Tanning beds were all the rage back in 1980’s, right after Fredrich Wolff invented those crazy contraptions back in 1978. Today, the Wolff Tanning Bed is still one of the most popular brands of tanning bed, but there are a lot more brands available. Even though indoor tanning is not quite as popular as it was back when it was new, the use of indoor tanning beds is still quite popular for several reasons.

Contents: 
Tanning Bed Popularity 
Tanning Tips for Beginners 
How to Use a Tanning Bed

Tanning Bed Popularity

The use of tanning beds is still quite popular for:

• - Preparing for bikini/swimsuit season
• - Young adults working  to be as attractive as possible
• - Bodybuilders tanning for fitness competitions
• - Treating Seasonal Affective Disorder

So, you’ve decided to give the tanning bed a chance and want to learn how to use a tanning bed.  Here are a few tanning tips to bear in mind during your first visit:

Tanning Tips for Beginners

Keep in mind that there are two fundamental kinds of tanning systems that you can use – either a tanning bed or a tanning booth. Your ability to choose between a tanning booth or tanning bed will be limited to the choices available at the tanning salon near you. Ask the salon professional at your chosen tanning salon which of their indoor tanning units will be best for your skin type to attain your given tanning goal.
 
While you’re there, get their advice on the best tanning lotion for your goals and skin type. For every combination of skin type and tanning goal, there is a different tanning lotion available from tanning accelerators to moisturizers to bronzers.Once you’ve decided to buy tanning lotion and buy an indoor tanning package that works for you, the attendant will assign you a room with the proper tanning bed. After you’re in your room, make sure to close the door completely and lock it.

When taking off your clothes, you can choose to take it all off or just wear underpants or a thong - whatever works for you.  If you’re afraid of roasting your goodies or being walked in on, you can choose to wear a swimsuit. But, if you’re hoping to get that all-over tan without any tan lines, you may want to tan completely nude for even coverage.

How to Use a Tanning Bed

Here are the steps for how to use a tanning bed.

	Rub in the tanning lotion over your whole body – everywhere except the face.  Most tanning lotions can clog pores and lead to adult acne.
	Open the tanning booth door or lift tanning bed lid, depending upon which one of the two you’re using.
	If you use a tanning bed, you might feel more comfortable with a towel or pillow under your head.  You might also want to fire up the iPod and a fan. Things will get pretty toasty when the sunbed heats up.If your hair is long, you should fasten your hair up by using a hair clip or a scrunchy. Putting your up will ensure that it doesn’t get in the way of the UV rays to make sure you don’t end up with odd tan lines on your face.
	This is, perhaps, the most important step:  Wear your tanning goggles, either the pair provided by the tanning salon or your very own pair, if you’re concerned about how clean the salon’s tanning goggles are.  Wear them at all times that the tanning bulbs are glowing. The UVA/UVB light from these tanning bulbs is so strong that they can cause cataracts without proper eye protection. Closing your eyes is not enough. Your eyelids are so thin that UV rays pretty much pass right through them and can damage your cornea.
	Now, fire up the tanning bed. You might have a single “start” button to press or a timer to set, depending upon how your tanning salon works. If you’ve just started tanning and have a pale skin complexion, your first few visits should be from 6 to 10 minutes long. After a while, you can increase the time to as high as 30 minutes per tanning session.
	Booth or bed, after the timer runs out, the lights on the tanning unit will go out, letting you know that you’ve been baked to golden perfection. Open it up, take off your tanning goggles, and wipe off the sweat and tanning lotion with a towel. Get dressed again and and pick up all of your belongings! Remember to take your iPod with you on your way out.
	Don’t take a shower for the rest of the day. A lot of soaps can be counterproductive for tanning if they’re used too soon after tanning.

Now that you know the steps of how to use a tanning bed, you can get your bronze on and meet your tanning goals.

Tanning Goggles - when you think of eyewear for tanning, do you conjure up the dreadful result of person stepping out of their indoor tanning bed with a horrendous set of white outlined raccoon eyes?

UV Light from Tanning Beds

Tanning salons generally offer an array of of clam-shaped tanning beds (or stand-up tanning booths) to choose from. You lie down on the acrylic surface which allows the ultraviolet light passes through. The ultraviolet tanning bulbs used in tanning beds generate the same ultraviolet rays that the sun does.

Most tanning beds emit a combination of both UVA and UVB, the ratios of UVA to UVB vary, depending on the type of tanning bulbs in the sun bed. Exposure of the eyes to one or both types of UV rays in a tanning bed can result in severe burns and damage to the eye.

Independent research has concluded that short-term exposure to UV rays from tanning beds can be damaging to the eye since levels of radiation while in a sun bed can be far greater than the radiation levels we experience when out in the sun.

