Halotherapy Methods: Dry Salt Therapy vs Wet Salt Therapy

With practices found centuries ago utilizing the health benefits of salt, salt therapy continues to grow as a popular treatment and is becoming more available to those who want to try it. Halotherapy is one of the most beneficial therapies with benefits including respiratory and skin health, and it can be easily accessible thanks to the many different types of application. From dry halotherapy to wet halotherapy, read on to see how you can try halotherapy and reap all the health benefits at home!

 

 

What is Halotherapy?

 

The practice of salt therapy, or halotherapy, uses pharmaceutical-grade microsalt to promote a range of health benefits once inhaled. Many believe that when people inhale this salty air, it can help stimulate their respiratory system, reduce inflammation, fight infection, clear blockages, and reduce discomfort. The treatment is intended to recreate the atmosphere of salt caves with a high concentration of micronized salt in the air. Halotherapy can also be applied as a saline solution, in which users soak in the solution to reap the benefits.

There are two main types of salt therapy: dry salt therapy and wet salt therapy. Dry therapy involves small salt particles dispersed in a dry room while wet salt therapy requires a saline solution that is either soaked in or applied as an aerosol spray. Both methods of halotherapy can be improved with the addition of thermotherapy, or heat therapy, in the form of an infrared sauna or bath to enhance the number of health benefits with every session. In addition to the respiratory, skin, muscular, and mineral benefits of salt therapy, heat therapy can offer improved blood circulation, detoxification, and more for a comprehensive experience.

 

 

Types of Halotherapy

 

Wet Salt Therapy

Wet halotherapy treatment comes from the principle of mixing water with salt to gain therapeutic benefit. You may notice that breathing ocean air opens up your sinuses, which in turn temporarily improves your health. The Centers for Respiratory Health, formerly known as the Lung Institute, maintains that salty ocean air can improve conditions like lung disease and cystic fibrosis. This is done, in part, by thinning the mucus in the body and decreasing sinus pressure. Wet salt therapy also mimics the climate in the salt caves of Europe where the air was quite moist. 

Wet halotherapy has been used for many years in natural settings:

• In Twelfth Century Poland, bathers used naturally occurring salt water for better health and wellness. 
• The Dead Sea’s most notable characteristic is its water with extremely high salt concentration. Bathers from around the world visit the Dead Sea for its therapeutic effects.
• Over the years, wet salt therapy users have breathed in moist salty air from salt caves or natural water falls. 

Wet salt therapy delivered through a halotherapy generator, also known as a microsalt generator, is one of the most effective ways to achieve better respiratory health. Breathing in air that has a high concentration of wet salt will deliver the salt deep into the lungs for maximum benefit. The halotherapy generator can be placed anywhere, but it is most effective in a confined space like an infrared sauna or small room to help keep the salt microparticles concentrated in one spot. Wet salt therapy allows for a greater range of salt particle sizes ranging from 1-10 microns. This allows the salt to enter more of the lungs for maximum benefit.

 

 

Though not as comprehensive as using a halotherapy machine that helps provide both internal and external salt therapy benefits, you can also do external wet salt therapy at home through a salt bath and recreate those settings enjoyed in 12th Century Poland and in the Dead Sea. Epsom salt, pink Himalayan salt, and sea salt are all popular options that can help your body absorb trace minerals, improve skin conditions, and provide temporary muscle relief with the help of a hot bath.

 

Dry Salt Therapy

The dry method of halotherapy is where microscopic particles of salt are distributed into the air in a room free of humidity. Users spend 20-30 minutes inhaling the salt particles that help remedy ailments and create a calming effect. With dry salt therapy, the particle size ranges from 1-3 microns. The smaller range of salt particle size means the salt will not enter as much of the lungs as compared to wet salt therapy. 

To do dry salt therapy at home, the most effective method is with a halotherapy generator. Try to wear minimal clothing to allow for maximum skin exposure to the salt particles, and take deep breaths in through your nose to inhale the salt into your respiratory system.

 

 

Benefits of Salt Therapy

 

Salt is antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, and can help with excessive mucus, pathogen agents, digestive issues, depression, skin conditions, and immune system oversensitivity. Microsalt is especially effective when used for respiratory and skin conditions. Halotherapy also helps improve mental health and boosts mood. Salt contains negatively charged ions that help balance serotonin and leave you feeling invigorated, positive, and stress-free.

In the respiratory system, the main halotherapy benefits (antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, hydrophilic, and mucokinetic) help stimulate the body’s process of cleansing the system to eliminate foreign particles such as pollutants and allergens to restore proper respiratory functions. For the skin, salt therapy helps regulate pH levels and enhances the reparative and regenerative properties, and some salts provide the body with trace minerals. It can also boost the production of collagen fibers for rejuvenation and lymph cells for an immune system boost.

 

If you are considering starting halotherapy, take all the different options in mind from dry salt therapy to wet salt therapy. Every halotherapy method has different health benefits that can help enhance your life. Salt therapy is relatively safe to use but can cause irritation depending on sensitivity to salt, so speak with your doctor if you notice any adverse effects. Otherwise, this all-natural treatment is a great way to help improve your health and wellness, whether soaking in the Dead Sea or using a HALOONE® halotherapy generator in your infrared sauna!