How tanning beds work
Tanning beds were first introduced in America in 1978 and quickly became very popular until they reached a peak in the mid 1980’s. Now they are again regaining their popularity due to all of the advanced technology involved in tanning beds and booths. People are no longer as quick to judge tanning beds as unsafe; as many companies have put a lot of technological research into making sure you get the lowest level of UV rays possible so that you are not in danger of skin cancer that normal sun usage can cause. With this new information, people now know how to make tanning beds so they work well for your skin without abusing it later on in life.
All tanning beds have lamps that provide UV or Ultraviolet radiation. They have both UVB and UVA rays but it is the UVB rays that produce the melanin that brings the dark color to your skin. The UV light is almost exactly like the sun rays but you won’t get nearly as much of it in the short amount of time you spend laying in the bed. If overexposed to UVB rays you can sunburn but if you follow the directions of the tanning salons and spend only the maximum amount of time in the bed, the UVB rays will not harm your skin. The UVA rays oxidize the melanin and help to produce the golden color that your skin changes to. It is the UVA rays that make up the lamps in the tanning bed.
A conventional bed is easiest in which to start with. This helps you to develop your base tan by tanning 3 to 5 times a week at 20 to 30 minutes for about a month. Then you can tan only about 3 times a week to maintain your tan. After which you may continue on as long as you want perfecting your tan even during the winter months.
