|
Using residential or commercial tanning beds can be a great advantage for tanners who want to develop or maintain their tans without the uncontrolled exposure to ultraviolet radiation from tanning outdoors. Tanning has become a largely popular activity nowadays and many people can get their tan by using tanning equipment that range from the simplest lotions to sophisticated spray tanning booths. Most people will opt to go to tanning salons to get their regular tanning sessions; however, some people will choose to buy their own tanning beds. Home tanning beds or residential tanning beds are growing more and more popular due to the reason that if you continue to go to a tanning salon for your regular tanning sessions, the cost of these visits when accumulated over a period of months or years will reach a rather staggering amount. Residential tanning beds run on either 120V or 220V power supplies and can come in three basic designs. The most common design of residential tanning beds is the horizontal tanning bed. This design is also called a capsule or clamshell design and consists of a lid or top lined with ultraviolet lamps, and a glass or plastic area that is shaped to suit the body of the user. This design requires the user to lie down on the plastic area for the user, shut the lid and wait for the UV light to take effect. The other design for residential tanning beds is the vertical tanning bed, commonly known as a stand up tanning booth. The inner walls are lined with UV lamps, allowing you to tan from all sides at once. All the user needs to do is stand inside the booth, close the door and wait. The vertical tanning bed usually takes less time to tan as compared to the clamshell design tanning bed since users tan from all sides at once. Another design of residential tanning bed exists, one that is considered portable. This portable tanning bed has a canopy lined with UV lamps hydraulically mounted on a structure with wheels. All that the tanner has to do is to position the canopy over his chosen chair and allow the UV lamps to do the work. Canopies are not as costly as the other two designs, however, they are not as effective.
A word of caution to would be owners of home tanning beds: The World Health Organization, backed by the National Institutes of Health, has issued a statement saying, "that people under the age of eighteen should not use indoor tanning beds, the statement further goes on to say that the popularity of tanning bed usage among young people increase the risk of developing skin cancer." Use tanning beds in moderation. A certain level of self control should be practiced when using an indoor tanning bed. The common rule of thumb is to take time off your tanning schedule when you see that your tan already looks good. Purchasing your own tanning bed for residential use is a major investment. When buying one, make sure you purchase one of very high quality and choose one from manufacturers that back their products with warranties. People who prefer to tan in tanning salons will usually use commercial tanning beds during their sessions. Commercial tanning beds have two basic designs. The most common design is the horizontal tanning bed, also known as capsule design or the clamshell. The other kind is the vertical tanning bed, also known as the stand up or vertical tanning bed. These tanning beds are usually equipped with high pressure tanning lamps for the facial area. These lamps are made of quartz and can filter out more of the harmful and unwanted type of UV radiation – the UVB rays. These high pressure tanning beds are constructed with no doors and are designed for individuals with darker skin tones. Some of the newly manufactured and more advanced designs of commercial tanning beds have built in cooling systems to help keep the users comfortable while tanning. The FDA has regulations governing the use of commercial tanning beds. The FDA requires for all commercially used tanning beds to have a built in timer to automatically turn off or power down the lamps at a set time. No matter what type of tanning bed you choose to use, or where you decide to get your tan, safety should always be your primary concern. Read the instructions carefully and follow all safety precautions when using tanning beds to avoid any untoward incidents.
|