In-salon tanning is a way to tan without being exposed to the sun outdoors. Approximately 10% of Americans visit a tanning salon every year, according to the Indoor Tanning Association. Indoor tanning tools, such as showers and tanning beds, emit ultraviolet (UV) rays. The sun normally emits 3 types of UV rays, which are UV-A, UV-B and UV-C. UV-C rays are the shortest and most harmful to the skin, while UV-A rays are the longest and least harmful to the skin. To help protect your skin, tanning tools only emit UV-A and UV-B rays. However, too much exposure to ultraviolet rays, whether it comes from tanning tools or naturally from the sun, can be harmful to your skin. Use these tips to get a good tan and protect your skin.
Steps
Step 1. Understand how tanning beds work
The sun naturally emits 95% UV-A and 5% UV-B at midday in the summer months. Most indoor tanning beds emit 95% UV-A and 5% UV-B equally, giving a similar exposure to the summer sun.
Understand how indoor tanning tools color your skin. The epidermis or upper layer of the skin contains melanocytes, cells that produce melanin when stimulated by ultraviolet light. When you are in a tanning bed or shower, the lamps stimulate the melanocytes by producing melanin, which manifests itself as dark pigmentation on the epidermis. Melanin is produced by the body as a way of protecting you from further sun exposure. The longer the UV exposure of tanning tools, the more melanin is stimulated
Step 2. Determine your skin type
Most of the professionals in tanning salons can help you determine your skin type. Skin types range from Type 1, which is very pale skin that burns quickly, to Type 5, which is dark skin that tans easily. Your skin type will help you figure out how long and how often to use tanning tools.
Step 3. Prepare a recommended tanning plan for your skin type
Tanning salon professionals will recommend a tanning plan using increasing exposure times. These exposure times should be based on your skin type, and will help your skin tan gradually and without burns. For most skin types, it will take a few tanning sessions before your skin oxidizes the melanin and results in a darker color.
- Start slowly and gradually increasing your lamp exposure times over time. Some tanning salons have all new clients start with 5-minute sessions and gradually take them to 12-minute (or longer) sessions. Since tanning lamps differ in strength and UV output, there is no method to compare indoor and outdoor exposure times. Ask the salon staff for advice to help you determine optimal exposure times.
- Wait at least 48 hours between tanning sessions to avoid skin damage. Daily UV exposure can damage the skin. Most tanning salon professionals recommend 3 sessions per week until a tan appears, and then two per week to maintain color. However, if you wait too long between sessions, your tan will begin to fade. US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations prohibit more than 1 tanning session in a single day.
- Avoid excessive exposure. You may realize that you have been exposed to excessive UV exposure if your skin starts to sting while you take a tanning lamp. Stop the session as soon as you feel stinging or tingling sensations on your skin.
Step 4. Prepare your skin for tanning in a salon
- Exfoliate your skin daily 1 week before your first tanning session. Using a body sponge with a mild soap, scrub the skin in circular motions. You can also buy a commercial exfoliating kit, available at most beauty stores and drugstores. When you exfoliate, you remove dead skin and create a smooth tan surface.
- Apply a tanning lotion for lamps. Lotions specifically designed for tanning lamps will maximize your tanning efforts. Apply the lotion in circular motions all over your body for even coverage. Do not use outdoor tanners, they can damage tanning beds.
Step 5. Choose what to wear during the tanning session
What you wear during the session is a matter of personal preference. Some people wear swimwear or underwear, others don't wear anything. Ask the staff at the salon you go to if there are any clothing requirements for the use of tanning beds.
- Remove all jewelry before tanning. If you wear a watch or other jewelry, you will have white markings where it rests on your skin. For an even tan, remove all jewelry before tanning.
- Remove your glasses and contact lenses before starting the session. The heat generated by the tanning bed can damage contact lenses and eyeglass lenses.
Step 6. Protect your eyes from UV rays
The FDA requires that eye protection be used during tanning sessions in a salon. Most tanning salons provide eye protection for free, and all require clients to wear protection during sessions. Avoid looking at the UV rays of tanning tools. Repeated UV exposure from indoor tanners can cause night blindness, corneal ulcers and blindness.
Step 7. Avoid cosmetics and perfumes during tanning sessions
Many cosmetics and perfumes contain ingredients that make you sensitive to light. These photosensitizing ingredients could cause irritation, blistering, burning sensations, or uneven tan. Wash off all cosmetics and perfumes before starting the tanning session.
Step 8. Make small changes in your body posture as you tan
Don't stand completely still in a tanning bed, move your arms and legs from time to time to maximize the exposure of all parts of your body.
Do not rest your chin on your chest while you are lying down. This will leave a white mark under your neck because your chin blocks UV rays. For an even tan, lean your head back, leaving all parts of your face and neck exposed
Step 9. Hydrate after a tanning session
Moisturized skin will keep the tan longer than dry skin. Apply body lotion immediately after a tanning session, and also after every shower or bath.
Choose a lotion based on your skin type. Choose a deeply absorbing lotion for very dry skin and a light lotion for normal to oily skin
Step 10. Avoid showering immediately after a tanning session
Wait at least 3 to 4 hours after the tanning session to allow the skin's melanin to be fully stimulated.
Step 11. Avoid objects that could cause the tan to fade
Every 30 days, the skin replaces the epidermis, which means your skin naturally fades every 30 days. Hot water, internal heating and harsh soaps speed up this process.
Keep your tan from fading easily by moisturizing your skin every day, using mild cleansers, washing yourself with warm water, and increasing the daily amount of water you drink
Advice
Many people use indoor tanning beds to get a basic tan before going on vacation, particularly if traveling to tropical destinations. To develop a good basic tan before you go on vacation, start doing lamps 3 to 4 weeks before your scheduled departure date
Warnings
- According to the FDA, excessive exposure to UV rays can cause melanoma, which is the most aggressive type of skin cancer. Approximately 8,000 people die each year from melanoma.
- Do not use tanning beds if you are pregnant.
- Do not use tanning lamps if you are taking photosensitizing medicines. Check the package leaflets of your medications to see if they cause light sensitivity.
- If you never tan when you sunbathe outdoors, you won't tan with a lamp either. If sun exposure normally burns you, be extra careful when using a tanning lamp. Tanning beds emit the same spectrum of UV rays as the sun.
- Always tan in moderation.
- The International Cancer Research Agency (IARC), which is part of the World Health Organization, classifies indoor UV tanning lamps in the highest risk category of "human carcinogens". The IARC study found evidence for a correlation between tanning lamps and squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma, ocular melanoma and DNA damage.
- Medicines increase the risk of excessive UV exposure.
