I bought this mat specifically for detox (general organ healing from years of taking pain killers) and acute pain mitigation. I chose this mat over a far infrared sauna because:
1) Cost the Bio-Mat is less expensive
2) Portable I can move it to any room easily
3) Compact It does not take up so much space in my house
4) I wanted to have the benefit of direct heat on certain body parts
5) I wanted the negative ion benefits
6) I wanted to be able to lie down, and sitting in a real sauna did not seem comfortable...
I received the mat less than 24 hours ago, which was excellent timing due to the level of pain I am in. I have literally laid on this mat for almost 16 hours straight, it feels that incredibly good. As long as I stay on the mat, I am able to cut down my pain killers. After about 12 hours on the mat, I made the mistake of going to bed (without the mat) and 3.5 hours later awoke to acute pain... So the trick for me personally, is to literally stay on the mat as much as possible, during acute pain episodes. This mat is now my new best friend (and that of my dogs they stick to it like Velcro). My body temperature is naturally very low, about 2 full degrees lower than 98.6, and this could be one reason why I am so attracted to the mat.
The mat provides a very soothing warmth, which is hard to describe. It is a deep warmth, with no perceivable source, making the warmth experience almost surreal. I own an infrared electromagnetic TDP lamp (the kind you find in massage and acupuncture clinics), and the heat from this mat is very different from that of the TDP lamp. It is far more enjoyable for many reasons. First off, it is an all-over warmth, head to toe. I am 5'8" and the length of this mat is just fine for me, with room to spare. The TDP lamp only heats a very small area of your body. I would often find myself sweating under the lamp, yet have cold hands and feet). The length of the mat allowed me to heat my feet fully when lying on my stomach. When I am on pain killers I get terribly cold, and my feet and hands really suffer. So it was wonderful to be so warm, all over. It took a full 20 minutes to really get warm, so it is not an instant, hard heat. It occurs gradually and softly.
Second, the warmth is highly adjustable, with many different levels, so I could very easily find a setting that was "just right", whereas with my TDP lamp, I constantly have to adjust the lamp's distance from my body as I warm up. I have also burned myself with the TDP lamp, and that does not seem to be possible with this mat as I had it on the highest possible setting for over an hour & had no skin burning. If I had children, I would not hesitate to lay them on it for long periods of time with a low setting.
Third, there was no off-gassing, no funky smell to the unit as it heated up for the first time. Just clean radiant warmth.
It also comes with a nice white cover that fits over the mat, as well as your massage table. This is nice as it will soak up sweat and dirt tracked onto it by my dogs. This cover appears to be cotton and easily washable. The only negative I could comment on at this time is that the power cord could be longer. However, the unit uses such little electricity, I would have no hesitation to plug it into a regular extension cord full time. Neither the electronic controller, nor the power cord, seemed to heat up at all, even after being on for such a long time. I also really love the fact that the mat is EMF protected, whereas my old heating pad is not.
This is my first infrared heating pad of any kind, and I am truly in awe at how good it makes me feel. The electronics, wheeled carrying case, and the pad itself appear to be very well made, and give the appearance of being a high quality, luxury item.
This mat is fairly hard, so I am not sure I will be able to sleep on it full time but apparently the company makes a version of this mat just for that purpose, which might have more padding.
In terms of customer service, I received the coupon code within an hour of requesting it, or thereabout. Chris offered excellent customer service, and was able to upgrade my shipping to 2-Day Air at a very reasonable rate.
In summary, although I have only owned it for less than 24 hours, I would recommend it unconditionally. My only regret is that I did not learn about this product years ago. As I get older (and have more and more pains) I find I gravitate to well crafted, well designed, functional tools, and am willing to pay for them. This mat seems at this point to be everything they say it is, and may end up being a real bargain... Hope this in-depth reviews helps you make an informed decision. I found it hard to find reviews of this product...
UPDATE: 10-14-11 Having owned this mat for a number of years now, I continue to love it. I now sleep on it full-time. It is a hard mat, so I do two things to make it more comfortable for full time sleeping use: 1. Decrease my Sleep Number Bed setting down, which makes for a much softer bed. 2. I put a nice memory foam bed topper on, then lay this pad on top of that. The combination of decreasing my sleep number setting, plus the memory foam makes for a very comfortable night. Most of my tossing and turning is now over. The heat on even the slightest setting does wonders to calm and lull me to sleep. I really appreciate this product.
I purchased this device in February of 2009 and I this is one of the best purchases I have made over my lifetime. This device has done so much to help my body to heal, detox and rest.
I will talk about the BioMat in a moment. I just want to say that if you question whether or not this is simply an oversized heating pad, I encourage you to read three books which will explain in simple English why Infrared and Far Infrared saunas/mats are valid proven healing modalities and see the scientific proof.
They are Sauna Therapy for Detoxification and Healing, The Holistic Handbook of Sauna Therapy, and The Fourth Treatment for Medical Refugees: Thermotherapy in the New Century.
The first book talks mainly about IR sauna, but does discuss FIR sauna. The second focuses on FIR saunas.
The last book covers heat therapy and FIR in general, and the BioMat in specific.
I have submitted a review on Sauna Therapy for Detoxification and Healing and in doing so discussed topics within the book and why Sauna Therapy works from a scientific basis and will submit reviews of the others when time permits.
I became acquainted with the power of the BioMat TWICE before I tuned into the name and what it the product was all about.
The first time was at the Health Freedom Expo held in Austin, TX in 2006. I endured my pain and went because I wanted so badly to see Dr. Hulda Clark who was holding seminars at the conference. She was getting up in age and I did not know if I would ever have another opportunity to see her again.
