Scottsdale Tanning Blog

Natural light actually is composed of energy waves that are transmitted 93 million miles from the sun to the Earth. Each energy wave (or light ray) occurs in a different part of a complex light spectrum based on it length in nanometers (urn), which is one-billionth of a meter. That means that no two types of light are the same. For example, ultraviolet light used in tanning salons cannot possibly be the same as an X-ray because of the difference in the length of their energy waves. Therefore, these two waves will behave and affect the human body in completely different ways. We've all heard rumors about tanning bed light being the same thing as microwaves. As you can see these two types of light not only behave differently, but are very far from each other on the spectrum.

NATURAL LIGHT FILTERS

Distance plays a role in how many of the sun's rays that actually reach the earth's surface. Natural light at 5,000 feet is 20 percent stronger than it is at a beach. So if you live around the beach, enjoy the sun in moderation. If you live in Denver (5,000+ feet higher than beach areas), the sun's rays are at least 20 percent stronger. You might wonder why people don't tan as well in the winter as well as they do in the summer. Good question. The reason is that in winter the earth's Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun. This tilting results in filtering and lengthening of the sun's rays. The end result is less of the sun's rays that reach the earth's surface. (For that year-round tan, visit your tanning salon.) The earth's position also determines how much sun one gets. For example, the time of day (reflected by the Earth's position) directly affects the intensity of natural light. This is why the medical community has advised people to be careful outdoors between 10 A.M. and 2 P.M. Outside of the 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. time range, the sun's rays come to you at an angle. That means some of the sun's rays reflect off Earth's atmosphere, instead of penetrating through to the surface.

There are other natural sunscreens that protect us from overexposure to harmful rays produced by the sun. The ozone screens approximately 30%, clouds screen approximately 50%, and dust or air pollution screen approximately 20%.

DIVIDING LIGHT

For our purposes, let's divide light into three categories; infrared, visible and invisible. The light waves that tan people are invisible, but let's briefly look at the other two categories for comparison.

Infrared waves (above 700nm) include electric waves, radio waves, infrared and short-wave infrared, but only this last type reaches the Earth. Short-wave infrared waves, which give us heat, make up about 49 percent of the solar radiation we receive on Earth.

Visible rays (40Onm to 700nm) cause illumination we can see as colors, including red, yellow, green, blue and violet. These account for about 46 percent of the Earth's solar radiation.

The remaining 4 or 5 percent radiation we receive on Earth is invisible light (200nm to 40Onm). Of all invisible rays-including cosmic rays, gamma rays, X-rays and three forms of ultraviolet light--0nly two of the ultraviolet light rays actually penetrate the Earth's atmosphere. These are the same two invisible light rays used in tanning equipment.

Many people love to get their skin tanned but because of the side effects of tanning and lack of knowledge they fail to decide how to get a good tan. There is no doubt that a good tan makes the person look sexy and smart and in addition to it also imparts a thinner as well as healthier look to the person. Though there is no such thing as "safe tan" but people still go for it for one reason or another. It is very essential to follow the right rules and guidelines when you opt for tanning the skin.

Tanning can be done through exposure to the sun or through the use of tanning beds. If you want to get tan through the exposure to sun rays then you should follow some steps which will help you to get a good tan. One of the first things to be done is to exfoliate the skin with the help of a loofah and exfoliating wash. This will help to get rid of the dead skin and the new and fresh skin underneath will retain the tan in a better way. Then you should use a sun tan lotion which has SPF of around 8 or 10. Make sure that the sun tan lotion has a moisturizer in it. Macadamia nut oil or Aloe Vera is a good option as they keep the skin moist as well as prevent the sun burns.

The tanning through the sun will show best results if you choose that area which has maximum sunlight and where you are comfortable enough. The best place for tan is the beach. Do rotate your body and change the position so that the rays of the sun reach out to all the areas of the skin. Initially, you can go in for 15 to 20 minutes of sun exposure and then 30 minutes after that. Washing the body with a good moisturizing soap after sitting in the sun rays will give you a good tan. Also use a good moisturizer to retain the tan for a longer period of time.

Sometimes because of the weather fluctuations it is very difficult to get a good tan from the sun. Therefore, people go in for tanning through the tanning beds. One of another reason for people going in for this technique of tanning is that the sun rays are very harmful and they have very harmful effect on the skin. In order to get a good tan and flaunt the tanned body in summer you should follow the following guidelines while using the tanning beds.

