Tanning Tips

A healthy mind in a healthy body.... That's been the ideal of mankind since the ancient Greeks first devoted their art to the glories of the human form. A healthy body means taking care of both inside and outside your skin. Your skin is affected as much by diet, exercise, limiting alcohol and avoiding smoking as you are your bones, muscles and organs. One of the most important factors in maintaining that healthy body and mind is sunlight. We need sun. The rays of the sun are necessary and beneficial for all living organisms. Studies have long shown a relationship between the amount of sunlight people experience and their mental and physical well-being. For most people, looking healthy equates with having a tan. The "winter pallor" resulting from too much time indoors away from sunlight is synonymous with "sick." Tanned skin makes people feel and look more attractive, to themselves, and others.

The risk, of course, is that unprotected and extreme exposure to too much sunlight can result in severe sunburn, damaging and aging the skin. How much sunlight will create an attractive, glowing tan and not a blistering sunburn is dependent on Skin Type, weather conditions, air pollution, wind, altitude, reflective glare, latitude, time of day and year - multiple variables making it difficult, if not impossible to determine time in the sun accurately.

So how can we enjoy the healthy benefits of sunlight without incurring injury? The answer is indoor tanning.

A sensible way to tan... In the controlled environment of an indoor tanning studio you are exposed to the correct amount of sunlight - the UV-A and UV-B rays - to create the skin color changes you want. Tanning is a natural process, it's your body's way of protecting itself from burning by encouraging your skin's cells to produce more melanin pigment. To further protect itself, the body forms a light callus, a thickening of the epidermis.

By using a tanning bed, your skin can receive the ideal amount of light protection, resulting in a healthy appearance without the potentially dangerous side effects of sunburn.

When is the right time to use indoor tanning? The Industry standard recommends no more than 50 sessions a year. Some people find it helpful to begin using a professional tanning studio several weeks prior to going on vacation so that they will be able to fully enjoy being at the beach, on a tropical island, in the mountains. Once a desirable level of tan has been achieved, once or twice weekly visits to an Indoor Tanning Studio are all that's needed to maintain the look you want.

Go for the Gold!

• Go slow. Give your skin a chance to do its protective work. Skipping a day between tanning sessions is helpful.
• Follow the recommendation of the Tanning Professional for the correct tanning time for your skin.
• Don't wear any cosmetics or perfumes and remove all jewelry before tanning.
• Don't use any oils or lotions on your skin except those made especially for Indoor Tanning.
• Always wear eye protection when tanning.
• If you are on any medications, check with your doctor before beginning. Some medicines can cause increased sensitivity to the UV rays.