The Commercial Tanning Process

Overview

The commercial tanning process allows you to achieve different levels of skin color through tanning equipment, rather than natural sunlight. Most commercial tanning salons offer all of the tools needed to achieve a natural looking tan. Starting off slow and educating yourself with the risks and benefits involved will help you get the most out of each tanning session.

Frequency

When tanning, learning how many visits are appropriate for your body will help determine how to get your tan established. For light-skinned people or those with red hair or freckles, visiting two to three times a week for five to 10 minutes for the first two weeks is recommend to prevent burning. For medium skin tones, add an extra five minutes and an additional day per seven day period. For olive or dark skin tones, up to 15 minutes for three to four days a week for two weeks will help establish a solid base tan. After that, visit two to four times a week for 15- to 30-minute sessions. Minimize minutes if your skin is sensitive to the UV rays or burns.

Beds and Booths

Tanning beds are an important part of the commercial tanning process. They generally fall into three main categories; low-, medium- and high-pressure beds. Low pressure beds give off UVB rays from florescent bulbs. These are the most popular beds at tanning salons. Low-pressure beds are used for those who want a more gradual tan. Medium-pressure beds use high-intensity, 160-watt reflector lamps. These beds are usually 12-minute beds and have facial lamps that help accentuate the tan. High-pressure beds use quartz lamps that deliver a low content of UVB rays that reduce the risk of burning the skin. These short visiting beds are designed to deliver a more even tan in less time than other beds. Tanning booths are a commercial alternative to a lay-down tanning bed. Most units are referred to as hex booths where, you stand inside while the UV rays penetrate the skin. A stand-up booth reaches under the arms and between legs and reduces tan lines. Most booths are designed with 60-watt UV bulbs placed behind a cage or Plexiglas. There are also spray-on tans, applied through a booth or manually by a technician. The tanning spray goes directly on your skin. The bronzer shows you where the tanning solution will begin to develop a few hours after application.

Lotions and Accessories

Accessories are used to make your tanning experience better. Accessories include hair bonnets, nail savers offering UV light protection, eye protection, lotion applicator gloves, tanning stickers, tanning bed pillows, sanitizer, after-tan body cloths, solar masks, solar bras and teeth whiteners. There are also several varieties of lotions. Some contain a tingle that stimulates the blood vessels under the skin, creating a reddening affect. There are lotions that contain a bronzer. The bronzer gives your skin an instant tanning effect until you wash it off. Some lotions offer accelerators in the product that boost the tanning cells in the skin, offering a faster tan.

Health Benefits

The biggest health benefit you can get from tanning is an enhanced appearance. The bronze or golden brown skin tone is what most people aim for when tanning. Visiting a tanning salon may also help sufferers of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). SAD patients face depression throughout the winter months. Spending some time soaking up the rays and feeling the warmth on their skin can help them better deal with their depression. Tanning also benefits sufferers of certain skin conditions, such as psoriasis, acne and eczema.

Health Concerns

There are harmful effects to using tanning beds. Prolonged use of tanning beds can cause wrinkles to form on the skin as it ages. Sun spots and liver spots can also occur on the skin from the overuse of tanning equipment. Tanning beds increase the risk of the skin cancer melanoma. According to the Melanoma Center, this dangerous skin cancer kills an average of 7,400 people a year.