The first thing you need to do in this regard is to build a base tan and follow the tanning sessions in the tanning beds regularly. You may require about 6 to 8 sittings in the tanning beds however the number of sittings depends upon the skin tone. In order to enhance the effect of tanning you should go in for a tan accelerator which is specially designed for tanning through the tanning beds. This will also help to build as well as maintain the base. Do exfoliate the skin before sitting in the tanning bed this help you to achieve good tan.

After the tanning sessions go in for moisturizing the skin but avoid a moisturizer with a mineral oil as this will prevent you from getting a good tan. After the formation of base tan go in for tanning session 2 or 3 times per week. Switching between the low and high intensity bed is a good option. Even right diet can result in a good tan. Therefore, eat foodstuff rich in beta carotene and include foods like carrot, tomatoes, radish, and broccoli etc in your diet. This will enhance the tanned effect and give the sun kissed glow to your skin. Also take care of your skin while tanning and never let it dry and you really need to take extra care of your face Another thing which will result in good tan is the right clothes. Wear minimum and comfortable clothes while getting your body tanned. Remember that only those areas will get tanned which will receive light. You can even go nude in a tanning bed as tanning in these beds is carried out in a private area.

Just follow the above rules and suggestions and you will surely get a good tan.

Now that you have learned the complex effects of ultraviolet light on health, you can understand why people sometimes create myths, or half-truths, about health and tanning; they simply don't understand indoor tanning or the tanning process. The best defense against health myths about indoor tanning is the education of fellow employees and clients. Let's take a look at three of the most common myths, as well as what makes them false. You may want to read this section over several rimes to familiarize yourself with the myths and the factual explanations you can use to combat them.

"Indoor tanning units work like big microwave ovens that can bake the body tissues and fry the skin." One popular legend in many u.s. cities today is that a young woman who wanted a tan for special occasion died after she went on a tanning salon rampage. Before she died, her body smelled sickly sweet, which her doctor explained was the odor of her charred body tissues. But you know that ultraviolet light waves cannot penetrate so deeply into the skin that affect the body tissues, although they may penetrate eyelids to damage eyes. Explain to your clients that ultraviolet light waves are not the same as X-rays or heat rays and, therefore, have different effects on the body. Tell them that overexposure would result in sunburn, not body organs. Take people on tours through your salon and describe how the equipment and lamps work.

You also can use cool logic: The u.s. government is the low on funds these days, but it certainly couldn't overlook an industry that could possibly injure people so severely. If the legends of the roasted tanner were based on truth rather than fiction, the government would have put a padlock on all tanning facilities years ago by regulating the tanning industry. The government has helped to dispel myths like the legend of the roasted tanner, and also has helped established indoor tanning as a viable, professional U.S. industry.

"Ultraviolet light causes skin cancer, including malignant melanoma-the deadliest of them all." As previously mentioned, the two most common types of skin cancer, basal-cell and squamous-cell carcinomas, are directly related to ultraviolet light overexposure and can recur after treatment. But the link between ultraviolet light and melanoma is mysterious, as people who work outdoors actually get fewer melanomas than those who work inside. Educate clients about the increased risks of skin cancer in people who experience severe, blistering sunburns as children. Urge them to use sun screens when traveling to sunny climates. Help them prevent sunburn-which is probably the biggest culprit. Explain how indoor tanning equipment uses a carefully researched combination of UV A and UVB, and administers the light in a controlled atmosphere. This combination, we feel, may decrease the risks for skin damage in the long run. However, industry experts recommend that you discourage people who have been treated for skin cancers from tanning without medical approval.

"People can catch diseases if they tan nude." People cannot contract diseases from properly sanitized, well-maintained tanning beds or from the clean floors of tanning booths. Disease specialists have said that no evidence exists to prove that sanitized tanning units have spread diseases, nor can they spread venereal diseases or AIDS, both of which require intimate contact to get. The potential danger of tanning nude is ultraviolet overexposure-such as sun burn of sensitive body parts that normally are not exposed to ultraviolet radiation. For example, skin on the armpits, back of legs, and buttocks can suffer severe erythema using the same light intensity that only tans the rest of your body.

Suggest that your clients gradually expose their sensitive body areas to ultraviolet light, and that they cover them halfway through tanning sessions for the first three or four times they tan nude. Rashes or itches occurring on the body after ultraviolet light exposure are not an indication of skin disease, but of dry skin or a photosensitive reaction. They often are caused by a combination of heat from the tanning lamps (sometimes perspiration caused by the heat can be the source of the problem), a lack of sufficient melanin in the skin being tanned and ultraviolet light. Both irritations usually subside within several days after tanning has stopped.

