From oxygen chambers to full-body LED: What happened when I tried 5 'influencer' treatments.

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I'll be honest, I'm a bit of a hater. Well, perhaps more of a sceptic. I'll frequently roll my eyes when influencers spruik new health treatments on Instagram, or when gym bros use words like 'bio-hacking.'

Don't get me wrong, plenty of these health hacks are sound. But with so many products and services flooding my algorithm, it's hard to decipher between the gimmicks and the things I should actually be investing my money in.

Watch: A GP discusses cosmetic tourism on the Well podcast below. Post continues.

So, when I received an invitation to DDTA Dental (Dr Daniel Tan & Associates) in Tasmania to try things like red-light therapy and oxygen therapy, I stopped in my tracks.

It would be a 48-hour treatment immersion of all the things that had infiltrated my Instagram feed.

Could this be an opportunity to finally get my answer? Were these health services actually worth it? My curiosity won over.

So, like a hypocrite, I jumped on a plane to Launceston, Tasmania, to try five treatments that were way outside my tax bracket. Here's what happened.

Infrared sauna.

The infrared sauna. Image: Supplied.

I'm a sauna newbie, but I knew it would be sweaty.

According to The Conversation, unlike a traditional wood-fired sauna that sits around 70º-90ºC, infrared saunas often use infrared light panels within the walls to heat the room to 40º-60ºC.

Other than relaxation, the supposed benefits may include boosted energy levels and muscle recovery.

It all sounded good to me, so I hopped in for about 40 minutes and worked up a sweat.

Facial with LED therapy.

The skin studio. Image: Supplied.

I'm not one to get facials or skin treatments, so this was a treat.

The facialist asked about my skin concerns: dryness and dullness being the main offenders.

She then gave me a tailored Rationale facial, complete with a face massage to help relax my jaw muscles, finishing with 17 minutes under the LED machine.

When it was over, my face was reflecting off every surface.

IV vitamin therapy.

During my IV Vitamin therapy. Image: Supplied.

Celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber swear by them, but there is little evidence to back up any claims and it does come with risks.

For those unfamiliar, IV Therapy involves administering vitamins and minerals directly into the body intravenously via a needle inserted into a vein.

Fans of the treatment believe the 'cocktail' of things like magnesium, calcium and B vitamins may help support hydration, energy levels and overall wellbeing.

This was the treatment I was most nervous about. It took about an hour, after which I felt ready to fall asleep.

Full-body red light therapy.

The red light therapy booth. Image: Supplied.

Next up, was a full-body version of the LED light I experienced for my face.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, red LED or photobiomodulation (PBM) is a light therapy that stimulates cells and may help promote healing, reduce pain, and decrease inflammation.

And all I had to do was lie down? With Olivia Dean playing through my phone, I hopped in the booth.

After 30 minutes, leaving the warmth was a struggle. But I had one final booking: hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

The spaceship, I mean, oxygen chamber. Image: Supplied.

Out of all the treatments, this is the one that sounded most foreign to me.

My confusion only increased when I saw the hyperbaric oxygen chamber; I was convinced it was a spaceship and Katy Perry was about to jump out and take me on Blue Origin round two.

According to The Conversation, hyperbaric oxygen treatment involves breathing pure oxygen while inside a pressurised chamber. In a pressurised environment, more oxygen can enter the lungs with each breath.

It felt like being on a plane (ears popping and all), so I just read my book and relaxed for 60 minutes.

Then it was time to get on a real plane back to Sydney.

This article reflects personal experience only and is not intended as medical advice. Seek guidance from a qualified health professional before considering any health or wellness treatment.

Feature Image: Supplied.