According to the Food and Drug Administration, radiation from tanning beds can pose serious health risks that include a higher risk of cancer, eye damage, allergic reactions and suppression of the immune system. These risks increase if you tan too frequently or for long periods of time. One of the advantages of stand-up tanning beds is that they require shorter tanning times. Standard lying-down beds have tanning times of up to 20 minutes, while stand-ups usually stop at 12 minutes.
Apply Lotion
Stand-up tanning beds feature higher-wattage bulbs than traditional tanning beds, according to the Master Tanning website. With a stand-up bed, you get a tan faster, but also have a higher risk for burning and skin damage. To protect yourself, always use tanning lotion in stand-up beds. There are a number of options available, including creams that cool down or heat your skin, tingle or come with bronzers, which speed up the tanning process. Make sure you distribute the cream well until it is completely absorbed; otherwise it might stain your skin and make you look patched and uneven.
Keep Your Arms Up
Stand-up beds usually have a bar hanging from the ceiling. Hold on to the bar as soon as the bed starts running and keep your arms raised the whole time. This will allow the sides of your body to receive an even tan. If you lower your arms, certain areas of your skin may be blocked by your arms and receive less exposure. Always position yourself right in the middle of the bed and make sure your body is not touching the sides, which could cause burns or change the intensity of the tan.
Get the Right Goggles
Never get into a tanning bed without proper eye protection. The intense exposure provided by stand-up tanning beds can cause photokeratitis, or snow blindness, which results in hazy vision, swollen eyelids, pain and tearing, according to the FDA. Long-term exposure without protection can lead to cataracts. To protect yourself, the Tanning Info Center recommends finding goggles that fit properly and cover your eye completely. This is especially important in stand-up beds, since loose goggles may not stay put. Try goggles on for size before stepping into the machine and make sure they fit snugly.