During this time I had trouble sleeping and I was in pain constantly, pretty much from head to toe. As I was hobbling around looking at some of the booth displays, a woman beckoned me over and invited me to lay down on a mat of some sort. I complied, allowed her to put headphones on my head, a towel over my eyes and a blanket over my body. I didn't remember falling asleep, but I woke up feeling more rested and refreshed than I had in many months. I took the brochure even though I did not believe that I would ever be able to afford the $1500 or so price tag. The cost made me ignore any details about the product at that time, but I told my SO about how it positively affected me and he was impressed with how much it helped me.
I did not think about it any more.
In '06 or '07, I started going back to my Chiropractor. By this time, he added a step in the visit. Instead of sitting in his waiting room and then going into his treatment room, we now were led into a room where we laid down for about 15 minutes. Again, I would just fall asleep (I was still having trouble sleeping due to my pain). I never asked any questions about what I had lain on until '09 when I was looking for a heating pad that did not require a microwave and that did not give off EMFs. At that time I called my Chiro who told me about some FIR mats which I looked into, but never still never mentioned the BioMat.
It was not until my SO decided to buy, "that mat that made you go to sleep", that I tracked down the Biomat information from my brochures from the past conference. I then asked my Chiropractor his opinion which is when he told me that I had been laying on one during my visits to his office.
I am telling you this story because, prior to my purchasing the BioMat, I used and benefitted from it with absolutely no preconceived notions, totally unbiased.
About two weeks ago, I used it while ill with the summer flu. I was able to use it to raise my core body temperature in order to stop the chills that I was having due to a 102.4 degree fever (some people just soak in a tub of hot water instead).
BTW, anyone who buys a BioMat can become a distributor. I mention this because some people may be put off by the fact that it is sold by an MLM company. I have NEVER been pressured at any time to make sales from the woman who sold me the device nor the company although she would directly benefit from my sales.
There are two kinds of people who buy and/or distribute this mat.
The first is an alternative health care provider. These people understand the body, they understand energy and they use this product in their practice. They may charge by the hour to use the mat or they may include it in the cost of their treatment. They are true believers in the product.
The second type consists of people like me who wish to sleep, detox, heal and/or relieve pain. Some of us also have some understanding of the body and energy. Some of us have tried all else to find relief and healing, so much so that we are willing to try something based upon other's recommendations. Some people actually benefitted from using someone else's BioMat before buying their own.
$1500 to $3000 or more is a lot of money to spend on a "heating pad", especially when you are just scraping by.
That there are people who are willing to spend this kind of money is a testament to its power to benefit users.
There are several spas here in my area who charge about $60 or more per hour for the privelege of laying on this mat.
ADD-ONS
Most people don't do this, but I purchased the Jade blanket in order to boost the FIR energy, especially from the top and sides. At $550, I can understand why not.
I have used it, but I would not make this my first add-on purchase.
I also purchased a waterproof cover at $110 because when we go into full detox mode we will generate sweat. I feel that the money is worth it to protect the BioMat.
Lastly, you will need the matching pillow because you don't want to apply FIR energy to the head area. I think this was about $250 or so.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
The BioMat has settings going from ION with no FIR to low FIR to high FIR. I would highly recommend that you consult a health care professional when using the higher settings for Sauna Therapy.
While Far Infrared Therapy can be very beneficial, it will induce changes to the body that need paying attention to and possibly monitoring.
Having said that, I would STRONGLY suggest that you consult a health professional, especially when using the BioMat at high temperatures and for long periods of time. They will be able to guide you through should you detox too quickly and exhibit physical reactions because of it or if you have nutritional deficiencies. Some Chiropractors and Naturopaths are aware of this mode of therapy. A few M.D.s such as Dr. William Rea use sauna therapy, though I am not sure if he uses the Biomat.
The books I listed above are a great place to start if you want to understand my suggestions.
Buy Amethyst Bio Mat Professional (Far Infrared BioMat) Now
I had used this at the Naturopath's office and really enjoyed the feeling.
I now do most of my bodywork with clients on pad. Some of the claims are
pretty extreme, but I must admit, after a few sessions some of the questionable skin lesions I had disappeared.
So I am not questioning, just asking what other things are really possible?
Must tell you though, the pad can get uncomfortable. It is not down. lol
It can get heavy even though it comes with a rolling case.
I am really using it with some great results.
Read Best Reviews of Amethyst Bio Mat Professional (Far Infrared BioMat) Here
The healing power of the bio mat is manifesting a bit more each day. Shame I have to leave it to go to work every day! So far I notice reduced back and arthritis pain, mellow mood, dramatic improved range of motion. I love it!
The other thing that has impressed me, in light of the cost of the bio mat, is the quality of the construction. It's stunning. When I unpacked it, the thought running through my mind was that this was a lot of quality craftsmanship for the price. Again, very comforting when trying to decide if it's really 'worth it'.
It's a big investment for someone like me, using it at home for personal healing and well being, but it's an investment in my life, and in maintaining the most productive life possible as I age (currently 54 years old).
Want Amethyst Bio Mat Professional (Far Infrared BioMat) Discount?
The BioMat is absolutely unbelievable!!!! I had an injured knee for almost three years; I have been unable to totally bend my knee back.... after only two sessions at the highest heat for one hour, I can now bend my knee without any discomfort. I am now working on my hip which is taking a bit longer, but to my amazement, it too, is slowly starting to heal. They are now using this mat for Cancer treatments. Be sure to check it out. Oh by the way, be sure you use ONLY NATURAL toppings on this mat, including any clothes you wear. It seems that using synthetic fibers alters the total effectiveness. FAR (Far Infrared) is the only way to go and BioMat certainly has done everything in First Class Style! Needless to say, I'm impressed.
I was initially happy with the strap, but felt that it lost elasticity too soon and that I will need to order another one already.
