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This continues to be a work in progress. Stay tuned as it will be updated
frequently.
Why
tan indoors?
Whether you get your tan indoors or outdoors, you skin produces a tan the same
way - by absorbing ultraviolet light. When you tan outdoors there are a
large number of factors that affect how much ultraviolet light you get - sky
conditions (clear vs cloudy), latitude (how far north/south you are), altitude, time of day, season, the type
and strength of sunscreen; the list goes on. Fifteen minutes today may
give you a tan; fifteen minutes tomorrow could burn you badly.
By tanning indoors you are in a controlled environment where you get a
consistent amount of ultraviolet light day in and day out. Exposure times are
determined by equipment and trained professionals that take into account
previous tanning sessions as well as the tanner's skin type. In this way your
tan gets a chance to develop properly without burning.
Many people mix indoor and outdoor tanning - the indoor session gives them the
controlled exposure and gets the tan started; they can now go outside, put on
sunscreen and enjoy the day, replenishing the sunscreen as necessary. This
is the best of both worlds. This is SMART tanning.
CAN I tan indoors?
If you can tan outdoors in the sun, you can
tan indoors - it's the same type of light, in the same proportions, as you
would get outside. It is a higher intensity but it is over a relatively
short period of time so you can get the same exposure in 20 minutes indoors
that you would need over an hour to get outside. If you always burn
when outdoors, do not waste your time or money trying to tan indoors because
the result will be the same - you'll just burn sooner and faster. If
in doubt our staff will assist you in determining your skin type (see below)
and this skin type will tell you whether or not indoor tanning is for you.
How long does it
take to get a tan?
This depends heavily on your skin type (see
below) and the frequency of visits. On
average it will take 3-7 sessions to achieve a good base tan if you tan every
second day and follow the regimen recommended by our staff. 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 tanning bed but
will typically be once or twice per week.
Must I wear goggles when tanning indoors?
Yes,
always. First of all our insurance policy demands that we ensure that each
customer has protective eyewear, and our waiver form reflects that. Secondly, UV
light can cause significant damage to the cornea and retina of your eyes,
resulting in cataracts or worse. Eyelids or towels are not enough as the
UV light will still penetrate them and do damage.
Not using proper eye protection may 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. As with many other
things, the bad effects of not wearing goggles may not manifest themselves
until years later when you suddenly ask yourself, "Why do my eyes
itch/hurt?" - it may relate back to the incorrect/missing eye protection
from years earlier. Protection now is the key.
I hear mention of "skin types". What are they?
Skin types are the way individual’s skin is categorized based on its likely
reaction to ultraviolet light. Our staff will help you determine your skin type
and recommend a tanning regimen based on this. The skin types are as follows:
TYPE 1 - Always burns easily, severely, never tans.
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.
Note that anyone with skin type 1 will not be allowed to tan as the
likelihood of burning is too high.
What about spray/sunless tanning?
Spray tanning is
becoming more popular because of the instant colour you get. In minutes
you can get a deep brown tan that will last for anywhere up to 10-15 days.
It's perfect for special events like weddings or proms, or when you just want to
get rid of tan lines. If you are one who does not like the idea of tanning
inside or outside but still want/need some colour, this is the perfect solution.
Most spray tanning
solutions use DHA - a sugar-based product - to coat your skin. This "sets" into
your skin by reacting with the proteins and amino acids to turn your skin a nice
shade of brown. Our sunless offering consists of what is called "airbrush"
tanning, which is done by a certified technician who "paints" a tan onto
your body with a spray gun. It is NOT a booth that showers you with
solution that you then have to wipe off - it is carefully applied by the
technician who ensures that the right amount of solution is used in the
right places to ensure the best result. Additionally, our service
allows for part-body tanning (face/neck, or legs only, for example) so that
you can simply tan the areas that need it (upper body for strapless dresses,
for example).
There is more information in our Sunless section.
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