White spots or skin striping also are not signs of skin disease. White spots most often occur when oxygen is prevented from circulating in an area of the skin, such as the elbows, usually while clients lie in tanning beds. Skin striping or zebra striping, results from uneven tanning during first exposures to ultraviolet light. Both problems can be solved i£ during subsequent tanning sessions, clients periodically reposition their bodies to provide maximum access to the affected areas.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) April 24, 2010 -- As a longer ray, UVA is less wavy than UVB, which means UVA can penetrate the skin to the deeper layers without causing significant damage to the top skin layers. However, UVB's short, tight rays are more intense.

UVA and UVB light waves cause skin to tan outdoors. As previously mentioned, these same light rays can be replicated in special lamps used in tanning equipment. Therefore, it is important to understand in detail the difference between UVA and UVB.

1. The penetration depth of ultraviolet light plays an important part in the tanning process. Notice below how far into the skin UV light penetrates. On that basis, where do all these rumors about internal organs being cooked from the inside out come from?" The answers may be numerous. However, despite the facts, rumors about the disastrous effects of UV light abound to this day.
Three types of ultraviolet light exist

• UVA -- Up to 2 rnrn (dermis - 2 mm is the thickness of a computer diskette.) UVA penetrates deeper than any other type of ultraviolet light. As you can see from UVA's penetration depth, it would be impossible for your liver to cook and explode from ultraviolet light. Now think about this - What about that little baby inside Mama's tummy? Is it going to get a pretty good tan? The answer is no. Why? Because ultraviolet light never gets there! So why is there such great concern about pregnant women tanning? There are several reasons.
a. The first is heat. Heat (infrared rays) travel a lot farther than ultraviolet light. Pregnant women are advised to use caution with saunas, jacuzzis, and the hot summer sun because it will make them uncomfortable. Your tanning equipment when operating all day long during the busy season, can get pretty hot. If heat makes a pregnant woman uncomfortable, the baby will be uncomfortable too. In the middle of the busy season, you might consider restricting pregnant tanners to tanning in the morning hours when your equipment is a little cooler.

b. The second factor is liability. Let's just say your pregnant customer loses her little baby two months after she completed her tanning package with you. Who do you think she's going to blame? Although tanning equipment was never manufactured to cook internal organs and little babies, she may not know any different. As a guideline, when you learn of a new pregnancy, take some time out to reeducate the customer regarding the tanning process. Let her know about the potential for the heat to make her uncomfortable. Explain how that ultraviolet light doesn't penetrate very deeply into the body. Also consider getting the expecting mother's family doctor or OB-GYN involved in the tanning process. If you get a doctor's approval, then you can allow them to tan. Make sure you attach any approval to that person's client profile card.

c. Other concerns include physical complication. Women in advanced pregnancy could experience difficulty using tanning equipment because most units would be too small or cramped for a mother close to delivery. Still, other medical professionals believe that, because ultraviolet light exposure stimulates the production of vitamin D in the body, tanning is a positive activity for a pregnant woman, especially in the first trimester. Many salons simply prohibit pregnant women from tanning. If you salon decides it will allow pregnant women to tan, we suggest you have any expecting mother check with her doctor prior to allowing her to tan in your salon. If she decides not to tan, you should offer to keep her tanning package valid until after her pregnancy.


• UVB - Up to .03 mm (epidermis) Although UVB cannot get past the top skin layers, it bombards them with energy and is much more likely to cause sunburn than UVA. That's why UVB is often called the "burning ray," and UVA is called the "tanning ray." Tanning units use a carefully controlled mix of both rays to help prevent indoor tanners from burning as easily or as quickly as they could by tanning outside, and also to create cosmetic tans that minimize the risk of skin damage.

• UVC - From .01 mm to .10 mm (epidermis) UVC will be referred to only incidentally, since tanning equipment is not designed to release any UVC. UVC is typically associated with the germicidal lamp that your local hair salon uses to sanitize their equipment. It is also used to purify water. Don't get the idea though that turning the equipment on can sanitize tanning beds. This is not possible.


2. Intensity is described in terms of watts/cm2 and also plays a factor in the tanning process. Ultraviolet lamps continue to shine brightly well past their useful tanning life. This is because the ultraviolet strength or intensity deteriorates over time. The FDA and many state governments are concerned about energy intensity when it comes to replacing your tanning lamps. They want to ensure that your replacement lamps are compatible in terms of the energy output. We'll discuss this in a later chapter. Note too that the farther away you are from the light source, the less intense your exposure will be.


3. Joule, pronounced "jewel," is a unit used to describe energy, and is used to calculate a very precise amount of irradiation that a patient receives. Joules are determined by the mathematical formula milliwatts/cm2 (that is, the intensity or strength) multiplied by the amount of time, and divided by 16.69.

More information can be found online at http://www.sunchain.com/