Tanning Bed Information WebsiteYour online source for indoor tanning bed information and everything you need to know before buying a tanning bed!
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How to Buy a Tanning Bed
A few things you may want to know before you buy a tanning bed
Introduction
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What is a tanning bed?
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A tanning bed
is a device you lay down on with bulbs which emit ultraviolet radiation
(typically 95% UVA and 5% UVB, +/-3%) used to produce a cosmetic tan.
Regular tanning beds use several fluorescent lamps that have phosphor
blends designed to emit UV in a spectrum that is somewhat similar to the
sun. Smaller home tanning beds usually have 12 to 28 100 watt lamps
while systems found in salons can run from 24 to 60 lamps each consuming
100 to 200 watts.
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Other popular names for tanning beds
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Typical usage
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Tanning beds are used for somewhat
different reasons in the US than in Europe. In the US, tanning is more
seasonal, where most users begin in January and stop or slow down by
June. It is most often used as a way to jump-start the tanning process,
so that once the summer begins, they can go to the beach or enjoy other
outdoor activities and already have a significant base tan built up.
This is also why tanning lotions and bronzers are more commonly used in
the US.
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Benefits of tanning
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While the primary reason for both
Americans and Europeans to use a tanning bed is cosmetic, there are many
other reasons why they are used. It is common for people to tan simply
because it makes them feel good. Also,
most tanning beds generate a large amount of heat, including infrared,
which has deep penetrating action that can relieve minor muscle aches
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While most
dermatologists discourage the use of tanning beds, many are now
prescribing high UVB tanning devices for various skin diseases.
Some people with psoriasis or eczema are treated with UVB light therapy
(known as PUVA, for Psoralens and UVA radiation) to lessen the symptoms.
This is typically in the 310 nm
to 315 nm portion of the UVB spectrum. Virtually all fluorescent tanning
lamps have one spectral peak within this region of the UVB spectrum,
making them an effective tool in mild to moderate cases. In some
circumstances, salon memberships have been prescribed and more rarely
the purchase of home tanning beds have been prescribed by doctors and
may be covered by insurance policies. Tanning may temporarily help some
forms of acne by drying out the skin, but it is not a solution that
lasts for very long.
Further, most prescription
or over the counter acne medications (e.g. Accutane, Benzoyl Peroxide,
Retin-A) should not be used in combination with ultraviolet exposure or
the user may experience negative side effects from burning to delayed
healing due to photosensitivity that these drugs (and many others) can
create.
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Exposure to UVB light in the 295 nm to 297 nm spectra
(regardless of source) leads to production of vitamin D in the skin.
Vitamin D is important for a number of human functions, including the
maintenance of normal blood levels of phosphorus and calcium and the
promotion of healthy bones. Studies have shown that many people don't
get enough of the vitamin, which may even aid in the prevention of
cancer, diabetes, and HIV. However,
because tanning beds use bulbs that emit mostly UVA light (95% UVA and
5% UVB), tanning beds do not appreciably help the body produce vitamin
D.
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Tanning makes most people feel good. To understand how
this happens, researchers set out to determine if endorphin levels were
increased after tanning. They concluded that there were no significant
differences in the mean plasma levels of β-endorphin between people who
were exposed to tanning beds and those who were not.
The positive psychological
benefits of tanning may be due to factors other than endorphins.
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It is believed that indoor tanning beds are useful for the
treatment of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder),
though this is disputed at
present.
It is plausible that the
benefit that many SAD patients experience are more due to tanning
causing them to feel good in general, rather than treat the SAD itself.
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The history of tanning beds in America
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Although tanning beds were initially brought to America by
Friedrich Wolff in 1978, he soon patented his particular blend of
phosphors (since expired) and began licensing the technology to other
companies. Wolff Systems has since devoted all their resources into lamp
technology and development. Some of the early adopters of the Wolff
technology include ETS, Inc., SCA, Sun Industries, Inc., Montego Bay,
Sunal. Later, Friedrich sold Wolff Systems to his brother Jorg Wolff,
who was the founder of Cosmedico, Ltd., another pioneer in the tanning
industry.
