01. Why should I tan?
Aside from achieving beautifully tanned skin on the outside, tanning has many other benefits. Exposure to ultraviolet light in controlled quantities is the best way for your body to produce vitamin D. Vitamin D is an essential ingredient in the prevention of ailments such as bone disease and psoriasis. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium for strong bones and a healthy immune system! Exposure even helps in the prevention of colon or breast cancer and a base tans helps to prevent accidental sunburn! People who are exposed to more hours of sunlight have shown to be happier and healthier.
02. What do I wear while I am tanning?
In the privacy of an indoor tanning room, most people choose to tan nude in order to prevent tan lines. Remember, skin that is not regularly exposed to UV light will be more sensitive, and you may need to build a tan slowly in these areas of your body. Expose these areas to less than half the tanning time of the rest of your body by covering them up during your tanning session. Some people choose to wear the swimsuit they would wear at the beach. This is fine too, but make sure the suit is free of any metal that could scratch your skin or the bed.
03. What do indoor tanning lotions do?
Moisturized skin tans better, more quickly, and more evenly. Indoor tanning lotions containing accelerators and/or bronzers help you to get the most out of each tanning session by boosting your tan and preparing your skin each time. If you are looking to jump start your tan, try an accelerator. Whereas bronzers give you a little boost of color to help you achieve your results even faster. There are many lotions available for you to use.
04. Can I use outdoor oils or lotions when tanning indoors?
No. Outdoor tanning oils or lotions usually contain a SPF ingredient that will inhibit your tan. They also contain ingredients that will cause a film on the acrylic while you tan, blocking rays from getting to your skin. There is no need for an SPF while indoor tanning because it is a controlled environment.
05. How do I make my tan last?
Moisturize! Use a high quality moisturizer made for post-tanning to keep skin supple and soft. Your skin is always rejuvenating itself by shedding old top layer skin to expose new skin underneath. Dry skin sheds faster and takes your tan with it. Dry skin also reflects light rather than absorbing, which not only hinders your tanning process, but makes you look less tan than you are.
06. How often can I tan?
We only allow you to tan once per day and highly recommend a 24-hour period before you tan again (if there is no redness from the prior tan).
07. Is tanning harmful to a tattoo?
Frequent tanning may help to fade a tattoo, and we recommend covering completely a newly applied tattoo for the first 2-3 months after getting it. After that you can use a SPF 30 or higher on the area to shield it from the UV exposure and prevent any fading.
08. How old do I have to be to tan?
You must be eighteen (18) years of age or older to tan.
09. Why do I need to use protective eye wear?
The area around your eyes does not tan and needs complete protection from the UV exposure you get. Exposed eyes can lead to cataracts, bad night vision, loss of color perception, macular degeneration, and pterygium (tissue buildup caused by frequent irritation of the outer eye tissue). You MUST wear approved eye wear, obtainable at the salon, every time you tan.
10. Can I tan if I am pregnant?
Indoor tanning beds do not emit microwaves, but (in most units) emit a mix of UVA and UVB wavelengths that can simply penetrate the top millimeters of the skin to create a cosmetic tan. These rays lack sufficient energy to penetrate any further. Pregnant women should avoid sunbeds and booths, as well as Jacuzzi’s, whirlpools, saunas and other sources of heat due to the possibility of raising their body’s core temperature.
11. Do medications affect my tan?
Some photo sensitizing medications can cause you to become less tolerant of UV exposure, greatly increasing your risk of over-exposing. Many medications warn of any indoor or outdoor tanning when you use them. Please consult your doctor any time you are starting a new medication, asking him about it photosensitive side effects.
12. Can indoor tanning cure acne or eczema?
Phototherapy, using exposure of UV light as a treatment, has been used in the treatment of skin problems such as acne and eczema. You should consult your doctor or dermatologist before tanning as skin therapy. Many medications used to treat both acne and eczema renders the skin ultra-sensitive to UV light, so be cautious if medicated when you tan.
13. Does tanning help control depression?
Light therapy is now frequently used to successfully treat Seasonal Affective Disorder. Studies have shown that some people need more light exposure in order to function properly and lead a satisfying life. Light exposure causes the brain to suppress the release of the hormone melatonin, which acts as a depressant in the body if produced during the day.
14. I've been tanning, but I'm not getting any darker. Now what?
You may have reached a tanning plateau. Everyone has a limit to how dark they can get, but to try to get past your current color we recommend switching the types of beds you use every few tanning sessions. Higher UVB exposure may be needed for someone who always tans in a lower UVB bed to get their skin to actively produce more melanin (UVB is the ray that does this). The reverse may be true for someone who is always tanning in the higher UVB beds. They may need the extra boost of bronzing. Changing your lotion is also recommended - try a bronzer or switch to an accelerator.
15. How do I get my tan even without lines or white areas?
Sometimes you may need to use a different bed to stay even and without lines. We offer a stand-up options that will allow you to tan some trouble spots (underarms, shoulders, etc) more evenly. We also recommend using different equipment (even lay down) occasionally to stay even. If you enjoy relaxing in the lay-downs, try tanning with your arms above your head to even out the underarm whiteness that can appear.
16. Is indoor tanning stronger than natural sunlight?
This statement is used frequently when trying to describe the difference between output of the sun vs. sunbeds. However, the intensity of the sun is dependent on such factors as; time of day, time of year, proximity to the equator, and reflective surfaces such as sand, water, and snow. Sunlight has no standard transmission level. The sun’s intensity at midday in Australia certainly differs from one on a Mediterranean beach.
17. Can a sunbed “fry” your internal organs?
This urban legend has long been around for years and most versions have a young girl trying to obtain a tan before a prom or wedding by using a sunbed several times in one day. It would have absolutely made the mainstream media if it were true! Again, the UV rays emitted from a sunbed lack sufficient energy to penetrate past the top layers of the skin.
18. Does indoor tanning lead to wrinkled skin?
Wrinkling of the skin can be a result of smoking, drinking alcohol, stress, outside elements such as the wind and toxins in our air. Overexposure to UV can also be included. But remember, as we age, our skin does as well.
19. Is there a thing as a safe tan?
Indoor tanning provides a controlled environment to obtain a cosmetic tan in moderation and responsibility, by skin type and a timer, reducing the risk of overexposure and sunburn.