Indoor Tanning Tips and FAQ’s

Indoor tanning at California Sun Studios is a great way to relieve stress, promote healthy skin, and meet your daily requirement of vitamin D. However, it is important to do your tanning safely. Read more…

1. Which is safer. Tanning Indoors or in the Sun? Why?

Indoor tanning is a controlled environment, which allows you to slowly build a gradual tan, to develop and increase your natural SPF, and providing a safer environment. The external factors of tanning in the sun, such as time of year and day, cloud coverage, reflective surfaces, etc. are harder to control or predict - which may increase your risk of overexposure. Pigmentation and/or over exposure may not be fully visible for 12-24 hours after your original session

2. How long will it take to establish a tan and how is it maintained?

The staff at California Sun Studios will ask a series of questions and review the information supplied by you when you first visit to determine the bed type and exposure times suitable for you. You will generally start with a shorter exposure time and gradually work up to increased times. On average it will take 3-7 sessions at the recommended 24-48 hour intervals to achieve a good base tan. After a base tan is established you can maintain it with regular visits. The frequency of the visits depends on your individual skin characteristics and the type of bed you use but can range from 1-2 visits a week to as few as 2 sessions a month on our low or med tanning units.

3. How often is a person allowed to tan?

A 24-48-hour time period should pass between tanning sessions depending on the bed type. Pigmentation and/or over exposure may not be fully visible for 12-24 hours after your original session. Two tanning sessions within this 24-hour period could result in an unintentional burn. Overexposure should always be avoided. Moderation is key. You may tan throughout the year if you are taking care not to over expose your skin at any time. You should always be aware of the dangers of over exposure, as it may lead to chronic skin damage. Take precautions not to indoor and outdoor tan on the same day, wear sunscreen outside and always allow a 24-hour time period to lapse between tanning sessions.

4. What are skin types?

Skin types are the way individual’s skin is categorized based on its reaction to ultraviolet light. Our staff will consider your skin type when recommending tanning session exposure times. The skin types are as follows:
 
TYPE 1 - Always burns easily, severely, never tans. Very fair skin.
TYPE 2 - Burns easily, tans minimally or lightly peels. Fair skin.
TYPE 3 - Burns moderately and will eventually tan.
TYPE 4 - Burns minimally and will tan well.
TYPE 5 - Always tans, rarely burns.
TYPE 6 - Always tans profusely. Never burns.

5. Why does California Sun Studios offer different types of tanning beds?

Tanning beds perform differently just as individuals’ skin tans differently. Some tanning beds produce different combinations of Ultraviolet A and B light than others and they therefore have different tanning characteristics. Some are made more to stimulate production of the melanin in your skin and others may be more apt to tan the pigment. The different types all play important roles but the type bed best for you depends on your existing tan at any given time, your skin type, and your individual results with each particular tanning bed type. As your tan develops you may find that better results are then achieved by switching to a different bed type. This is a very individualized process and California Sun Studios offers you a variety of bed types so that you can always have available what works best for you.
 
6. What if I have never tanned before?

The staff at California Sun Studios will do a skin analysis to determine your exposure time and recommended schedule. They will explain how UV light works and how your skin tans.

7. Are there times that a person shouldn’t tan?

Yes. There are three times you shouldn’t tan. Some instances are:

• Pregnant women should not tan as the body chemistry is undergoing changes and tanning results are unpredictable.
• If you’ve already tanned outside or indoors on a given day.
• If you are on certain types of medications. Certain medicines are photosensitive and can cause you to burn or have unpredictable skin discolorations. If uncertain you should always ask your physician or pharmacist.

8. Does tanning help treat depression, seasonal affective disorder (SAD)? Exposure to bright light, that’s emitted by the mid-day summer sun, causes the brain to suppress the release of the hormone melatonin. Melatonin acts as a depressant in the body if generated during the daytime. Thus, when affected people are exposed to longer hours of bright light, they feel happier, euphoric and more able to enjoy life. Bright light sources emitting only visible light, are now frequently used to successfully treat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

9. Why is it important to develop a base tan?

Exposure to UVB helps develop a natural barrier in the skin to protect the body from too much UV light. UVB stimulates the production of melanin, which then makes your cells stronger and less susceptible to UV light. This melanin substance absorbs and/or scatters radiation. In addition, exposure to UVB thickens the epidermis (the top skin layer), thereby limiting the amount of UV light, which could penetrate the lower skin layers. If this base tan is not developed or a sunscreen is not used, sunburn can occur and the DNA of the skin cells may become damaged. Repeated sunburn can result in damaged cells, which then reproduce themselves. This could be the initial development of skin cancer. Therefore, it’s wise to use a broadband sunscreen while exposed over a prolonged period of time or in sun intensive regions. To tan smart is to build up your tan in a controlled and gradual manner. This gives your body a natural tan without burning, giving pigment a chance to develop and increasing your protection to UV light. It may take longer but you reduce the risk of over exposure and skin damage. Gradual exposures using the advice of a California Sun Studios staff member will not only build a better tan but will prevent the negative aspects of over exposure.

10. Must protective eyewear be worn while tanning?

Although they may seem like a nuisance, the goggles that you wear while tanning are very important. Your eyelids alone offer almost no protection against UV light, which can damage the cornea and retina and lead to cataracts. Not using proper eye protection may also result in short term effects such as tired, itchy eyes, headaches and loss of night vision. No one should ever be in a tanning bed without eye protection.