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Most modern tanning beds have not changed much from the
original systems. The lamp technology and electronics have evolved over
the years, but the basic "low pressure" tanning bed has not evolved. The
original electronics used in the first tanning beds, both "European
choke" and magnetic, are still in use today although there are now many
other choices including electronic and high frequency. The lamps are
still fluorescent type, using special phosphors that create a spectrum
in the UVA and UVB range although there has been a great deal of
advancement over the years to make the light spectrum they emit more
"sun-like".
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Tanning bed regulations
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Initially, tanning beds were virtually unregulated in the
US, but in 1988 (and later updated in 1999) the primary source of
regulation at the federal level was
21 CFR 1040.20. This law was
designed primarily to ensure that all tanning beds sold or used in
salons adhered to a general set of safety rules, with the primary focus
on tanning bed and lamp manufacturers in regards to maximum exposure
times and product equivalence. It is left up to each individual state to
determine the regulations for salons themselves, and as such, many
states are still not regulated beyond these basic federal rules.
Check to see if your state has regulations by clicking here.
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In the United States, the maximum exposure time in most
tanning beds is 20 minutes but varies from bed to bed. This is
calculated by the manufacturer according to the amount of time needed to
produce 4 MEDs (minimal erythemal doses). This is essentially 4 times
the amount of UV that is required to produce a reddening on unexposed
skin. A person would start with a much shorter session time and work
their way to the maximum exposure time in about 4 weeks. Every tanning
bed is required to have a "Recommended Exposure Schedule" on both the
front of the tanning bed and in the owner’s manual. It must also list
the original lamp that was certified for that particular tanning bed,
and salon owners must replace the lamps with either the exact same lamp,
or a lamp that is certified by the lamp manufacturer to be legally
equivalent. Lamp replacement and salon compliance is regulated by the
individual state in the USA, whereas the manufacturing and sale of new
equipment is regulated by the federal government.
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Low Pressure
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Low pressure tanning beds are the most common home and salon type used
today because they employ
fluorescent type bulbs.
The number of lamps in low pressure tanning beds range from 16 to
32, however, they may also include up to three 400 watt facial lamps as
well, which are high pressure bulbs.
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High Pressure
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There are "high pressure" tanning beds that generate
primarily UVA with some UVB by using highly specialized quartz lamps,
reflector systems and filters. These are less common and much more
expensive, thus less commonly used. High pressure bulbs typically begin
at 400 watts (these are the most common type of “facial” bulbs in low
pressure tanning beds. Other
high pressure beds include 500 watt, 1000 watt, and even 2000 watt
units.
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These high pressure tanning beds require special filter
glass to remove the UVC and the majority of the UVB that is emitted and
are difficult to manufacture because the alignment of the lamps is more
critical than in traditional low-pressure tanning beds. They are
generally large units, with a padded area to lie on or an acrylic and 6
to 36 lamps in a canopy or canopy and bench configuration, the tanning
effect is much deeper and requires only a maintenance exposure of about
2-3 times per month compared to every 48 hours for regular tanning beds.
They are much more expensive to operate, thus more expensive for the
user. Retail prices in the $20,000 to $35,000 range are common with
individual sessions costing $20 to $45, depending on the market.
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Starter Beds
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High Intensity
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Ultra-Bronzing
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Turbo, Mega, & Super Beds
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Stand Up Tanning Booths
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Tanning Chairs
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Bench
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Canopy
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Frame
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Skin
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Acrylics
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The surfaces on which the tanner lies and shield the user by physical
separation from the lamps on the bench and canopy are typically referred
to as the "acrylics". Tanning bed acrylics are manufactured from a base
material of Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA), type UVT (UV-transmitting),
which has been formulated to have a spectral transmittance in the
wavelength region 290-400 nm. This should not be confused with a
standard acrylic, or "plexiglass", which would not transmit within this
spectral range effectively inhibiting the tanning properties of the
unit.
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These acrylic materials should never be cleaned with any
agent containing alcohol (i.e. glass cleaner), as this will adversely
affect the material surface causing a phenomenon known a "crazing". This
will present itself as small fissures resembling spiderwebs forming
where stresses are most concentrated on the part and in the region which
was subjected to the chemical attack.
