What You Should Know Before You Get into a Tanning Bed

Tanning indoors can be a great way to develop a nice tan for the summer, or your next vacation. Whether you're a first time tanner, or somebody who just wants some good tips on tanning, here are a few things you need to know before you decide to tan.

Before I get to the tips for tanning, I'll go over the basics. Tanning beds use ultraviolet (UV) light to give your skin that tan color. The more your skin is exposed to these UV rays, the tanner your skin will get. There are 3 different kinds of UV rays; UVA, UVB and UVC. When you lay in the sun, your skin is exposed to all 3 of these rays. In the sun, you don't know how much of the rays you're getting, because the amount varies with atmospheric changes. In a tanning bed, your skin is exposed to UVA rays, and some UVB rays. Tanning beds are designed to block out the UVC rays, which is the most harmful to your skin. Beds have long UV lights installed in them, with a piece of clear acrylic covering the lights. For the lay-down style, the beds will have a set of lights on both the top and bottom. When you tan, you lay on the acrylic while the lights shine through and expose your skin to the UV light. There are several types of tanning beds, including the lay-down style and stand-up style. What type of bed you tan in all depends on the tanning salon you're going to, and your personal preference.

So now you've decided to start tanning. Find a tanning salon in your area that has a good reputation. Look for a clean salon. You should be able to get one free tan to check the place out, or you can tan for a small price, usually $5 - $10 per tan. Once you've chosen a tanning salon you like, decide how often you're going to tan. How often you want to tan will determine how much it's going to cost. In most tanning salons, you can choose to buy a tanning package for unlimited tans. These kinds of packages come in 1 month, 3 month, 6 month and sometimes even 1 year. Meaning, if you purchase a 1 month unlimited tanning package, you will be able to tan whenever you want for that month. How often you tan is all up to you, but there is a limit of 1 tan per 24 hours. The tanning packages will vary from salon to salon, so check with the salon you'll be going to and see what kind of deals they have to offer.

Now you'll need to buy a few accessories. Every time you tan, you'll need to wear protective eyewear to protect your eyes from the UV rays in the beds. This is required. If you don't wear the protective goggles, you can really damage your eyes, even if they are closed. They won't leave lines on your face; the goggles just cover your eyelids and nothing else. Don't worry about raccoon eyes! Most salons will have protective eyewear for you to use when you go there, but sometimes you may have to buy your own. A pair of these small goggles only costs a few dollars. The next accessory you'll want to buy is an indoor tanning lotion. There are certain lotions made for indoor tanning. Make sure you're not using the outdoor tanning oils, because they can harm the acrylic in the tanning beds, and give you an uneven tan. A good tanning lotion will moisturize your skin, while helping your skin achieve a golden brown, healthy looking tan. It's very important to keep your skin moisturized, before and after tanning. Dry skin won't hold a tan as well as moisturized skin will. There are many types of lotions to choose from, and your tanning salon can help you choose the lotion that's right for you and your skin type. Lotions can range from $5 - $50 and up. Brands that I like include Australian Gold, Body Drench and California Tan. If you're lucky, you'll be able to sample a lotion from a packet before you buy an entire bottle of it.

The first time you tan, you'll go into your salon and sign your name onto a piece of paper. This proves that you were at the salon that day, and that you won't be permitted to tan for at least another 24 hours. The salon staff will tell you which bed you'll be tanning in, and they should show you how the bed works if it's your first time there. He or she will ask you how long you want to tan for, no more than 15-20 minutes. Some beds have a maximum tanning time of 15, others are 20. If this is your first time, and you have pale skin, you really should start off slow and build a base for your tan. Tan for about 7-8 minutes for the first 2 days, then increase to 9-10 minutes the next 2 days, and work your way up from there. You absolutely do not want to go in there on your first day and tan for the maximum time. Your skin will burn so bad, and you will be sorry. If your skin does burn, you won't be able to tan until the burn is healed. In my opinion, I think tanning bed burn hurts much worse than sunburn. Take it slow, there is no hurry. If you take your time, you'll develop a healthy looking tan that will last. Once you've tanned one day, you have the choice of coming back the next day, or waiting a day or two. To achieve a nice tan, or keep up with the one you have, I'd recommend tanning no less than 3 times per week.

Each tanning bed is enclosed in its own little room, about as big as a dressing room or powder room. There will be locks on the door, so you'll have privacy. What you wear in the tanning bed is all up to you. Most people tan in their bathing suits, underwear or naked. If you don't want tan lines, then I would suggest tanning nude. Don't worry, nobody is going to see you in there, just you. Once you undress, apply your tanning lotion all over and rub it in well. Before you lay down in the bed to start tanning, make sure the bed is clean. Remember, other people were in that bed before you, and who knows where they have been. Sanitizing your bed before you use it will help reduce the spread of germs and disease. Most salons will have already cleaned the bed for you, but I never trust anybody, so I always clean it again to make sure it's sanitized.

Depending on the salon you go to, the tanning bed will either turn on automatically after 3 minutes, or you will be able to turn it on yourself. The timers are kept at the front desk, and they are out of your control. The staff keeps an eye on your bed timer to make sure you are not tanning for longer than you wanted. Once the bed turns on, lay down in it, either on your back or stomach, and shut the top lid. Remember to wear your protective eyewear! During tanning, you can listen to your iPod or CD player to help the time pass, or you can just lay there and relax. The warmth of the lights helps me relax after a long day at work, and it feels especially good on a cold winter day. After the time is up, the bed will shut off and you can get up and get dressed.

After tanning, take a shower. Read your tanning lotion instructions before you do shower, since a lot of tanning lotions will tell you to wait at least ½ hour before showering. Lotions contain a special ingredient that needs to stay on your skin after tanning, and showering will wash that ingredient away before it starts working. When you do shower, wash your skin well with a good soap or body wash. Exfoliate if you can, since it helps scrub away dead skin cells and makes your skin look healthier and younger. After a shower, apply another moisturizer to your skin to keep it from drying out. Tanning will dry your skin out, so make sure you keep it well moisturized.

Depending on your skin type, you'll start to see your tan develop after about 7-8 tanning sessions. In my opinion, I think that indoor tanning is more effective than tanning in the sun. I always tan easier indoors. I do have a few other tips to remember for tanning. If you're using a lay-down bed, make sure you switch your position once in a while. For example, on your first day, lie on your back; second day, lie on your stomach. Keep switching the position to ensure an even tan over your body. You may want to lift your arms over your head to tan your armpit area, because that's a problem area that often gets tan lines.

Another thing I have noticed with tanning is my hair got lighter. If you don't want to lighten your hair, you may want to wrap your head with a towel to keep your hair protected. Also, when you tan, try not to wear makeup on your face, because it can cause a skin reaction. It can also block the rays from reaching your face, thus not allowing your face to develop a tan.

Tanning isn't recommended for women who are pregnant, or for people who are taking light-sensitive medications. Check with your doctor before you start tanning if you have any questions.

Overall, indoor tanning can be a fun experience for you, especially if you are looking to achieve that nice, golden tan for a vacation or other special occasion. I am looking forward to tanning this year for the upcoming summer!