Familiarize yourself with the tanning bed before use.
When it's not possible to go to the beach and get the golden tan you desperately want, a tanning bed is the next best thing to the sun's rays. However, tanning beds are not risk free, especially if the person tanning exceeds the recommended amount of time. Most tanning beds produce less ultraviolet UVB rays than direct sunlight does but since the rays are highly concentrated, the risk of sunburn increases within a shorter period. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that all tanning beds post a visible label, stating the bed's recommended exposure times.
Instructions
1. Look for the Recommended Exposure Schedule on the front of the tanning bed. This decal should be readily visible and should list the maximum amount of exposure for that specific bed, depending upon the strength of the lamps inside. It should also list a certification number. All commercial tanning beds are inspected individually and certified.
2. Start with a very short time and increase your tanning exposure as your skin becomes accustomed to the tanning bed. As your skin adapts to the tanning rays, melanin production in your body increases and with repeated exposure, it becomes darker and in doing so, it increases your skin cell's resistance to burning. A tan is your body's way of protecting you from the sun.
3. Begin a tanning regime by using the tanning bed for approximately 5 minutes, three times a week, if your skin is fair. If you already have a partial tan, you may increase the time by a couple of minutes. Adjust this starting time if the bed is high-powered. Most home tanning beds are safer and you may tan longer without risking skin damage.
4. Increase your tanning time, gradually, up to the maximum listed on the Recommended Exposure Schedule decal if you experience no burning or irritation over a period of two or three weeks. Your skin tone will be changing and you may spend more time in the bed. If you experience any pain or redness, reduce the exposure time and wait a couple more weeks before increasing it again.
5. Wear a tanning sticker in a discrete area on your body to determine the level of your tan. Find these stickers in the tanning room or ask the attendant for one. Place a new one in the same spot every time you tan and keep track of your progress.
6. Reduce your tanning sessions when you reach the level of tan you like. At this point, you can maintain your tan by visiting the tanning booth once a week but you needn't reduce the minutes you spend in the tanning bed.
Tags: tanning beds, your skin, your body, your tanning, Exposure Schedule, Recommended Exposure
