Growing up in a family of Finnish descent, traditional hot rock saunas were part of my life from when I was a baby. My first bath after I was brought home from the hospital was done in a sauna while it was just starting to heat up. And after that, every Sunday was sauna night.
As I got older, we no longer had a sauna where we lived, but anytime I went to friends houses who had one, or at the gym, I would use it.
I gradually found that they were more and more uncomfortable to stay in.
Then I tried an infrared sauna. The first generation infrared saunas heated the air quite a bit as well, but the ones that are available today have better ceramic heaters which help to keep the air cooler, but to get a really good sweat going.
I have degenerative arthritis in my neck, and use the sauna whenever I can. The benefits for my skin are endless. And I find that I sleep so much better after using it too.
I no longer go into traditional saunas.