A tanning bed or solarium is a custom-built bed (often called a “sun bed”) which uses a bank of special flurorescent lamps to generate UV (ultraviolet) radiation used to produce a cosmetic tan. Most commonly found in tanning salons, solariums use a range of lamps that produce a type of light as close as possible to the light emitted by the natural sun.
A typical solarium tanning bed (also known as a sun bed)
How do solariums/tanning beds work?
The special UV lamps are built into the tanning bed behind a glass-like surface called plexiglas. The lights are situated both above and below the person due to the “oyster-shell” type design of the bed (see photo on right). The lights shine ultraviolet rays onto the user’s skin, emulating the effect of the sun: causing the user’s skin to release melanin and create the tan – the darker, brown tinted shade of colour on one’s skin.
Benefits of tanning beds/solariums
Benefits: choice/control
First up, a solarium is available all the time and not only when it’s a sunny day, suitable for responsible sun-tanning. So it is clear to see that one has a greater degree of choice when it comes to tanning indoors with a solarium.
Now onto control: a solarium or tanning bed approach to tanning allows a degree of control over how much UV exposure one gets. Whilst it can be argued this benefit is controversial, one can clearly appreciate that a tanning bed provides an environment which allows one to have complete control over the degree, duration and frequency of UV exposure. In contrast to this, when dealing with outdoor natural sun, the degree of UV can change drastically and one can easily end up with more exposure than intended. Of course this does not necessarily mean that using a tanning bed or solarium will be safer, but it does reduce the occurence of sunburn as it allows total control over the amount of UV exposure received.
A person lying inside a solarium or tanning bed
Benefits: convenience
Session times in a solarium or tanning bed are from just a few minutes up to a maximum of around 20 minutes. Generally speaking, a person can visit a tanning salon once or twice a week and be able to maintain their tan. For those people living in cities and working long hours indoors it can be seen that a tanning bed could be the only effective means of tanning or UV exposure at all.
Also, related to this, is the increased production of vitamin D caused by the body’s exposure to UV. Of course this also occurs outdoors via the sun’s UV rays but as mentioned above, many people may not have the opportunity to get out in the sun due to their lifestyle and work commitments. Vitamin D is well known for its benefits and it is interesting to note that most modern solariums/tanning beds have a lamp spectrum of UVB/UVA rays very similar to the sun and hence produce similar amounts of vitamin D.
Risks with solarium tanning
It has been proven that UV radiation can raise the risks of skin cancer. What is not clear is whether the UV radiation emitted from solariums/tanning beds is any more dangerous than that caused by the sun. Whilst there are cases of skin cancer apparently linked to solarium tanning, there are also thousands of skin cancer cases every year of which have no connection to solarium or sunbed tanning.
What is known and is clear is that over-exposure to UV is what causes skin cancer and other adverse health effects. And therefore both frequent exposure to the harsh outdoor sun without protection as well as frequent exposure in a solarium will increase the risk of skin cancer.
The two main type of spray tans: Airbrush spray tan & Automated booth spray tan
The two main type of spray tans: Airbrush spray tan & Automated booth spray tan
What is a spray tan (or spray on tan)?
A spray tan or spray on tan is basically a cosmetic fake tan or “sunless tan” which is obtained via a sprayed on tanning mist containing the active ingredient DHA. There are two main categories of spray tans:
- Airbrush Spray Tan - the tanning mist is sprayed on via a hand-held sprayer
- Automated Spray Tanning Booth – the tanning mist is sprayed on automatically inside a private booth
Popularity of spray tanning
Spray tans are becoming increasingly popular due to the following factors:
- When applied professionally, they look very similar to a real tan. The colouring is golden brown as opposed to the typical orange colouring associated with earlier sunless tanning methods
- Regarded as safer than outdoor natural sun UV tanning and indoor tanning bed or solarium tanning
- Relatively inexpensive
How long does a spray tan last?
As mentioned before the tan effect is caused by the DHA’s reaction with your dead skin cells. Doe to the fact that these dead skin cells are being continually shed, the color change caused by DHA typically will last for from between five to seven days.
Photo showing before and after a spray tan
How does spray tanning work?
In a nutshell:
The active ingredient DHA reacts with your skin to produce the tanned look.
More detailed and scientific:
The top layer of your skin is constantly shedding off dead skin cells as newer skin cells emerge from the layer beneath. It is the amino acid proteins within your dead skin cells that react with the DHA (dihydroxyacetone). Effectively, the DHA reacts with the proteins in the dead skin cells and causes the cosmetic tan effect – a kind of organic chemical reaction which results in a change in the skin’s colouring – the skin takes on a light brown to golden brown colouring which looks very similar to a natural tan.
How safe is spray tanning?
The active ingredient in spray tan formulations, DHA, is considered natural and non-toxic as well as non-carcinogenic (non cancer forming). DHA-based sunless tanning products are recommended by professionals such as dermatologists, skin cancer awareness organisations and medical associations.
Additionally, it is important to note that it is only the dead skin cells of one’s body which is affected by the DHA to produce the tanned look, it is believed that DHA-based spray tanning mists are a safe method of obtaining a “tan”. DHA only works at the surface and then leaves your body as the tan wears off. It is not absorbed into the body and is not toxic.
More about DHA
First discovered for its skin colouring properties in Germany in the 1920′s, DHA is also used in food preparation and wine making.
Scientifically, DHA is regarded as a “ketose sugar” – interesting it is usually made from plant sources such as sugar cane or sugar beetroot – and ketose sugars have a unique chemical property which enables them to perform the “maillard reaction” – basically a scientific term for the “browning effect”.
DHA is approved for cosmetic use by the Australian TGA, American FDA and EU equivalents and has been used in cosmetic preparations for more than 30 years.
Click the below links for information about the two main types of spray tanning:
We’ve complied a guide to some of the most popular tannings salons in Australia offering solariums and spray tans.
Please choose your capital city below:
- Tanning salons in Adelaide
- Tanning salons in Brisbane
- Tanning salons in Melbourne
- Tanning salons in Perth
- Tanning salons in Sydney
Would you like to see your tanning salon listed here? There is no charge for listing.
Email us for more info at tanningsalonsguide@gmail.com
