Questions & Answers
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET TAN?
You will see results with your very first session. It takes 4 to 5 sessions using a UV-B bed to build up a base tan. We recommend the use of a quality lotion to increase yours tanning potential and keep your skin feeling healthy and soft. Sessions should be used within a 10-day time period for optimum results.
WHY DO I NEED TO WEAR EYE PROTECTION? Eye protection is required by law. The eyelid does not effectively block UV light while tanning. Therefore the use of approved eye protection is required in Sunplicity Tans to insure that our customers do not suffer ill effects such as cataracts or night blindness.
WHAT IS PHOTOSENSITIZING MEDICATION?
A photosensitizing medication is a medication that when taken could cause your skin to become highly sensitive to UV light. Therefore if you are taking any prescription medication, please ask your doctor if it is safe for you to continue tanning.
WHY USE LOTION?
The lotions sold at Sunplicity Tans are the finest products available. The lotions are designed to deliver vitamins and minerals with maximum hydration. Your skin will react by becoming healthier. Healthy skin will tan more efficiently and hold its tan longer.
Today’s lotion technology has improved dramatically…to the point that they now have a truly AMAZING effect on how quickly you can achieve a luxurious tan!
About Indoor Tanning
Sunlight is vital to life. Tanning beds produce Ultraviolet Light similar to what the sun produces but is “adjusted” to facilitate the tanning process. Used properly indoor tanning equipment can produce a completely natural tan that will provide a certain amount of protection from burning in the sun WITHOUT the need to get burned!
-(SunLess tanning does NOT provide protection from burning in the sun). Starting off with shorter sessions and increasing the exposure time gradually you can achieve a rich, luxurious tan in a surprisingly fast time and avoid burning as well!
How Your Skin Tans
As a tanner, you have probably always been curious about exactly how your skin tans. The process is really quite simple, and works the same whether you tan indoors or outdoors.
Ultraviolet light is the catalyst, and a pigment in your skin called melanin does the rest.
Here is a layman’s description of the entire process: Tanning takes place in the skin’s outermost layer, the epidermis. About five percent of the cells in your epidermis are special cells called melanocytes. When exposed to ultraviolet B light (short wave ultraviolet), melanocytes produce melanin - the pigment which is ultimately responsible for your tan. The pinkish melanin travels up through the epidermis and is absorbed by other skin cells. When exposed to ultraviolet A light (longer wave), the melanin oxidizes or darkens. This darkening is your skin’s way of protecting itself against too much UV light.
Everyone has the same number of melanocytes in their body - about 5 million. But your heredity dictates how much melanin your body’s melanocytes naturally will produce. For example, the skin of African-Americans contains enough melanin to create a black or brown skin color, while the skin of Caucasians has less melanin and is pale.
In order to most effectively avoid overexposure, a tan should be acquired gradually, according to the guidelines prescribed by your salon professional. A sunburn, or erytherma, occurs when too much ultraviolet light reaches the skin and disrupts the tiny blood vessels near the skin’s surface.
Why does a tan fade?
Cells in the epidermis’ germinative layer (also called the living epidermis) are constantly reproducing and pushing older cells upward toward the horny layer (dead epidermis), where they are sloughed off in about one month. As your skin replaces its cells, the cells laden with melanin are removed. So, the tanning process must continue with the new cells.
Understanding Ultraviolet Light
Ultraviolet light, whether produced by the sun or an indoor tanning unit, consists of two main components, UVA and UVB, both of which contribute differently to your tan. Indoor tanning equipment utilizes a carefully formulated and controlled mixture of the two light waves, designed to tan you with a minimized risk of sunburn. Tanning outdoors does not give you this control, because the sun emits the entire spectrum of ultraviolet light, including the most intense rays that burn you more quickly.
That’s why we call indoor tanning “Smart Tanning.”
Epidermis
Your skin’s epidermis consists of to layers: the germinative layer (sometimes called the “living” epidermis) and the horny layer (the “dead” epidermis).
When exposed to ultraviolet light, melanocytes in the germinative layer produce melanin, which is absorbed by the surrounding cells. This creates a protective barrier from ultraviolet light reaching deeper, more sensitive layers of the skin. This whole tanning process is the body’s own natural defense against sunburn and skin damage.
If I’m really in a hurry can I tan more than once on the same day?
- To get an “instant” tan please consider using our Miracle Mist SunLess spray booth. The color is very natural looking and it only takes 8 seconds. If you prefer traditional tanning please remember that tanning is a process that can take up to 24 hours for the effects to develop. For this reason the Federal Government prohibits tanning more frequently than once per 24 hours. There are no such limitations associated with spray booth tans AND spray booth tanning IS allowed on the same day as a traditional tanning session.
Can I tan if I’m pregnant?
The concern about tanning and pregnancy is that tanning may tend to increase body temperature which may be harmful to the unborn baby. For this reason we recommend against tanning while you are pregnant.
Q. Why should I use an “Upgrade” machine?
A. Upgrade machines have more Tanning Power to get you tan FASTER! They usually have a shorter session to help you get on with the rest of your life more quickly and often more comfortable to use.
Q. How long will it take me to get tan?
A. This depends on several factors but, generally it will take 3-5 sessions to get a base tan. If you need an instant tan please consider using our sunless airbrush tan.