When you go to tan at the tanning salon or if your lucky enough to own  your own personal tanning bed, you have to use a  tanning bed lotion that contains moisturizers and nutrients for the skin, and some lotions even offer skin toners or a little something extra of some sort that benefit the skin. If you tan on a regular basis all year long and follow the rules for tanning then your skin will benefit from all the nutrients that is provided by the tanning bed lotions and the after care lotions.  Have you ever noticed that most people who tan seem to have very smooth and soft appearing skin, well now you know the reason behind it.

Not only does their skin appear to be smooth and soft, it also appears flawless. Tanning can help you disguise those extra pounds that you can’t seem to loose or help with those problem areas. Tanned individuals seem to appear thinner. Now you know why all the movie stars or high profiled people always seem to have tan all year long.  Whether it’s spray tan or a tanning bed, the effect is the same. It can help hide those ugly broken veins or varicose veins in the legs or anywhere on the body. Stretch marks are a big problem for those of us who have children, they too can be hidden with a tan.

The tanning bed can provide that all important relaxation time for yourself. If you are a busy person and hardly ever get time alone or “me time” as I call it, this is the perfect opportunity.  You can tan anywhere from 5-20 minutes whatever is recommended by the professional tanning salon for your skin type, that is time alone for you to relax. Listen to your favorite MP3 music list,listen to a book on CD or just simple do nothing.  Every little bit helps.

Tanning can make a difference not only in your appearance but also in the confidence department. When you are tan wearing that swimsuit, sleeveless shirt, shorts or  a dress doesn’t bother you as much or at all. Knowing your skin appears smooth, soft and flawless and without having those blemishes showing you confidence will get a big boost.

A lot people have the misconception that tanning is very damaging to the skin and dangerous, but if you follow the rules and listen to your professional tanning salon personal. The experience and results can leave you looking great and feeling good. That’s a difference we all can use.

These are  the authors opinions only, not medically or professionally given facts. Always check with your physician or professional tanning salon personal before beginning a tanning regiment.

The most important tip for safe tanning is how to protect your skin. Knowing about SPF, which is the Sun Protection Formula, is important because when using sun screen the higher SPF means the more protection you are getting from UV rays. This differs by the product and brands. You can buy sunscreens in lotions, oils and creams. Make your purchase of sunscreen based on your skin type and color, also by what degree of tanning you are wanting.

The next tip for safe tanning you will need to consider is whether or not you want to outdoor, or indoor tan. If you are going to tan outdoors you will find that the sun and cancer are related. You will need to wear suncreen to prevent skin damage and as well as a sunburn. As you will be in a uncontrolled enviroment. If you have sensitive skin that you find the hypoallergenic products. Another consideration is the time of the day, the best tanning time is when the sun reaches its most intense time which is about 12 pm to about 3pm. Also be sure to drink plenty of fluids as it will be hot. Make sure to allow two or three days to pass before tanning again.

Interested in tanning indoors, you will find that the tanning is a little more safe than a natural outdoor tan because the situation is controlled. The best tip for getting a great tan are to use the lamps that have the lowest UVB as they give you a darker and longer lasting indoor tan. But always take the advice of the professional at your local tanning salon, they will place you in a bed according to your skin type and desired results. Try to use  salon grade tanning bed lotions that contains both a DHA (dehydroxyacetone) and a SPF (sun protection formula), most have nutrients that your skin needs to have that beautiful bronzed glow. You never want to stay in the tanning bed for more than fifteen minutes.

Another option to consider for those of you who like being tan but don’t want to go to the tanning salon or lay out in the sun. Would be a bronzing agents that can be used in the privacy of their own homes. These products come in lotions, sprays, pills and gels. Many of these products also come with the vitamins and the moisturizers they need to keep your skin healthy.

These tips should help you achieve that bronze skin, for the summer season so you too will look great in that summer dress or swimsuit.

