Tanning

Definition: Tanning is the act of using a sunbed or sunbooth to imitate the UVA and UVB rays given off by the sun for the purpose of achieving a darker pigmentation of one's skin.

 

History: While fashion has long favored pale skin over tan, the trend has been attributed to fashion designer Coco Chanel, who appeared very tan after spending time on a yacht in 1923. Although she said it was an accidental tan, the trend had been set. With the dawn of the Jazz Era and the introduction of freer clothes and movements, more skin was exposed resulting in more sun exposure and more tans. When bikini's were introduced in the fifties, tanning became a huge fad and women sought other ways to get the look faster. Women tried a variety of creams, including mixing Coca Cola with baby oil. Of course, tanning could only be done in the sunny months and as more people joined the workforce, less had time to tan. To accomodate schedules, tanning salons were born. In the eighties, the first tanning salons appeared and customers were pleased. Starting in the nineties, tanning has become a rapidly-growing industry with quickly-evolving beds, lotions, and state-of-the-art facilities for a variety of clientele.

 

Types of beds: There are thousands of brands and types of beds available to own in one's home or for purchase by a salon owner. The most common types are "lay-down" or "bed", in which a client is horizontal within the bed with a top that closes over them; and "stand-up" or "booth", in which a client stands the whole time within a booth of tanning lights. There are many types of brands for both beds and booths. Some of the most widely used brands today are the S-Class Bed, I-Bed, Cyclone Booth, Matrix Bed, Ergoline Bed, and Suncapsle Booth.

 

Differences between tanning beds: Each type of tanning bed is different than the next. Each one emits a different combination of UVA and UVB rays, resulting in a stronger or weaker bed. Also, the equipment and form of each bed is different. Some are hotter than others, some include air conditioning, music players, mist, aromatherapy, pillows, or facial lamps.

 

High Pressure: High pressure tanning beds are not available at all tanning salons. High pressure beds are those with predominately UVA rays and very little UVB rays. The UVA rays penetrate into the dermis, giving a deeper, darker color, while the UVB rays can only reach the surface of the skin. Because they cannot penetrate into the dermis, the UVB ray is the main cause of surface skin damage and dryness. High pressure beds are generally used less frequently than low pressure (regular) beds, and a base tan can be achieved in 3-5 sessions, with maintainence tans only necessary 3-5 times per month.

 

Myths and real dangers: UVA and UVB are both forms of radiation and thus are considered to be dangerous. For many years, sunscreen only blocked UVB rays because UVA rays were considered to be the "healthy" ray that didn't cause skin damage and gave a better tan. However, UVA rays penetrate into the dermis, causing mutations below the surface. The radition causes mutations in the DNA in an estimated 20 seconds of exposure to a tanning light. The act of mutating is not in itself the danger, but every time a cell mutates it risks mutating into a defective cell, or cancer. There are no certainties with tanning, only the understanding that the more one tans, the more their cells mutate, and the more the cells mutate, the higher the chance that one mutation will result in a defective or cancerous cell. Both rays UVA and UVB carry risks: UVB - the surface ray, may burn or damage the appearance of the skin. UVA - the penetrating ray, may cause a cancerous mutation.