FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

1. Is indoor tanning safe?
2. How often is a person allowed to tan?
3. Do I have to wear protective eyewear while I tan?
4. Why do people use lotions?
5. How does UV Tanning work?
6. Can tanning cause Skin Cancer?
7. I've never tanned before- What is it like?
8. How long is one session?
9. How long before you start seeing results?
10. Why is it important to build a base tan?
11. What does it mean to Smart Tan?
12. What causes white spots?
13. Which is safer, tanning indoors or in the sun? Why?
14. What is in tanning lotions that accelerates a tan?
 

 

 

1. Is indoor tanning safe?

Indoor UV tanning provides the same benefits and risks as outdoor tanning. Both feel good and can improve your appearance; both also call for moderation and proper skin care. Indoor tanning, however, provides a more reliable, controllable exposure of UVA & UVB tanning rays. Each tanning bed or stand-up is regulated by Tanning Studio employees are Smart Tan Certified to recommend the best, most responsible way to get the result you're looking for.
Wherever you tan, at The Tanning Studio, or in the great outdoors, keep in mind the Golden Rule of Smart Tanning: Never burn. Sunburn does not turn into tan; it actually keeps your body from tanning while exposing you to increased risk. It's always better to build up your tan your body's natural defence against UV overexposure, slowly, safely and in moderation.

2. How often is a person allowed to tan?

A 24 hour time period should pass between tanning sessions. Pigmentation and/or over-exposure may not be fully visible for 12-24 hours after your original session. Two tanning sessions within this 24-hour period could result in an unintentional burn.

3. Do I have to wear protective eyewear while I tan?

Although they may seem like a nuisance, the goggles that you wear while tanning are very important. Your eyelids alone offer almost no protection against UV light, which can damage the cornea and retina and lead to cataracts. Not using proper eye protection may also result in short term effects such as tired, itchy eyes, headaches and loss of night vision. No one should ever be in a tanning bed without eye protection. Buy your own pair to avoid the risk of infections like pinkeye which are easily transmitted. Don't take chances with your eyes.

4. Why do people use lotions?

Many people use indoor tanning products to maximize their tanning experience, and latest technology enables lotion to include antioxidants that help prevent fine lines and wrinkles. The following are reasons why consumers enjoy using tanning lotions:
1. They supply the skin with essential nutrients necessary for a tan and help moisturize the skin to keep it looking young and healthy.
2. Moist skin tans more quickly and efficiently than dry skin, resulting in a better tan in fewer visits.
3. Indoor tanning products help counteract the drying effects of heat and light associated with tanning (moisturized skin is healthier).
4. Active ingredients supplement the skin's cells with the same proteins that enhance the tanning process naturally.
5. Specially formulated indoor tanning lotions help your tan last by retaining ultraviolet induced melanin longer.

5. How does UV Tanning work?

Two types of light rays are emitted by the sun and UV tanning equipment that work together to get you tan.
UVA rays are mainly browning rays that turn the melanin in your skin from pink to brown. This reaction is the body's natural protection from the sun. UV-A rays penetrate a little deeper into the skin than UV-B rays, are less likely to burn you, and take a few hours longer to produce their full result.
UVB are the activation rays that stimulate your skin's melanocyte cells to bring more melanin to the surface. UV-B rays penetrate less deeply, provide a slightly quicker effect, and add a natural glow to skin color.
While top equipment provides higher UV-A percentages, a little UV-B is important in maximizing your tan.

6. Can tanning cause Skin Cancer?

Excessive exposure to any UV light source may lead to skin damage, which may cause skin cancer. While there has been no comprehensive study on the causes of skin cancer, three high risk groups have been identified:
1. Severe sunburns at a young age
2. History of skin cancer in the family and
3. Very fair skin, red hair, freckles or moles.
If you fall into one or more of these groups, any UV light exposure should be treated with even greater caution. The fact is, most forms of skin cancer are treatable. Even melanoma, which accounts for only 5% of all skin cancer, is 90% treatable if caught in its early stages. Early diagnosis is essential. It is recommended that all UV exposure be moderate.
For additional information from the International Smart Tan Network go to www.tanningtruth.org

7. I've never tanned before- What is it like?

The certified staff at The Tanning Studio will do a skin analysis to determine your exposure time and recommended schedule. They will explain how UV light works and how your skin tans.
What to Expect:
Some of you may be first time tanners who have questions regarding indoor tanning. We want to make sure your experience is as worry free and comfortable as possible. What a lot of people don't realize until they experience it first hand is that indoor tanning is a very relaxing experience. One of the reasons people come to The Tanning Studio is for the stress relief a relaxing tanning experience brings. Now let's walk through your experience...
1. When you come in for your appointment, a Tanning Studio consultant will ask you to fill out a consent form. This information will consist of your general information, as well as information regarding your skin type. This will assist our staff in choosing the optimum tanning time and schedule for you. Please be sure to answer accurately to avoid the risk of burning.
2. Your Tanning Studio consultant will give you a full tour of the salon, and explain the tanning process and how it relates to the various types of equipment you will find at The Tanning Studio. Our staff is professionally trained so if you have any questions at all about your skin, how your skin tans or any questions about the room or tanning equipment please ask. Our staff is there to ensure your experience is a positive one.
3. Your consultant will then make sure you are equipped with the following:

