About Home Tanning Beds

If you like to tan often, then you might consider purchasing a home tanning bed. Home tanning beds are smaller and less expensive models of commercial brands. Before you decide to own a home tanning bed, you should review the health risks associated with frequent tanning. These risks include an increased risk of skin cancer.

Types

You will find that many commercial manufacturers of tanning beds will offer make smaller versions for the home. Some manufacturers you may want to look at are Solar Storm, Pro Tan, LifeSmart, and ESB. Most of the beds are available for order through the manufacturer's catalogs. If you are looking for a store that carries home tanning beds, you can check out Sam's Club.

Features

There are several types of home tanning beds, including the traditional lay-down version and models that you stand up inside of to tan. Home tanning beds may be constructed from aluminum, plastic, glass or a blend of materials. Timers typically come standard in order to let the user know when the session is finished. Optional arm and face bronzers are also available for many of the models.

Considerations

Home tanning beds typically use fewer lamps than larger commercial brands. An average home tanning bed will utilize 16 to 24 bulbs. The lamps are installed within the canopy and the bench of the device. An example of a 16-lamp home tanning bed is the Solar Storm residential tanning bed. Solar Storm also manufactures a 24-lamp version for the home. The more lamps used by the home tanning bed, the higher the price will be.

Requirements

There are certain electrical requirements necessary in order to install a home tanning bed. Many home tanning beds require a minimum 120 volt/20 amp connection. Larger versions may require as much as 220 volts. The dimensions should be reviewed as well since you'll need an average of eight to ten feet of open space.

Warning

Always review the precautions prior to using a home tanning bed. The manual will provide you with a maximum exposure time that you should not exceed. It will also give you cleaning instructions in order to sterilize the bed between uses. Sterilization typically involves wiping it down with an antibacterial solution and clean towels after each use.

References

Article reviewed by Eric Althoff Last updated on: Oct 29, 2009

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