Sun Tanning Goggles Protect Your Eyes

To protect your eyesight during your next visit to a tanning salon, follow this indoor tanning tip, get yourself a pair of FDA certified tan goggles for indoor tanning. Mind you, the FDA doesn’t certify the goggles, themselves, but the manufacturer certifies that they are in compliance with the laws set forth about eye protection for tanning beds. 

It is crucial that you follow these FDA mandated safety rules.  Most tanning salons will provide eye protection while using their facilities; though each method differs. Some tanning salons provide goggles with highly tinted viewing holes that strap on, while others will provide a disposable aluminum tanning goggle for each eye. There are so many reasons to wear eye protection in the tanning bed. The use of eye protection while in a tanning booth is easily just as important as wearing sunglasses on a very sunny day.

You can usually buy tanning goggles at the tanning salon or borrow a pair from their front desk. Call the salon before your appointment to make sure that will let you wear a pair of tanning eye goggles from the moment they fire up the tanning bed.

Closing Your Eyes: As Good As Tanning Goggles?

You may think “Why not just keep your eyes closed”. Actually, eyelids only protect about 25% of UV rays from your eyes. This can cause short term damage to your eyes and some of the symptoms included: Red, itchy or watery eyes may be an indication of short-term damage, which means that your eyes have been sunburned. The purpose of indoor tanning goggles is to protect your eyes from the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) light.

The human eyelid is too thin to protect the eyes from ultraviolet radiation, so merely closing your eyes is simply not enough protection. Draping a towel across your face does not block the UV either, it only filters it. Without goggles for indoor tanning, clients risk burns to the cornea, cataracts and retinal damage.

Won’t Wear Tanning Goggles?  The Risks…

Refusing to wear tanning goggles inside a tanning bed is very dangerous proposition - over time can cause long-term damage to your eyesight.

Ultraviolet (or UV) rays can cause severe damage to your eyes and cause many vision-related problems. Just like sunglasses, the tanning goggles will block absolutely all of the damaging UV rays from reaching your eyes and the surrounding skin. 

These  UV rays can cause  immediate “little” problems like eye irritation to far more dangerous eye issues like cataracts and macular degeneration. 

Conjunctivitis (swollen, angry tear ducts) and eye irritation mean that you’ve  caused a burn on your cornea. Those tanning enthusiast who contract conjunctivitis can expect their eyes to become very teary and their eyelids will crust up.  This goo will blur or fog your vision.

Cataracts are the major leagues for tanning-related eye problems.  When you get a cataract, the “skin” (actually called a membrane, but it’s just like a clear skin) on the eye clouds over, and “fogs up” – permanently.  The only way to fix this is to go through expensive and painful surgery. If you go one step further, you can damage the retina – causing you to see black or purple spots – again, painful and expensive eye surgery is the only solution today.

But wait, that’s not all, you can also get “malignant  melanoma of the eye”.  This is a type of cancer associated with the use of tanning lamps and tanning beds without proper eye protection.

And if that weren’t enough - protecting your vision is certainly important… it is just as important to protect the skin around your eyes. Exposure to ultraviolet rays over the long-term can damage the fragile skin cells protecting your eyes. Too much unprotected exposure to UV rays will make you look old and wrinkly long before you’ll be willing to look old and wrinkly, and the skin around the eyes is some of your most sensitive skin on your body.

Tanning Goggles:
Just Do It!

When it comes to something as precious as your eyesight it is much better to be safe than sorry.

If you’re worried about cleanliness and sanitation, you don’t have to use the salon goggles.  You can actually buy your own pair and never have to worry about the funk and fungus from some nasty skank who doesn’t know how to bathe properly.  Getting your own pair can let you make sure that the goggles you use are completely germ-free, keeping you from catching communicable eye-related diseases, like pink eye, that might hop from customer to customer.

So, the next time you decide to go relax for a 20 minute nap in a tanning bed, be sure you use or bring your own tanning bed goggles. There’s no point in having a hot, sexy tan, when you can’t even see how good you look.  It’s not worth losing your eyesight over – wear them.

Buy Tanning Goggles

If you’re looking to buy tanning goggles of your very own, you might want to check these out:

SunClipse Tanning Goggles Review: SunClipse Tanning Goggles are awesome for both protecting from the harmful UV rays, but because of their narrow bridge wire, you don’t get a line over your nose where the bridge normally rests.  These are hard to find in salons for some reason, but I highly recommend SunClipse Tanning Goggles.

SunClipse Tanning Goggles

Sunless tanning means to soften the skin so that it’s fresh-looking and wrinkle free, but also to darken the skin’s pigmentation making our skin attractive and soft while protecting us.  Sunless tanning has the added benefit of doing so while protecting our skin from harmful ultraviolet rays and skin cancer. Sunless tanning lotions provide a natural tan look to our skins without some of the unpleasant side effects of tanning from exposure to radiation.

