ETS Tanning Bed Blog

If you're going to start indoor tanning, you should begin with at least an understanding of the different skin types and where you fall within that spectrum. Why? Because the tanning needs and restrictions for Type 2 skin are going to vary compared to, say, Type 4 skin.

We provide all of this information to our tanning salon owners. If you're new to tanning, any salon owner can (and should) be able to provide you with this information.

Skin Type 1 - Sensitive skin, burns easily and severely and does not tan.

If you're very pale, have light eyes and have always burned easily, this is your skin type. Typically, redheads and people from far Northern Europe are Skin Type 1, and usually shouldn't tan.

If you fall under this skin type and still want to start indoor tanning, you really need to tread carefully. Work with your tanning salon to start as slowly and delicately as possibly. Don't push it, and don't assume you're going to get significantly darker.

For some very fair individuals or people with albinism, tanning simply isn't possible, indoor or outdoor. If you have Type 1 skin, consult your physician before you begin a tanning regimen.

Skin Type 2 - Light skin, burns easily and tans minimally.

If you're pale, but will occasionally tan, then this is your skin type. Skin type 2 is typical of most white people in North America and Western Europe. Start with a limited exposure and gradually work your way up. You'll need patience, but eventually, you'll get a great tan.

Skin Type 3 - Normal, burns moderately and tans average.

If you have a slightly darker skin tone, maybe brown or light brown hair, indoor tanning is perfect for you. Because you can limit your exposure, you're less likely to burn and your skin type makes you a great tanning candidate.

Skin Type 4 - Dark, burns minimally and tans easily and above average.

Olive and darker skin tones fall into this category. You rarely burn and tanning is a breeze for you. With the right lotions and exposure times, you can create a deep, rich indoor tanning tan that looks great.

But aren't there 6 skin types?

It depends on who you ask. We only put 4 skin types on the warnings on our tanning beds. But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the American Academy of Dermatology have developed six skin types. Classification into the various skin types is based on two causes: a person's sensitivity to ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun or tanning beds and the person's skin tone.

The six types are:

I - White skin, easily burns, never tans.
II - Sensitive light skin, rarely tans, burns more often
III - Light skin, tans more, burns equally
IV - Light dark skin, tans more than burns
V - Darker skin, rarely burns, tans darkly
VI - Dark skin, never burns, dark even tans

 

It's a common myth by the tanning nay-sayers that the government has said tanning is bad.

The truth is indoor tanning is rigorously monitored by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the organization responsible for monitoring food and drug safety, and the Federal Trade Commission, the organization responsible for consumer protection and responsible business practices. The FDA makes sure our equipment is safe, and the FTC makes sure we can back up our claims, and don't make false promises.

In 2007, President George W. Bush signed the Tanning Accountability and Notification Act (TAN), which requires the FDA to reevaluate warning labels on tanning beds, and to find ways of educating consumers about responsible use of tanning beds.

While common misconceptions about indoor tanning abound, the truth is that medical experts have been finding alarming links between vitamin D deficiencies and all sorts of health problems: breast cancer, colon cancer, Alzheimer's disease, teen obesity, just to name a few.

At the end of 2008, the FDA released its findings regarding the the text and placement of warning labels on tanning beds. They said there was sufficient information on the labels that were communicated to the public:

Based on its analysis of the results of the consumer study required by section 230 of FDAAA, FDA has determined that there are warnings that are capable of adequately communicating the risks of indoor tanning, and that a modified warning statement label may more effectively convey these risks than the current labeling requirements. FDA has also determined that changes to the positioning requirements for the warning statement label may communicate such risks more effectively.

Melanotan is a "tanning" drug that has hit the streets and the Internet hard. It’s unlicensed, untested and unregulated and your customers may start asking about it.

How Melanotan Works

Melanotan is a synthetic peptide hormone that essentially stimulates the body’s production of melanin, the substance that makes us tan. Its follow-up drug, Melanotan II is also a libido booster. The drugs were first developed at the University of Arizona as way to help the body create a natural defense against skin cancer – through a slowly developed and natural tan.

Everyone in the tanning industry has been faced with the question “is tanning bad for you?” and it’s a tricky one that can leave many of us tongue-tied. If you struggle with this, remember that the best answer is the truth.

Tell your clients or potential clients the basic truth about tanning:

1. Tanning can give you a base tan and protect your skin against bad sunburns.

When discussing tanning, I often run into 5 tricky topics or, as I like to call them, myths. Here’s how I dispel them:

Myth: Indoor Tanning is 15 Times More Harmful than the Sun

Truth: According to the ITA (Indoor Tanning Association), one of the most incorrectly quoted statistics about tanning beds is that they are up to 15 times stronger than the sun’s UV rays. The truth is most beds are typically only about twice as strong as the sun.

It’s that strength that allows you to get a tan faster than you would outside. For example, a ten minute indoor tan might be equivalent to twenty minutes of direct, midday sunlight.