The Future of Commercial Tanning
Beds
The question we
are asked the
most is:
"where can I buy
the best
commercial
tanning bed for
my money?"
The
correct answer
depends on your
budget, interior
design criteria
and business
model. The
commercial
tanning bed
industry has
gone through a
consolidation
period after a
boom and bust
cycle
over the past 10
years and many
manufacturers
have folded or
merged with
others.
The remaining
customers of
indoor tanning
salons are very
loyal and
knowledgeable of
the benefits of
UV light to our
physical and
mental health.
Keep in
mind, it has
been proven that
human beings
MUST be exposed
to sun or UV
light to remain
alive.
Scientists have
said as we go
deeper into
space we lose
the benefit of
the sun's energy
and our skin
begins to die
which has lead
to revelations
about
"red light
therapy and
tanning beds".
Doctors today
are prescribing
indoor tanning
beds to patients
affected with
SAD (Seasonal
Affective
Disorder)
as proven by the
number of orders
pouring in from
the gas, gold,
and oil
boom-town cities
of Canada and
Alaska.
We also
get calls from
patients of
dermatologists
who are
prescribing
tanning bed
bulbs with a
high UVB to
combat skin
related
disorders
further
reinforcing the
belief that
indoor
commercial
tanning will
always have a
place in our
society simply
due to "human
nature".
On the
college-level
demographic,
good looks and
vanity will
never fall out
of favor so most
students will
still tan, but
some insist on
"sunless
tanning" now.
Therefore, we
strongly
recommend you
offer sunless
tanning like the
Magic Tan
VersaSpa or
Mystic Tan HD
in any salon
which also
offers UV
tanning from
commercial
tanning beds.
Commercial
tanning beds
are first
defined by the
fact they
operate on 220
volt power and
not 110 volt
power
supplied in most
homes in the USA
for
24 lamp home
tanning beds.
The next
determining
factor is the
"level" each
tanning bed is
considered based
on a salon's
pricing
structure, the
number of bulbs
in the bed, and
the maximum
session time.
Level one beds
are typically
28-32 lamps with
a 5.5% UVB and
20 minute max
session time.
Level one beds
are intended to
be "starter
beds" for people
with creamy
white skin which
needs to be
"conditioned"
for the tanning
process and
every salon
should own at
least one.
Keep in mind,
the tanning
process for
human skin
requires a
certain dose of
UVB (~5%)
to penetrate
through all 7
layers of your
skin to
stimulate your
body's
natural tanning
chemical called
melanin.
The problem with
this part of the
tanning equation
is that if you
are exposed too
long to this UVB
light, your skin
burns and
becomes red
(think tourist
at Daytona
Beach, Florida
in the summer).
Red indicates
skin damage
which is a bad
thing and can be
avoided by only
laying in a bed
or the sun for
10 to 15 minutes
the first few
sessions.
Your
body requires
24-48 hours
after initial
UVB exposure for
the melanin to
reach the top
layer of your
skin.
Melanin is the
chemical which
is activated by
the UVA light
which turns your
top layer of
skin bronze.
Level two beds
usually have a
boosted UVB in
the 7 to 8%
range, however
the level 3 and
4 beds lower the
UVB to less than
2% for the
maintenance
"bronzing"
required every
5-7 days.
Once melanin is
present in your
top layer of
skin, you do not
need a high UVB
lamp any longer
and can avoid
the damaging UVB
rays.
Final point to
be made:
high pressure
facial lamps
contain
NO harmful UVB
rays.
Behind the
thick,
blue-tinted
glass are short
high pressure
bulbs which only
emit UVA rays
intended for
bronzing your
delicate facial
skin and neck
area. Read
more about
how to buy
tanning bed
bulbs here.
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