Indoor Tanning Tips

Read these 12 Indoor Tanning Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Tanning Beds tips and hundreds of other topics.

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Should I wear cosmetics or perfume in a tanning bed?

Cosmetics and Indoor Tanning

Perfumes and cosmetics might make you look and smell good, but you shouldn't use them in a tanning bed. The products have a photosensitizing effect on your skin that causes unexpected results. Results range from uneven tanning to rashes.

Wash away cosmetics before tanning. A perfume causes rashes or burning sensations when worn in the tanning bed. It is best to wash away any perfumes or cosmetics before tanning in a tanning bed or out in the sun.

   
What are some good tips about indoor tanning?

Tips on Indoor Tanning from the American Tanning Institute

Do you want to buy an indoor tanning bed, or have you considered making an appointment to use indoor tanning beds at a salon? Here are some important indoor tanning tips from the American Tanning Institute (ATI):

  • A study by the ATI confirms that the proper use of indoor tanning lotions improves the effectiveness of tanning. The effects of indoor tanning when lotions are used is healthier skin and a longer lasting tan.
  • Indoor tanning supplies and products should not be purchased through non-tanning outlets, flea markets, or other business that are unrelated to the tanning industry. Products could be out-of-date or damaged if they are not sold by an indoor tanning bed business or retailer.
  • What are the risks of indoor tanning? Their are fewer than the outdoor experience due to the control the consumer has over commercial indoor tanning beds. Timed sessions, protective eye wear, and temperature control are among the pros to indoor tanning.
  • Since overexposure to tanning has been shown to cause melanoma, the history of indoor tanning has been marked by regulation to protect consumers. The FDA is mandated to publicize indoor tanning facts to reduce overexposure. Your salon should make you aware of the necessary indoor tanning information to keep your skin healthy while tanning.
  • Your salon operator is obligated to make sure you wear protective eye wear while tanning to protect your eyes from overexposure. Always wear recommended goggles to protect from corneal sunburn.
  • If you are researching indoor tanning beds with the intention to purchase, you should receive detailed information from the manufacturer about safe usage.

   
What should I wear when I tan?

Indoor Tanning Attire

There are many people who wonder what to wear in a tanning bed. Most tanning places offer private rooms. You could wear something like a bathing suit if you wish. Some people simply wear their own underwear. Others prefer to be completely nude for a natural, all even tan.

You may wear what you like, just remember to remove things like watches or jewelry or any sort of clothing on places you want to tan. Band-Aids, if possible, should be removed to avoid white spots.

To protect your eyes, however, remember to wear some sort of protection. You shouldn't look at the UV light and the direct light could hurt your eyes, even when with your eyes closed. Most tanning spas offer some sort of eye protection that is safe to use.

   
How do I get started with indoor tanning?

Getting Started with Tanning

Despite what is assumed by most people who are new to indoor tanning, a tan is something that is worked on. People who get tans don't get them on the first go. They need to build on a tan slowly and regularly. A tanning bed is helpful in getting the perfect tan in just the right amount of time.

If you go too long before your next visit to a tanning bed, the tan you have may start to fade. It is recommended you wait at least 48 hours though before you go for your next session. If you can wait a little bit longer, it is better as it helps your tan develop into your skin. This may vary with every person so be aware of this and talk with a professional before going back to the tanning bed too soon.

In the beginning, you can go to the tanning bed at a professional tanning place three times a week. After you've developed a tan, you can preserve it by going back in twice a week.

   
How do I get started with indoor tanning?

How to Tan Effectively From the Start

Most people associate indoor tanning as the same as outdoor tanning. In that they expect to be out for a half an hour or more just to get a decent tan. Tanning for too long, in any environment, can be dangerous. Getting some healthy sunlight or a nice tan is good for you, but over exposure could lead to sunburns or worse, skin cancer.

To use caution, start by talking with a professional. Most will tell you that while indoor tanning is generally safer than tanning outside, you should not be in the tanning bed for longer than 12 minutes. For someone's first time, it is recommended you try for only five minutes of tanning time and only increase when it is recommended. This should be enough to give you a healthy, even tan without becoming too dark or even red.

   
How can I get a better tan, faster?

Getting a Faster Tan

There is no such thing as ‘the faster tan'. There is only being consistent with your tanning schedule and one of the best ways to do this is to use tanning beds. Tanning outside takes longer and your tan may be inconsistent.