Types of Sunless Tanning Lotions and Sprays

Best Sunless Tanning Spray

The best sunless tanning lotion or sunless tanning spray you can get is the kind that contains the active ingredient called DHA (Dihydroxyacetone).   DHA is a sugar that, while colorless itself, interacts with the upper layer of skins cells. As the product interacts with the dead skin cells, it causes your skin to darken (or tan). This change frequently lasts around five to seven days after applying the lotion or spray. As the tanned skin cells are naturally shed, the color fades just as one would expect from a suntan or tanning bed.

Bronzer for Instant Sunless Tanning

A bronzer creates an instant sunless tan with immediate effects.  A bronzer can come in the form of lotion, cream or powder. These self tan lotions are really just a type of cosmetic, and like a foundation you might apply to your face, the tan provided by this “make-up” lasts only until it’s washed off.  You remove sunless tanning lotion by washing with soap and water.  If it’s stubborn, a solution of lemon juice and salt is a bit stronger, or if nothing else seems to work, St. Tropez tan remover usually does the trick.

Sunless Tanning Lotion Ratings and Reviews

Here are some good examples of bronzer/instant tanning products you might consider:

Coppertone Sunless Tanning Lotion Rating: Review: Coppertone Sunless Tanning Lotion (Gradual Tan Moisturizing) is perfect for anyone who is new to sunless tanning. It is practically foolproof. Users generally report that it doesn’t streaking, leave an orange color, or have an offensive scent. The best part about it is that you build a tan gradually to the shade you want. Be careful though, this doesn’t have any SPF, so if you’re going to go out in the sun, you’ll need other sun protection. If you’ve wanted to try a sunless tanner, I heartily recommend Coppertone Sunless Tanning Lotion.

Coppertone Sunless Tanning Lotion

Sun Self-Tanning Lotion Rating: Review: Sun Self Tanning Lotion is ideal for those with fair to light skin tones that burn before tanning who want to create a natural looking tan. I first got this from a local salon. To apply, I put it on in a fast circular motion while wearing gloves. A few hours later, I got dressed in regular clothes and they didn’t get a single bit of stain on them. About an hour later, two ladies walked up and said how great I looked and asked me where it was I had gone on vacation. When I told them I used a self tanning lotion, they were amazed. I have recommended this lotion to so many people, I should probably get a sales job for these guys. I am absolutely hooked on it. This is so much better than the misting tan booths I was using before.

Sun Self-Tanning Lotion

Read more…

Do you live in New York or New Jersey, but crave a mid-winter tan that tells the world, “I just got back from a luxury vacation in Bermuda”? Or maybe it’s summer in Arizona and half an hour of indoor tanning is far better than broiling yourself at the pool. These, and so many other reasons, might be telling you that an Indoor Tanning is right for you.  To guide you through the process, enjoy these indoor tanning tips:

What is Indoor Tanning?

Sunless (Or Indoor) Tanning refers to a process of darkening the skin through use of a tanning spray system or sunless tanning lotion or by exposure of the skin to ultraviolet (UV) light.  These processes give your skin that golden glow that makes you look so fit, healthy, and attractive. Most commonly, indoor tanning using ultraviolet light is done by using commercial or home tanning bed. While the best spray-on tanning systems are available at commercial tanning salons, there are some really good sprays and tanning lotions that you can buy over the counter.

Most salon professionals agree that a more natural tan results from UV light that comes from either a tanning bed or the sun. As such, the rest of this article will focus on how to get the best results when using a tanning bed.

Home Tanning vs.Tanning Salons

If you have the money (and the room to set it up) a home tanning bed is a viable option for getting your tanning fix. Commercial-quality beds for the home are available from SunQuest, Solar Storm, and ESB. You will likely spend around $2,000 for a tanning bed that has high-powered reflectors and 16 lamps. Home tanning beds usually run on the standard 120V outlets that are already installed all over your house.  But, before you buy, check to make sure that you have the proper electrical work done.  You might need to unplug your washing machine or install another circuit to get a tan at home. The tanning beds at the commercial salon down the street probably have 220v SunQuest or Wolff beds with 24 lamps.

Turbo charge your tan with some quick safety tanning tips:

• Build a base tan by limiting your tanning bed time to 20 or 30 minutes to start off with, and tan no more than 5 times a week;
• Continue this “warm up” schedule for 4 weeks during the base phase; To maintain your tan, 2 or 3 sessions a week will do the trick;
• To be safe, always wear tanning goggles while using the bed and make sure to check with your doctor is there are any conditions that may contraindicate UV exposure for you.  

