Tanning Facts

Quick Facts about Tanning & Salons

Lamp life is based on lamp usage. Most lamps are rated to last 1000 hours which can take 1-2 years sometimes to accumulate. We change our lamps well before the recommended time to do so. Lamps will gradually decrease output with usage.  Higher power lamps need to be changed more often and we monitor this with our computer system to ensure you that each bed is changed well before the recommended time.

You cannot wash away a tan by bathing after a session. You can however wash off some benefits of a bronzing lotion so if you are using a bronzer try waiting about 3 hours before showering for best results.

Tingle lotions help to circulate blood flow, which in turn helps to achieve a faster result. The downfall to tingles is that you will have a warm sensation and reddening of the skin that lasts about 2 hours. There is no easy way to remove the tingle feeling once applied. Tingles can be very effective on hard to tan areas such as legs.

Dry skin reflects light and moisturized skin absorbs light. That is why it is very important to use a good quality tanning lotion to help replenish any moisture that has been depleted during the tanning session and to use a good quality tan extender after the session and throughout the day.  This will ensure your skin stays moist and your results will last longer. 

Ocassionally our bodies will have spots or areas that do not seem to tan. This is normally the result of a “pressure point”, a spot where your body applies the most amount of pressure when in the reclined position in a tanning bed. Blood flow is constricted in those areas which makes it tough to tan. Try alternating positions to help avoid these “pressure points” or use of the stand-up will help to even them out.  Each person is different but most common spots are on shoulder blades, lower back and arm pit areas.

Causes For an Itch After Tanning

An itch can occur from a reduced rate of melanin production in a particular area of the body, normally the stomach, chest or other areas that have not been exposed to much sunlight for a prolonged period of time. This is often a result of over stimulation of the nerve endings and typically occurs after about the third or fourth session. Try to space out your tanning visits to every other day or less to help minimize the chance of this happening

An overdose of UVA can also be the root cause of the itchy feeling. More expensive lamps typically have more UVA. The benefit is that you will get darker faster with less chance of burning but this itchy feeling can also be a result if you do too much too fast.

High pressure beds have much less chance of burning and create a faster and longer lasting result. Everyone's skin is different so it is hard to say how long it will take to achieve maximum results but just know it will be much faster than a typical bed. A true high pressure bed will not contain the standard 6 foot long cylinder shaped bulbs. Instead it is made up entirely of high pressure lamps and special filter glass that normally have a square look to them. We often hear of other places calling their equipment “High Pressure” when in fact they may not be. This term seems to be used very loosely. 

Achieving a tan is a process and this process cannot be rushed.  In our salon and in any reputable salon our goal is to help you build a tan without burning your skin.  In order to do this we typically recommend starting at roughly half the max tanning time to see how your body reacts.   If you are slightly pink or red it is best to hold off tanning until that has gone away which normally happens after a couple of days.  Once you resume tanning you may want to back your tan time down a little bit to hopefully avoid the pink or red.  This way you will build a much faster result with less discomfort.   It is best to tan every two to three days and not back to back days.  This allows your skin time to adjust and will help cut down on the possibility of burning.