So You Want To Tan Indoors?
Selecting Your Tanning Salon Is The First Step

by Donald L. Smith

If you are reading this article, chances are you are a tanner who picked up SunWellness at your favorite tanning salon. You chose that salon for a number of reasons--above and beyond price--and you've been spreading the good word about the benefits of tanning to your friends and family, while sporting a fabulous golden tan.

Now that your friends have seen the wonderful results, they are ready to tan indoors. But where do they start? The answer is simple: With you. Refer them to your salon or help them find a facility near them.

Don't make a decision over the phone. You need to personally visit the tanning salons and ask the owners or employees some of the question listed below.

With these factors in mind, let's take a look at the 10 essential questions you should ask in order to decide which tanning salon to frequent.

Question 1: What basic educational certification do you require for your employees?

You should know that there are four training programs available to the indoor tanning industry--and all of them are very good. The National Tanning Training Institute (NTTI); Suntanning Association for Education (SAE); International Smart Tan Network; and, International Suntanning Education Institute (ISEI) all offer programs that provide certification to salon operators.

Therefore, you should make sure that the tanning salon you ultimately select participates in one or more of these programs, and that the certificates earned are prominently posted.

Question 2: What continuing education do you require for your employees?

Attendance at seminars or trade shows, reading one or more of the four trade publications and participation in one of the industry on-line forums are the usual ways for tanning salon personnel to keep up to date with the latest happenings in the indoor tanning industry.

This year, for the first time, the North American Alliance of Tanning Salon Owners (TSO) and the National Tanning Training Institute (NTTI) offered the advanced certification of "Master Tanning Professional" to qualifying individuals. This certificate shows that the individual has made a sincere effort to keep up to date with the latest scientific information available to indoor tanning industry professionals.

Question 3: Does the salon advise you about photosensitive reactions?

Every salon is required by law to have available a list of medications, agents and medical conditions that may cause a photosensitive reaction when the skin is exposed to ultraviolet radiation-whether from the sun or a tanning unit. Make sure your salon discusses the issue of photosensitivity with you and asks if you are taking any medications that are on the list. The list also is provided on page 28 of this issue. If you are taking a medication that is not on the list, you can consult your physician or pharmacist as to whether it may cause a reaction.

Question 4: Do you have liability insurance?

If one or more of the tanning salons you are considering patronizing does not have a liability insurance policy in effect, you should immediately rule them out.

Question 5: Does the salon provide a system for determining your skin type?

It is difficult, if not impossible, to recommend a proper exposure schedule without knowing your skin type (subtype). Here is what the FDA had to say about the important subject of skin typing in its policy letter Aug. 21, 1986:

"Since the UV radiation dose that causes a barely discernible pink coloration (minimal erythemal dose or MED) is not the same for different skin types, the exposure schedule for first-time users will depend on the skin type of the user."

Therefore, you should make sure that the tanning salon you select follows a standardized means of determining your skin type (subtype).

Question 6: Does the salon provide an informed consent form?

TSO believes that the benefits of sensible, moderate and responsible exposure to ultraviolet radiation outweigh the minimal and manageable risks involved. However, you deserve to know about the risks before you start the tanning process. Therefore, a professionally run tanning salon will provide you with a comprehensive informed consent form to read and sign before allowing you to start tanning.

Question 7: Does your salon promote proper skincare?

First of all, the key to a great-looking tan is your skin. Since it is the body's largest organ, it should be cared for and nourished to maintain its protective qualities. Your salon should recommend an overall skincare regime and suggest products for your individual needs and tanning expectations. Remember, by keeping the skin moist and supple, your skin will tan better and look healthy.

Question 8: Does the salon have an exposure schedule program?

A professional tanning salon utilizes your skin type (subtype) information to set up an exposure schedule program that neither will overexpose (defined as a dose of UVR large enough to cause a sunburn), nor underexpose (defined as a dose of UVR too low to allow a tan to be developed in a reasonable period of time) their clients to ultraviolet radiation (UVR).

Therefore, you should make sure that the salon has in place a system of designating exposure times based upon their clients' skin types (subtypes) and the type of tanning unit and lamp being utilized.

Question 9: Does the salon insist that you utilize protective eyewear?

You only get two beautiful eyes so you must take care of them. Local, state and federal regulations require that all clients of indoor tanning salons utilize compliant protective eyewear.

Therefore, you should make sure that the tanning salon makes certain that all clients utilize protective eyewear and absolutely refuse to tan in a salon that doesn't insist on your using them.

Question 10: Is the salon clean and neat?

A professionally operated and maintained indoor tanning salon will be clean and neat! The tanning units will be sanitized between each use and there will be a clean towel placed on or near the tanning unit for your use.

Run, not walk, from a tanning salon that isn't scrupulously clean! Do not patronize a tanning salon that expects you, the client, to clean the tanning unit before you use it! Don't tan in a tanning salon that allows its restrooms to become dirty and unsightly. Don't tan in a tanning salon that has dirty floors and walls. And, don't tan in a tanning salon that obviously has seen better days--a fresh coat of paint is not that expensive.

Finalizing Your Decision

ONLY after answering these 10 questions should you start to examine the prices charged by the salon (or salons) that pass muster. A few cents less in the price of a tanning package is inconsequential to the value you receive from a professionally operated tanning salon. In choosing a tanning salon, as in almost everything else in life, you get what you pay for and what you want is value, not just low prices!

If you need help finding a professional tanning salon, check out the Web site recommended by SunWellness located at www.find-a-tan.com.

Editors Note: While you probably already are tanning indoors and understand how to select an indoor tanning salon, that the benefits of sensible, moderate and responsible exposure to ultraviolet radiation outweigh the minimal and manageable risks involved, and that you should never, ever sunburn, we ask you to spread the good word. Please give a copy of this article to several of your friends who currently don't tan so they can make an intelligent decision regarding the selection of an indoor tanning salon.