ETS Tanning Bed Blog

Indoor tanning works, but how well it works often depends on you, the tanner. Follow these tips to get a golden tan with serious staying power:

Avoid the Shower Before and After you Tan

You shouldn't shower right before you tan. Showering can actually strip the body of its natural oils and you want your skin to be as moist as possible to both help the tan develop and prevent your skin from drying out.

Showering right after a visit to the tanning salon is also going to wreak havoc on your tan. A hot shower, soap, and a loofah is a recipe for an exfoliation disaster. So. . .

Don't Exfoliate

Exfoliation actually works to take a tan away. It's great for keeping your skin healthy and fresh-looking, but every layer you scrub away is a layer of tanned skin. Unless you're committed to regular tanning, try to keep the exfoliating to a minimum.

Wear a Shower Cap in the Tanning Bed if Your Hair is Treated

Wear a shower cap if your hair is treated because some of the dyes and chemicals will hurt the acrylic on an indoor tanning bed. Plus, some chemicals may also react with the UV-B rays resulting in possible discoloration. Tan and green outfits may look great in the fall, but for your skin-hair combo, not so much.

Moisturize and Use Lotions

This one should be drilled into your head by now, but it's so critical it's worth saying again and again: always moisturize after you tan . UV lights can dry out your skin and moisturizing can prevent tan-stripping flaky skin.

Tan Naked

Tanning naked is the only way to avoid tan lines. If you're concerned about "certain areas" that may have never seen the light of day, you can use commercial cover ups or a small piece of cloth for protection to protect yourself during your time in the tanning bed.

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

 

Proposed law would regulate teens' right to tan more rigidly than their right to marry, drive a car, and join the military

(Reprinted from the Indoor Tanning Association press release )
WASHINGTON, May 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today the Indoor Tanning Association (ITA) denounced House Bill 173, which would require Ohioans under the age of 18 to get a prescription from a doctor before using a sun-bed. Inexplicably, the bill also applies to spray tanning .

John Overstreet, executive director of the ITA issued the following statement regarding the bill:

"It is inconsistent and illogical for a teen in Ohio to be forced to have a prescription from a doctor before they could use a tanning bed.

At 17 an Ohio teen can serve and die for his or her country by joining the military. At 16 an Ohio teen is entrusted with the ability to operate a motor vehicle entirely unsupervised by a doctor or parent. 16- and 17-year-olds in the state can even get married as long as a parent consents.

It defies common sense that an Ohio parent could send their son or daughter off to war, drive the dangerous Ohio highways, or navigate the murky emotional waters of marriage -- but has to get a doctor's note before they can tan.

It is already standard practice to get written parental consent before a teen can use a tanning bed. A parent can decide whether or not it's ok for their teen to tan. Not the Ohio legislature."

Overstreet also noted that tanning salons in Ohio are already among the most highly regulated in the country.

The Indoor Tanning Association represents thousands of indoor tanning manufacturers, distributors, facility owners and members from other support industries. The ITA promotes a responsible message about moderate tanning and sunburn prevention.

SOURCE Indoor Tanning Association

To learn more about legislation in your state, contact your local government or visit the Indoor Tanning Association website.

I've blogged about the teen tanning ban in Texas before. And in the last few weeks, the situation has only gotten worse.

On April 22nd, the revised version of House Bill 1310 was passed by the Texas House of Representatives, meaning it has now made its way to the Texas Senate. What began as a ban on anyone under the age of 18 was downgraded to age 16-and-a-half. But, a ban is still a ban and could seriously hurt tanning bed business owners. Luckily, the Indoor Tanning Association –– the trade association for tanning salon owners, and tanning bed manufacturers and distributors –– is doing something about it.

If you're considering making the switch to stand-up tanning beds or outfitting your salon with a few stand-up models, keep reading for an overview of the benefits of these versatile, fast and cost-efficient machines. 

No Pressure Points

On a tanning bed, the tanner lays on a flat or slightly curved acrylic, meaning the flow of blood is inhibited to certain pressure points (like the shoulder blades), a phenomenon that can affect how these areas tan. And because the tanner is lying flat, certain parts of the body are not exposed equally to the UV rays affecting the uniformity of the customers tan. In a stand-up tanning booth there are no pressure points and the entire body can be exposed to the UV rays with the help of built in handles that allow the tanner to easily keep the arms raised during the tanning session.
 

Shorter Tanning Times

Stand-up tanning booth tend to have faster tanning times than their laydown counterparts. The ETS Tan 756V is an 8-minute stand-up booth , making it perfect for tanners who are pressed for time. Stand-up tanning booths in many salons are considered higher level tanning units and can return higher revenues.

Smaller Footprint

Stand-up tanning booths take up less floor space and can return more revenue per square foot however each salon will need to determine customer demand and offer tanning booth options accordingly. ETS offers three levels of tanning booths that can easily match up with tanning bed levels offered so that the salon can offer both options at  three levels.

Built-In Changerooms

Most stand-up tanning booth models (and ALL of the ETS Tan stand-up booths) come with optional add-on dressing areas eliminating the need for rooms and the cost that come with them.

Comparable, if not Lower Pricing

Here at ETS Tan, our top-of-the-line stand-up tanning booths sell for around $19,000 with our smallest model priced at $9000. With the same number of lamps as the laydown units, they're either priced similarly or, in some instances, lower.

Sanitation

 

First Texas, now Arkansas.

Arkansas, like Texas, is one of more than a dozen states considering such bills. Texas also has bills that go a step further and require a doctor's note.

Currently, Texas is seeking approval on House Bill (HB) 1310, which restricts teens younger than 18 from using indoor tanning equipment.

While the politicians of Texas are pondering that law, Arkansas lawmakers are also working to restrict teen tanning. Governor Mike Beebe says he plans to sign a bill requiring salon owners to get waivers signed by parents for clients under 18.

Finding a tanning salon isn't an easy task. It's not like picking a restaurant or grocery store. Going to the most popular one is an option, but if you like to tan at certain times of day, chances are everyone else does too, so you're either stuck waiting or have to find a different time of day.

Remember, this is a place you're going to visit a few times a month. You want to find the best one that fits you, so there are a few questions you need to ask yourself.

It Starts With the Staff

The salon staff will make or break a salon. Are they friendly and outgoing and willing to answer your questions? Or are they sullen and unfriendly, and huff whenever you need something? The salon staffers should be knowledgeable about their equipment, the best lotions to use, and can tell you about your skin type and design a regimen just for you.

Did they take the time to understand your needs and budget, or do they want to fit you into their one-size-fits-all package?

What About the Tanning Beds?

There are four basic levels of tanning beds. Does your salon have at least three of them? Do they have more than one of each type to avoid scheduling backups? We've come a long way from one type of tanning bed, so hopefully your salon has too. It's important that you rotate between tanning beds to achieve and maintain your tan.

Get a tour of the place, and take a look inside the beds. Be sure to ask questions. Are the beds clean? How often do they clean them? (Correct: After every use. Wrong: Anything less.) Do they provide protective eyewear?

Basically a good salon will be able to answer yes to all of these questions. They'll have a number of different tanning beds, they'll have sanitary eye protection, they'll clean the beds after each use, and of course, the staff will be friendly and professional.

The short of it is if you're not happy with the salon, move on to the next one. The most popular or the cheapest salons are not always the best fit. You may get lost in the shuffle at the popular salons, and you'll get what you pay for at the cheapest. It's your skin. Make sure you're happy with what you get.