Tanning bed popularity continues to grow in our busy society, and most people agree than a nice tan appears healthy and sexy. Just make sure to take the same precautions you would for being out in the Sun, being sure to tan and not burn. The good news is that tanning beds are generally accepted as being less risky than sun exposure because you can tan in much less time.

It’s one thing to have a fit body, working out regularly to make your look your best, but it’s just not enough, is it? – you need a tanned body to showcase all of your hard work. The gift wrapping on a body that sends the opposite sex into a crazed frenzy.

If this sounds like you, then welcome you to the wonderful work of tanning beds and indoor tanning. On this site, it is my goal to share with you, everything I can tanning beds, including How to use a tanning bed, the importance of tanning goggles, the best tanning bed lotions, how tanning bed bulbs work and some of my favorite indoor tanning tips.

Tanning Beds for a  Yearlong Tan

Tanning beds are machines that generate the same ultraviolet rays that come from the sun, in order to make your skin darken into an attractive tan. The vertical model of the indoor tanning bed is called a tanning booth, rather than a tanning bed.  In the tanning booth, you stand, which isn’t as relaxing, but you don’t have any physical contact with the acrylic sheet, either, so there aren’t any poorly tanning areas due to pressure points.

Tanning beds are widely regarded as a sure and effective way to get a tan, regardless of the season or weather.  As such, tanning beds have become quite the hit all around the world.  There are some potential harmful effects of tanning beds, just as there is with tanning in the sun, so with some care and caution, tanning in a tanning bed might be right for you.

To get the best experience from your indoor tanning bed, I recommend that you use an appropriate indoor tanning lotion, sometimes called an tanning accelerator, available online or in your local salon.  Make sure not to use tanning lotions designed for outdoor use in the tanning bed for several reasons: they fog the acrylic in the tanning bed, preventing the ultraviolet light from coming through and tanning your skin, and they do not contain the necessary moisturizers to keep your skin supple through the intense treatment from the tanning bed.

The time that you spend inside a tanning bed is dependent upon on your skin type and the stage of your tanning routine.  Also, some beds are stronger than others, and will require less time for the same tanning effect.  For example High Density tanning beds use bulbs with a higher wattage that send out more ultraviolet energy in less time.  Also a bed with more bulbs and well-placed reflectors would take less time than few bulbs and poor reflector placement. 

Indoor tanning beds are now quite common.  You can even buy one of your own, either brand new, or through the classifieds.  However, before you buy a tanning bed, it’s important to know what you are paying for and the ultimate costs of owning a tanning bed of your own. Apart from the initial set-up cost, tanning bed lotions, pillows, and lamps could all end up costing a bit more than you expected.  As a result, it’s a good idea to do a cost-benefit analysis before making such an important decision.

Over the long term, it is simply a matter of balancing the emotional need to look great with the financial need to cut costs. Discover the wonders of the tanning bed and get the bronze body you have always wanted!

If you are reading this, you have probably experienced the joys of the tanning bed and are now looking for tanning bed tips to enhance the pleasure of donning the tanned look.

With several different opinions flying around, we thought it best to house some of the best proven tanning bed tips at a single point to facilitate your endeavor. Before we start, remember that if you have photosensitive skin, light pigmentation or a history of skin problems, then tanning beds are probably not for you. Read more…

Can you find used tanning beds in the classifieds?

Yes and finding used tanning beds in the classifieds may be a great idea. If you are looking for used tanning beds in the classifieds you will pay less than if you want to buy a new bed. Used tanning beds in the classifieds are available immediately, with no waiting for delivery.  Read more…

Is your time valuable? Of course it is! If you thought you could achieve more tan in less time, you’d do it, right? Well, you can get darker in less time by following these tanning bed hints and tips.

First of all, exposure time is key. We’re talking about the maximum exposure time listed on the tanning bed itself, not the time you spend in the tanning bed. Newer models have lower maximum exposure times, allowing you to develop your tan faster than the older models did.  Read more…

With the ongoing work being done by researchers studying the health effects of a myriad of environmental, dietary, and chemical factors on our bodies, we are bombarded with information on a daily basis. The negative effects of sun exposure have been well documented, as have the effects of tanning beds. But for tanning bed enthusiasts, the positive feelings associated with tanning are difficult to ignore.

To weigh your risks when it comes to tanning, it’s important to first understand some tanning bed facts. One of the most important tanning bed facts to understand is that tanning beds do not eradicate the dangers of ultraviolet rays. Most of us know that the sun emits ultraviolet rays – UVA and UVB rays – that have been associated with everything from early aging to significant skin damage such as skin cancer. But what you must also understand is that tanning beds also emit these ultraviolet rays.  Read more…