Start with only five minutes for your first tan and see what happens. Follow the instructions of a tanning professional. Be sure to follow all directions. If you are consistent, you will have a tan in a short amount of time, shorter than getting a tan out in the sun.

You could try tanning sprays if you are in need of a quick fix, but it may be better to try to prepare yourself by visiting a tanning salon first if you can. Tanning sprays or lotions may leave streaks if you don't do it right. You could also ask a tanning professional at the salon about tanning sprays that they recommend if you need to.

   
How do I get started with Indoor Tanning?

Getting Started with Indoor Tanning

Indoor tanning differs from outdoor tanning. You can't spend hours in a tanning bed working on your tan. Outside, other objects direct sunlight away from you and it is easy to spend an hour in the sun. With a tanning bed, direct UV light has nowhere to go but to your skin.

You should not be in a tanning bed for more than 10-12 minutes. Only increase the time if a professional recommends it. Take a timer with you if you need to. A good tanning professional clocks your time for you and notifies you if you have been in the tanning bed too long.

   
How does a tanning bed work?

Indoor Tanning and Ultraviolet Light

Tanning beds and booths emit Ultraviolet rays, just like the sun. UV rays help your skin to tan but can also be dangerous if you get too much sunlight. There are even different categories of UV rays. Knowing the difference between the rays may be helpful to you.

The sun's three types of UV rays are the UV-C, UV-B and UV-A. Most of the differences are in the sun rays wavelengths. The UV-C rays are the shortest while the UV-A are the longest. The UV-C rays are the most harmful to your skin. Most of this, thankfully, is absorbed through the ozone layer or through the pollution in the air. The UV-B starts you tanning while the UV-A rays complete your tanning.

Tanning laps in tanning beds use only UV-A or UV-B rays. This prevents too much overexposure and is ideal for tanning. However, you may want to be aware that even too much tanning in a tanning bed can still be harmful. Follow instructions from a professional before trying a tanning bed.

   
What is the professional tanning industry´s position on tanning?

Indoor Tanning Industry

What does the professional indoor tanning industry say about exposure to ultraviolet rays?

It appears that they believe in moderate tanning. It seems to be better from most individuals to do little amounts every one in a while. It minimizes risks associated with sunlight. Just like the saying, too much of anything is not a good thing. Too much sun, or even too little, is bad for you. If you want a healthier way to tan, however, than sitting out in the sun, you could try indoor tanning under some tanning lamps. This is a great way to regulate how dark you tan.

   
What are some benefits to indoor tanning?

Controlling Your Tan

When you tan using a tanning bed or booth, your skin tans the same way it does when you lie out in the sun: through ultraviolet (UV) rays. There is a big difference, however, between being in a tanning bed and being out in the sun. When you are outside getting a tan, the atmosphere affects the UV rays. There is no real way to tell how much UV light you are getting.

Indoor tanning is one way to regulate the amount of UV light you are exposed to, because it is a controlled environment. You increase your exposure time to make sure you won't get harmful sunburns on your skin. This controlled environment helps in getting an even tan on your body in less than a half an hour a day.

   
Why is my skin type important with tanning?

Know Your Skin Type

Did you know you have a skin type? You do, and depending on what it is, you should be aware of it before you head off to the tanning bed at the salon. For example, if you have sensitive white skin, or albino skin, you would be Skin Type 1. If you have dark skin, you have a Skin Type 5.

If you go into a tanning salon, you'll be able to tell if the attendant is a professional or not as he or she will ask you what skin type you have. If someone doesn't ask, you should. It will determine how often you should tan and for how long. If you have very light skin, do not assume you can just tan longer to see results. It doesn't work like that. If you have a sensitive skin type, it could be dangerous.

   
How do Tanning Beds Work?

How do Tanning Beds Work?

Tanning beds emit UV rays, much like the sun does. Tanning beds use tanning lamps that emit these rays only UV-A or UV-B rays though. The other kind, UV-C, is more harmful to your skin. As you begin your tanning sessions at a tanning salon, you'll sit under tanning beds under the guide of a tanning professional. The lamps will stimulate melanin in your skin and as part of a reaction to protect your body from further sun; your skin will turn a darker.

The tanning bed lamps use a more UV ray but don't assume it is so safe to use you can stay inside the tanning bed for too long. UV-A rays can still cause sunburns or much worse.

   
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