammatory dose, extended-release doxycycline does not increase the potential for the patient to develop a photosensitivity reaction.
In the authors' study, no photosensitivity reactions were reported in any patient during treatment with laser or IPL treatments and anti-inflammatory dose, extended-release doxycycline. Furthermore, in the authors' experience performing thousands of laser and light treatments over many years, the authors have never seen a photosensitive drug reaction with doxycycline or any other photosensitizing medication. Although the authors' case review is the first to particularly assess the safety of this combination therapy for the treatment of rosacea, there has been additional data to support the concurrent use of doxycycline and various laser or light treatments.”
Schilling, Laura M. MD*; Halvorson, Christian R. MD*; Weiss, Robert A. MD*,†; Weiss, Margaret A. MD*,†; Beasley, Karen L. MD*,†. Safety of Combination Laser or Intense Pulsed Light Therapies and Doxycycline for the Treatment of Rosacea. Dermatologic Surgery 45(11):p 1401-1405, November 2019. | DOI: 10.1097/DSS.0000000000002009
https://journals.lww.com/dermatologicsurgery/fulltext/2019/11000/safety_of_combination_laser_or_intense_pulsed.8.aspx?casa_token=bexagsgmouwaaaaa:asr8fdyf71lbt_s0yx9vm-ywb6sdnticpn88gpjlnlidjvkfuvz6_tninvnlf98xxmcr2vehricjlzeiyin74kjsA paragraph from the review study cited by the above quote gets a bit more specific with regard to the mechanism of how photosensitizing drugs cause reactions:
“In phototoxicity, there is an abnormal chromophore or an increased amount of a normal chromophore in the skin. The photon causes changes in the molecule, starting a cascade that results in cell membrane or DNA damage and local inflammation. The reactive compound absorbs and transmits energy creating oxygen free radicals, superoxide anions, hydroxyl radicals and heat, therefore damaging the cell. Most drugs that are affected have at least one resonating double bond or an aromatic ring that can absorb energy [7]. This results in the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and arachidonic acid metabolites, the main components of inflammatory response, resembling an exaggerated sunburn reaction [8].
Most of these compounds are activated by the ultraviolet (UV) spectrum (wavelength of 400–100 nm) and principally UVA (wavelength 400–315 nm), a small number are altered by UVB (wavelength 315–280 nm), an even smaller number by visible light (wavelength 740–380 nm) [9] and none in the infrared spectrum.”Kerstein RL, Lister T, Cole R. Laser therapy and photosensitive medication: a review of the evidence. Lasers Med Sci. 2014 Jul;29(4):1449-52. doi: 10.1007/s10103-014-1553-0. Epub 2014 Mar 4. PMID: 24590242.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24590242/One last thought: It’s interesting that part of the mechanism by which UV light causes increased photosensitivity is because there is an inflammatory cytokine release; I assume this would make MCAS symptoms worse. On the other hand, I also read that infrared light “modulates cytokines from macrophages and other cells, which intern could reduce inflammation”; which sounds like it would improve MCAS symptoms (
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc4126803/). So not only does IR light not interact with doxy to cause inflammation like with UV light does, but it might actually have the opposite effect- to reduce inflammation associated with an out of control inflammatory response.