UV Tanning
Q. How long does it take to start seeing color?
A. Everyone's skin tans at different rates.
People who tan easily will begin to see color in a few sessions, but a very fair-skinned person could take a number of visits to see results.
Our professional staff will help you with the exposure schedule that is best for your skin type and desired results.
Q. Why are protective eyewear and lotion necessary?
Your eyes are too important to put at risk. You must wear approved eyewear EVERY time that you tan because your eyelids are too thin to protect your eyes. The UV light will reach your eyes and can cause immediate and/or long term eye damage or vision loss. Covering your face with a towel does not offer sufficient protection either, as UV light will pass through the fabric to reach your eyes.
Lotion is important to the health of your skin. Dry skin reflects the UV rays, moisturized skin will absorb them. Our quality indoor tanning lotions contain tanning accelerators to give you quicker, darker, more long lasting results. Our lotions also contain antioxidants and moisturizers to keep your skin hydrated, soft and smooth. And yes guys ... you need to wear your lotion too. Our huge selection of lotions ensures we have a product and price level that is just right for you. Outdoor lotions are prohibited as well as drug store or department store varieties as they are capable of diminishing the rate at which you tan and will damage the acrylic surface of our tanning beds.
Q. Why does a tan disappear?
A. The tan or pigmentation process occurs in the epidermis, the top layer of your skin. The epidermis replaces all its skin cells every 28-30 days. Cells in the inner portion of this top skin layer divide themselves, migrate to the surface and flake off. Skin cells contain melanin which oxidizes when exposed to UV light resulting in the tanned color. New cells being made must receive exposure to UV light to keep the same level of tanned color as the cells being lost through natural exfoliation.
Q. If I cannot tan outside because I burn, can I get a tan indoors?
A.If it takes a while for you to tan outside, it may be easier for you to get the color you want by tanning indoors. We do a skin type evaluation on your first visit to determine an appropriate exposure time for your skin type and then increase it very gradually. However, if you are a Skin Type 1 - someone who absolutely cannot get a tan from the sun - we will not allow you to tan indoors. If you can't get color from the sun, you won't get color in a UV tanning bed. We will recommend you achieve your color from our UV-free Mystic HD sunless spray tan booth.
Q. How often should I tan?
A. In order to build a tan, it is important to tan regularly. Do not let too much time go by between visits, or your tan results will begin to fade. You can tan once every 24 hours, but we usually recommend that you tan every other day for best results. This will allow your tan to fully develop in between visits. Once you have the desired color, you can maintain it by visiting us two or three times a week.
Q. What should I wear when I tan?
A. Tanning attire is entirely up to the client, but long pants and sweaters aren't recommended. Some people wear a swimsuit or underwear, and others choose a more "natural" approach. It is important to remember that some parts of your body have not had as much - if any - sun exposure and they will be extra sensitive. The result will be an all-over tan with no tan lines.
Q. When should I shower or bath when tanning?
A. We recommend that you wait at least 2 hours after tanning before you shower or bath to allow the process stimulated by the UV exposure to continue working and allow your tanning lotion to provide the nutrition and hydration that your skin needs to tan most efficiently.
Q. I'm pregnant. Is it permitted for me to tan?
A. This is a very individual matter and is not a question we can answer. Many women tan indoors throughout their pregnancy as long as they can comfortably get in and out of the tanning bed. The best suggestion we can offer is to discuss the subject with your doctor prior to tanning while you are pregnant. If your doctor advises you not to UV tan, we recommend you take advantage of our UV-free Mystic HD sunless spray tan booth.