Employee Certifications:

All tanning establishments must be licensed to run a tanning business. The employee’s must also be trained and be certified to work in the tanning salon. There are currently four training or certifying programs:

The National Tanning Training Institute
International Smart Tan Network
Suntanning Association for Education
International Suntanning Education Institute

Please look for the certificate on the wall or ask an employee if they have trained and certified in tanning.

Continuing Education

With the everyday advancements in technology and equipment, the tanning industry is changing every season. New techniques and equipment requires that employee are trained on a regular basis, to keep up with the trends, as well as the tools associated with tanning industry. Be sure that they keep up with the latest updates on equipment and new tools.

Warning on Photosensitive Reactions

Your salon should be mindful of your health and have, by law, a list of medications, medical conditions and agents that may lead a client into a photosensitive reaction which can occur when you expose your skin to the ultra violet rays of a tanning bed. Your salon must and should discuss these issues with you.

Liability Insurance

Ask your salon if they have liability insurance. If they don’t then you should not make use of their services. Liability insurance protects you against any problems or damage that occurs in their salon, when using a tanning bed or any of their products. You will have no legal recourse otherwise.


Skin Type Determination

There are several levels of skin type, your salon should be able to place you in the correct bracket. This will determine the length of time, frequency and type of bed to use. The skin type levels will provide you with a safe tanning experience. If they are unable to provide you with a level, do not tan there.

Promoting Proper Skin Care

Your skin is the base for a good tan. If your skin is to dry or has to much oil, this is not the idea skin for a beginning to tan. Your salon of choice should offer you information on what skin creams and tanning bed lotions will be best for your skin type and to promote good tanning.

Over Exposure Program

A salon can design a tanning schedule based around your skin type. This ensures you that you will not over tan and will have a safer and more enjoyable experience.

Protective Eye wear

Is the salon you considering have protective eye wear available or demand that you use it? The regulations of tanning salons adhere to a strict policy of having people wear protective eye wear.

Cleanliness

There are a great number of people coming and going and laying in the same tanning beds. Observe the business cleanliness and take note of everything you see. Is there trash or dirt on the floor? Do they clean the beds after every use? Remember some people do tan in the nude, so cleanliness is very, very important.

Please remember these 10 things when looking for your tanning salon and you a sure to pick a well trained and clean salon. Happy Tanning.

Recently, the benefits that indoor tanning provides versus that of outdoor tanning have been widely debated and discussed, mainly in the health and cosmetic field. It’s up to you to decide which one you prefer. Base your decision upon convenience and health reasons.

If you decide to tan indoors at a tanning salon, your skin is able to tan the same way it does in the sun. Basically, your skin absorbs the UV lights from the tanning bed lights, and not the sun. Indoor tanning is beneficial as you are able to control the amount of UV rays that your body is exposed to while tanning. The salon also offer products that have a sunscreen that will protect you from burning, but still allow you to obtain a tan.

One of the biggest dangers of tanning outdoors is that sometimes you can over expose your skin to ultraviolet light. This can cause sunburn which can lead to types of skin cancer. If you decide to tan outdoors, it is very important to use sunscreen before lying in the sun. You have no control on the amount of UV rays your body is getting.

When compared to indoor tanning, outdoor tanning is not as reliable. More than likely you will end up with a sunburn. Which will give you color, the color of red, that will eventually turn to brown or worse yet peeling, dry skin. Unfortunately, this does nothing but make the aging process approach quicker.

When visiting an indoor tanning salon, the staff at the salon are able to determine how much exposure your skin can tolerate, by placing you in skin type category. The staff should also help you select the proper tanning bed lotions to protect your skin. This will help to protect you against skin damage that is very common among people who decide to tan outdoors.

Indoor tanning salons offer equipment that uses UVA rays and UVC rays, both are emitted from the sun but differ slightly. You will be exposed to these for a controlled amount of time, which decrease the chance of burning dramatically, verses laying in the natural sun light, where you have no control.

Tanning indoors, you are able to control allot of the elements that you are unable to outside. With outdoor tanning, you have to be aware of the weather, the UV index, as well as the temperature outside.