So You Want A Golden Tan?
Take A Sensible, Moderate And Responsible Approach

By Jerry Deveney and Judie Bizzozero

Tanning is as popular today as it was yearly 30 years ago when certain people in the medical industry labeled it as a fad. As we gear up for another year, the practice of indoor tanning continues to grow has more consumers are realizing the benefits of maintaining a tan.

In order to do this we must thoroughly understand the tanning process and how we achieve that healthy looking glow.

With many of us working more than 40 hours per week, it leaves very little time for recreation and relaxation. We all know the disappointment of planning a weekend at the beach or even just a two-hour getaway, and canceling it because of time constraints or unexpected problems.

These everyday problems all add to the growing demand for the services offered at your local indoor tanning salon. Millions of people have found the secret to mind and body survival in the form of a relaxing 10- to 20-minute vacation found in the sanctuary of an indoor tanning salon. Relaxing in a tanning unit provides an escape from life's demands.

Not only does the time in a tanning bed allow us to rejuvenate ourselves, it also enhances our appearance by providing us with a golden tan. However, this is not the only reason people prefer to tan indoors. Many people choose indoor tanning to help them achieve a base tan before going on vacation. This is a wise idea as many of us tend to overdo it the first day of vacation and then pay for it with a nasty sunburn that keeps us down for a few days. Other people choose to tan before a big event, such as a wedding, prom or party.

Tanning is a vanity-driven amenity. Having a tan makes us look good, feel good and, believe it or not, look thinner. But whatever your reasons for tanning, please do it responsibly and understand the tanning process.

How The Body Tans

Your body's ability to achieve a tan is determined by its ability to produce melanin. The tanning process begins when melanocyte cells in the skin are stimulated by light rays that contain a combination of both UVA and UVB rays.

Exposure to UVB causes the melanocytes to produce melanin granules that are pinkish in color and travel upward toward the skin's horny layer or corneum. As the granules migrate upward they are oxidized or darkened through exposure to UVA.

To maximize tanning potential, the tanning system should have a balanced ratio of UVA to UVB. A tanning unit that relies on nearly all UVA to tan may be effective in oxidizing existing melanin but not in producing new melanin. Thus, a tanning unit with higher levels of UVB may be effective in stimulating melanin production but it may do little to oxidize or brown the melanin.

There are two phases to tanning--Immediate Pigment Darkening (IPD) and Actual or Delayed Tanning.

The first phase is most noticeable in individuals who have a higher degree of melanin already present in their skin--primarily Skin Type III and above. It is important to note that IPD may fade quickly after the first brief tanning session, and not all skin types will experience IPD.

Please don't confuse IPD with Heat Flux because it is not tanning. The immediate color change you may experience after a tanning session simply may be due to heat flux which is caused by blood rushing to the surface of the skin in an effort to cool it. Another example of this is how the skin changes color when using a hot tub or sauna.

A simple test to determine whether you have experienced actual tanning or heat flux is to take a cool shower after tanning. If your skin color changes and the redness disappears within 24 hours, chances are you may have simply experienced heat flux.

The hotter the tanning system the greater the chance of developing heat flux. It also should be noted that exposing the body to excessive levels of heat may have an increased drying effect on the skin and dehydrate the body.

Delayed or Actual Tanning is the process of producing melanin and its migration toward the surface of the skin. This process needs three to eight days to develop and; therefore, may take several days and several tanning sessions for noticeable results to occur.

As your tanning sessions continue in accordance with the exposure schedule for your skin type, a cycle of IPD and Delayed Tanning begins. The oxidation of newly formed melanin granules migrating toward the skin's surface combined with the oxidation of existing melanin may allow you to maintain your tan with just one or two sessions per week. Please consult your tanning salon operator who can formulate a gradual course of exposure to help you best achieve your tanning goals. And, if you are Skin Type I or cannot tan outdoors, please don't tan indoors.

Exposure Schedules

While the first visible signs of tanning occur through the oxidation of existing melanin, the biosynthesis of melanin begins in the layers beneath the surface of the skin.

Some people may be tempted to exceed the recommended session lengths listed on the unit's exposure schedule because they believe that tanning for 30 minutes on a 20-minute tanning bed will give them a better tan. This is incorrect, and exceeding the exposure schedule may prevent you from obtaining maximum tanning results and may cause an existing tan to fade.

Tanning for longer than those listed on the exposure schedule may result in damage to the melanin. Once damaged, the melanin may not complete the tanning process. Instead of oxidized or darkened melanin rising toward the surface of the skin, you may experience dry skin, blistering and peeling.

All indoor tanning equipment must comply with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's federal regulations, which outline strict guidelines regarding UV output, exposure intervals and maximum allowable exposures.

All tanning equipment manufactured after September 1986 must exhibit an exposure schedule, featured in a conspicuous location, that clearly displays the length and frequency of the recommended tanning sessions allowed for individual skin types on that specific tanning device. Look for these to be posted on the tanning equipment in your tanning room.

The maximum exposure time allowed for most tanning systems is dictated by the precise amount of time required by the tanning system to achieve a level of output equal to 4 MEDs.

An MED, or Minimal Erythemal Dose, is a term used to express the threshold to which an individual can receive exposure to ultraviolet light without experiencing the signs of sunburn or erythema, which is defined as the reddening of the skin.

Your first tanning session may be as brief as two to three minutes, but don't get discouraged. During this time your skin receives .75 of an MED. The maximum exposure for all tanning systems that comply with federal 21 CFR 1040 is 4 MEDs or four times the Minimal Erythmal Dose.

While the maximum level of 4 MEDs is constant, the time period in which it is administered varies with the specific design and UVA/UVB output of the tanning unit. If you think this sounds confusing, it can be, so ask your tanning salon professional any questions you might have.

Indoor & Outdoor Tanning

The ultraviolet output of a typical, low-pressure tanning unit is similar to the ultraviolet output of the sun--they both emit a combination of UVA and UVB light. However, a main difference is that an indoor tanning system offers a controlled environment for tanning and this helps achieve a gradual tan without a sunburn.

The rays of the sun in terms of MED output cannot be controlled and may vary greatly depending upon the time of the day, cloud cover and geographic location.

Several years ago the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National Weather Service began an experimental program that offered a UV Index, which is a daily forecast of the amount of ultraviolet radiation that will reach the earth's surface during the peak hour of sunlight around noon.

The UV Index uses a scale of 0-15, with 15 being the highest, to inform the public as to how many MEDs of ultraviolet radiation they will be exposed to for each hour spent in the sun.

For example, a day rated as a 4 on the UV Index would indicate exposure to 4 MEDs of ultraviolet radiation by spending one hour in the noon sun. As the day progressed this number may change depending upon on a number of factors, including cloud cover. The UV Index then translates the MED ratings into the number of minutes required for a person with "unprotected" Skin Type II to notice the signs of sunburn. They use one MED as the amount of exposure required to notice the first signs of sunburn. Therefore, by dividing the number of minutes in 1 hour by the number of MEDs projected for one hour at noon on that day, you would produce the number of minutes a person with unprotected Skin Type II could spend outdoors without burning.

The EPA and the National Weather Service admit that this is not an exact science; however, the information offers guidelines for limiting exposure and encouraging the use of high-level sunscreens.