•  Protective Eyewear - your eyes have almost no protection against UV rays. Therefore, at The Tanning Studio, protective eyewear is mandatory. We have disposables and regular goggles you may purchase.

• Indoor Tanning Lotion - your skin will tan better when it's moisturized and tanning lotion is specially formulated to produce a better result than tanning without it. These can be purchased once you arrive in sample or regular sizes.

• Towel - we provide a towel for your convenience and to cover up areas not normally exposed to UV light.

4. Once you are comfortable with all of the information your consultant has provided, they will take you to your room and explain how to use the tanning bed. Once you have applied your lotion, you may start the bed at anytime by simply turning the switch to on. All of our bed timers are controlled by computer, so you never have to worry about the time remaining as your bed will shut off automatically.
5. Some tanners tan nude, in a bathing suit or in their under garments but it all depends on your preference. We do recommend, however, that you limit exposure to areas not normally exposed to the sun (breasts, butt, etc.) If you would like an extra towel to do this, please ask.
6. Before leaving the store, you will have an opportunity to store your lotion behind our front desk so that it is always waiting for you when you come in.
7. If you have any other questions about your session, please ask one of our consultants.

8. How long is one session?

The Tanning Studio uses only the highest end equipment that the tanning industry has to offer. The first time in one of our beds will be between 3 - 6 minutes, depending on your skin type. Many studios have different equipment and lamps - therefore you should follow the recommended exposure time and schedule made by our Tanning Studio consultants.

9. How long before you start seeing results?

Most people notice results after their second visit, and begin developing a good tan after their third session. Note: a tan doesn't happen overnight - you need to build a base tan. And remember to tan smart - never burn.

10. Why is it important to build a base tan?

Moderate exposure to UVB rays help develop a natural barrier in the skin to protect the body from excessive UV light. UVB rays stimulate the production of melanin, which absorbs and scatters radiation to thicken the epidermis (the top skin layer), thereby limiting the amount of UV light. If this photo-protection (base tan) is not developed or a sunscreen is not used, sunburn can occur and the DNA of the skin cells may become damaged.

11. What does it mean to Smart Tan?

To tan smart is to build up your tan in a controlled and gradual manner. This gives your body a natural tan without burning, giving pigment a chance to develop and increasing your protection to UV light. It may take longer but you reduce the risk of over exposure and skin damage. Gradual exposure utilizing the advice of a Tanning Studio consultant will not only build a better tan but will prevent the negative aspects of over exposure.

12. What causes white spots?

There are several reasons why white spots become noticeable on the body once the tanning process begins. Patches of skin, which do not tan, could be the result of genetic determination. White spots could also appear due to the presence of a fungus, which lives on the skin's surface. While the fungus is harmless, it does absorb UV light, which would normally penetrate the skin. This fungus did not appear as a result of tanning; it merely becomes noticeable once tanning occurs. It can be remedied though the use of prescription drugs or some other topical lotions. White patches of skin, which are often prominent on the shoulder blades and just above the buttocks, can be caused by the pressure from the body as it reclines on a hard tanning bed surface. This pressure inhibits the flow of blood through that area of skin. Since blood carries oxygen, which is essential to the tanning process, this area does not tan. Periodic body shifting during tanning will make these patches disappear.

13. Which is safer, tanning indoors or in the sun? Why?

Indoor tanning is a controlled environment, which allows you to slowly build a gradual tan, to develop pigmentation and increase your natural SPF - thus providing a safer environment. The external factors of tanning in the sun, such as time of year and day, altitude, cloud coverage, pollutants, reflective surfaces, etc. are harder to control or predict - which increases your risk of overexposure.

14. What is in tanning lotions that accelerates a tan?

The main active ingredient in tanning lotions is Tyrosine. Tyrosine is essentially amino acids from proteins that are converted through several metabolic steps to produce melanin. Melanin is the pigment responsible for causing your skin to darken and provides a natural SPF factor of up to 4. Tyrosine is added to tanning accelerator products to supplement the body's normal level of tyrosine at the skins cell level thereby speeding the tanning process. Indoor tanning lotions also helps counter the drying effects of tanning, prepare the skin to tan more efficiently, and makes a tan last longer.