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These shields break down over time as they are exposed to
UV and oxygen and must be reconditioned every few years. Failure to do
so will reduce the transparency of the acrylic to UV rays, although to
the eye it will still appear perfectly clear. The reconditioning is most
commonly done with a compound called Novus #2, which is a slightly
gritty cleaning compound that removes a microlayer of the acrylic,
restoring to near new condition and is used in many other industries.
This being said, a better practice is to replace the acrylic as the
oxidation described above affects the physical properties of the
material rendering it less impact resistant.
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Steel vs Plastic
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Shocks, Struts, & Lifts
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Bulbs & Lamps
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Ballasts
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Most tanning beds use choke ballasts, a technology that has been around
for about 100 years, consisting of a simple inductor which limits amount
of current passing through, and requires a lamp starter to preheat the
ends of the lamp briefly at start. Newer ballast systems include
magnetic ballasts, electronic ballasts and more recently high frequency
ballasts that induce tanning and other fluorescent lamps to work using
less wattage, by using higher frequencies. In general, newer ballast
designs produce less heat and are more energy efficient. All choke
ballasts require 230V only because no one has found a need for 120V
choke ballasts in tanning manufacturing.
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The ballasts regulate the power that is sent to the lamps, so that if
you install a 160W lamp in a tanning bed that has 100W ballasts, only
100W will be delivered to the lamp. The lamp will still ignite and
offers no benefits over a 100W lamp, and may actually create less UV
since it is designed for higher current. It will not damage the system,
although installing 160W lamps with a 100W ballast will result in very
short lamp life, as the 160W lamp cathode/anode sets are typically
designed to run at much higher temperature.
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Sockets
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Starters
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The lamp starter part of the bed (small tan cylinder) is used only on
beds with choke ballasts and is a simple plasma starting switch. It has
no bearing on how powerful the bed is. Either it works (the lamp lights)
or doesn't. They are installed one per lamp on beds that use them, and
are generally replaced every couple of years in salons or every 6 to 10
years for infrequently used systems.
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Timers
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Cooling Fans
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Buck-boosters
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Paint Color & Graphics
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History of tanning lamps
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The first original tanning lamps were discovered by
accident in 1903 by a German company called Heraeus who were developing
lighting systems for the home and for industrial usage. These lamps were
of the high-pressure metal halide variety. They discovered that the
light that was developed for visible light purposes also emitted
ultra-violet light. In the 1920s and 1930's they (Heraeus) first started
to market and sell single lamp, self standing tanning/wellness devices.
The first high-pressure tanning beds incorporating more than a single
high-pressure lamp were manufactured in the mid to late seventies by
companies such as Ultrabronz and JK Ergoline and in the 1980s the first
high-pressure units were exported to the United States.
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Types of Tanning Bed Bulbs
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Low pressure
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High pressure
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Facial lamps
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Spaghetti lamps
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European tanning beds generally use a
different type of lamp as well, with UVB ratings in the 1% to 3% range
(using US measuring methods) whereas most tanning beds sold in the US
use 4.2% to 6.5% UVB ratings, and aftermarket lamps with up to 8.5% or
higher being popular. Of course, these lamps have less UVA and will
produce a sunburn quicker, but many Americans seem to like them because
a short session produces a "reddening", or instant gratification. These
lamps actually produce a slower deep tan (but a faster base tan) that
fades faster, but are simply marketed as "hotter", although technically
they have about the same amount of UV but with different ratios of UVA
and UVB.
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UVA vs UVB
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When to change bulbs
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UV Light Meters
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How to choose the right tanning bed bulb for you
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Tanning Bed Bulb Manufacturers
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Wolff tanning lamps
§
Several companies continue to license the Wolff name and
use their lamps because of the name recognition, although this has
steadily diminished over the years as other lamp builders have created
lamps that are arguably as good as or better. Licensing is not required
to use Wolff lamps, but it is required to call a tanning bed a "Wolff
System" and use the Wolff System logo, a yellow circle with horizontal
bars and the name "Wolff Systems" in black. Tanning beds that use Wolff
products but do not pay royalties can use only the term "Powered by
Wolff," which is unique in the industry.
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