Tanning Beds, Bulbs and Lotion reviews

Tan is a perfect color for the body. It is neither too pale nor too dark—just the right hue that is pleasing for anybody to look at. Traditionally, we soak ourselves in the sun for ridiculously long hours, exposing our body parts not only to the sun’s harmful rays but also to the strangers’ scrutinizing eyes.

Now, getting a tan is not as troublesome as before—thanks to this brilliant invention that is the tanning bed! But how exactly does the tanning bed work?

A tanning bed, also known as sunbed, is a device that produces a tan on our skin by mimicking the sun’s emission of ultraviolet radiation, the UVA and the UVB.

The UVB is perceived to be more harmful than UVA as it burns the upper layers of the skin causing sunburns. The UVA, on the other hand, only penetrates the lower layers of the skin, stimulating the production of melanin which is known as the brown pigment that causes tanning.

There are a few tanning beds in the market called “high pressure” beds. These units are supposed to emit mostly UVA with very minimal UVB. However, they are harder to find and priced more costly. The regular tanning beds has several fluorescent lamps, ranging from twelve to twenty-eight lamps for the home tanning beds, and twenty-four to sixty lamps in the tanning salons, that run on one hundred to two hundred watts of power. These lamps contain phosphor blends used to emit UV in a spectrum that is much like the sun.

The time one spends on the tanning beds is relative to the quality of the tanning bed they are using. Maximum exposure time is around twenty minutes where a novice usually starts off in quick sessions and progresses to the maximum exposure time in a matter of about four weeks. It is advised that users of the tanning beds ask the “Recommended Exposure Schedule” from their tanning salon or their merchandiser to guide them in using this machine. Improper or careless tanning could cause you some irreversible consequences on your skin such as skin cancer.

Salons and individuals who own tanning beds for private or commercial use must also not over look maintenance. When replacing worn-out lamps, it should be the exact or the legal counterpart to ensure your safety when using the tanning bed. In the US, lamp replacement and salon compliance are regulated by the state governments, and the manufacture and sale of new tanning beds must be cleared first by the federal government.

While using a tanning bed is very convenient with almost instantaneous effect, one must also remember be careful and protective of their skin. Before lying down into this numerous bulbs, don’t forget to put on your goggles and some lotion and never to fall to sleep during the process! It also pays to be responsible in making ourselves look better because we don’t want to end up regretting our actions just to look prettier.