Use a Tanning Bed
Don't kid yourself. Using a tanning bed can cause injuries if done incorrectly --the least you can do is know your stuff. Tanning is one of those things that's surrounded by cosmetic mythology. Read these steps so that you don't get burned.
Steps
- Go to your local tanning salon and ask about the programs they have. Most salons have a variety of beds available with many packages to choose from:
- Low pressure. This is the traditional tanning bed. UV rays are emitted in a spectrum that is similar to natural sunlight. The lamps produce fast color (instant gratification) but the risk of sunburn is highest in this kind of bed. If you burn easily, it's not recommended that you use this bed.
- High pressure. These beds emit a higher proportion of UVA rays (versus UVB rays). UVB rays are the ones that cause sunburn. In this kind of bed you'll get a deeper, longer-lasting tan, but it will be slow to build. Usually this bed is more expensive.
- Booth. This is basically a vertical tanning bed. Instead of laying down, you stand up. Parts of the skin that would normally be hidden don't come in contact with surfaces that other people's skin has touched (and sweat on, perhaps naked). Plus, it's the best option for those suffering from claustrophobia.
- Whole body spray. Your body gets sprayed by a substance that darkens your skin through a chemical reaction. UV rays are not involved, so this is the least cancerous way to go. Keep in mind that this tan might fade away in a blotchy, unappealing way if you don't keep coming back for more.
- Take a tour. Visit a few salons and ask to see the beds. Is everything clean? Look closely at the beds. If you see any dirty buildup, like where the glass meets the edge of the bed, leave and never return. Otherwise, ask what kind of cleaner they use on the beds (glass cleaner doesn't remove or kill bacteria). Shop around, compare salons, and choose the one you like most.
- Fill out a skin analysis form. Any decent salon will make you do it (they should also refuse to (UV) tan all fair-skinned customers.) The form is used to determine your skin type (so they don't accidentally fry your skin by putting you in a bed for too long). It should only take a minute or so.
- One important thing to be open about is what kind of prescription medication you're using. Some can affect the way your skin reacts to tanning beds...in a very bad way.
- Get goggles. Again, any decent salon will make sure you have goggles. If they don't insist, then they don't care about your safety (and they might be just as nonchalant about cleaning the beds in between uses). Don't worry, these funny-looking goggles won't give you raccoon eyes. They just make sure you won't go blind.
- Avoid tyrosine-based tanning accelerators, lotion, tanning enhancers/tingles or pills. ("“Tanning accelerators” are not approved by the FDA") Don't listen to any rumors about tyrosine. Yes, tyrosine is an amino acid that your body uses to produce melanin, which is the stuff that makes your skin look darker. That part is true. But there's no evidence (none!) that tyrosine is absorbed by your skin (or through your gut, if you're tempted to buy the pill form) and finds its way to the melanin factory. Learn How to Resist a Sales Pitch if they get pushy, or just leave.
- Go to your room. Strip down as low as you want to go. You can keep your underwear/bra on, or you can wear a swimsuit, or you can go nude. Use the same precautions you would take in a public shower. Remember that even though the surface of the bed should be cleaned between uses, the rest of the room probably isn't, so don't sit on the chair naked unless you're 100% sure the person before you didn't have Treat Crabs (Pubic Lice). Keep your socks on unless you're 100% sure the person before you didn't have foot warts. You know, things like that.
- If you're really paranoid, and you don't mind the staff looking at you like you have ten heads, ask for a bottle of the cleaner so you can wipe things down yourself. Don't bring your own cleaner, though, because some cleaners (e.g. ammonia-based ones) can damage the finish on the glass in the beds, or irritate your skin in surprisingly unpleasant ways when you expose it to UV rays right after sitting on a chair that you wiped down in bleach.
- Ask a staff member to give you a tanning bed crash course. Find out what all the buttons do. How do you shut the whole thing off? How do you control the fan? If there are separate bulbs for the face, how do you turn those on and off?
- Put on your safety goggles. This is a must. Don't even think about getting into that bed unless you have goggles or some kind of approved eye protection (sunglasses don't do the trick, no matter how stylish they are). Who cares how goofy you look?
- Get inside the bed and shut the lid. Press the button to flip the lights. There should be a timer, and the staff person should have assigned you a small time (like 4-5 minutes), no matter how much you argued that you don't burn, or that you want to get the most bang for your buck. A good tanning salon employee will know better and will start you off with a "low dosage" and increase it gradually (depending on your skin responded) every time you return. As you're laying there, pray that your DNA will prove resilient. Beg the tanning gods to spare you a sunburn. Visualize your cells producing melanin and lots of it. Or take a power nap (unless you're in a booth; napping while standing is not recommended).
- Get out of the tanning bed. If you're all sweaty and slick, wipe yourself down with a towel (which should have been provided). Put your clothes back on and swagger out of the salon.
Tips
- For a tan that "sticks" even longer, exfoliate right before visiting the salon. This will expose a fresh layer of skin that won't shed for a while, although it may also increase your chances of getting a sunburn.
- If you have sensitive skin, it's best not to exfoliate or wax less than 24 hours before visiting a tanning salon.
- Moist skin tans better - stay hydrated, and be lavish with your favourite body lotion!
- Don't shower directly after, let the melanin in your skin absorb the tan, it's a good idea to shower before and then bathe the next day if you can wait that long.
- Tanning won't be as efficient if you're very hairy. Consider shaving or waxing first.
- It is usually expected that after you finish with the machine, you wipe up any remaining sweat you might have left in the bed with the small towel. This reduces the time they have to take when they clean the bed before someone else uses it. It also saves you from some embarrassment.
- Check for skin cancer and do a breast self examination regularly.
Warnings
- Going into the tanning bed without special goggles is very dangerous and may cause you to go blind. Even if you don't go blind, you can permanently affect your night vision, and permanently destroy your ability to see colours properly and vividly.
- If any of the staff members are burnt and peeling, they might not be your best guides to the tanning process.
- Do not rely on the colour of your skin to tell you when to stop tanning - in an intense, stand-up booth you can burn badly in 5 minutes and not know it until 6 hours later when you start to turn beet red. START LOW and work your way up!
- Do not tan more often than once every other day. Your skin will continue to tan for at least 24 hours after you leave the bed - you need recovery time, or you will burn.
- Exposing yourself to UV rays increases your chances of skin cancer, no matter how you slice it.
- Wear sunblock (when not tanning in a tanning bed). A base tan doesn't make you invincible.
- Don't use indoor tanning lotions outside - they contain NO SUN BLOCK.
Related Articles
- Take Care of Your Skin After Using a Tanning Bed
- Locate a Tanning Salon
