How to Safely Use Tanning Booths

You must operate a tanning booth safely so you can extend the life of the equipment, along with your tan. Tanning booths require regular maintenance. Professional tanning salons maintain the beds and booths for you, but it is up to you to use it wisely and report any problems you notice. If you buy a tanning booth, you need to take care of the booth yourself. In any case, each user must care for the equipment and follow safety guidelines when using it.

Things You'll Need

• Goggles
• Professional tanning lotion

Instructions

1. Always wear goggles when using a tanning booth. If the tanning salon doesn't provide you with a set of goggles for your session, you must purchase them. Some tanning salons do not let you tan without them. If you tan at home, always wear them for each session since the ultraviolet rays can cause blindness or cataracts.

2. Wear appropriate attire in the tanning booth. If you wear a bikini, remove all loose buttons and other attached accessories to prevent scratches on the acrylic booth. Deep scratches could pinch your skin, and smaller scratches can irritate your skin.

3. Do not touch the bulbs in the tanning booth. Unlike tanning beds, tanning booths do not offer a shield or protective barrier between you and the bulbs. The bulbs get hot and could burn your skin, so always stand in a tanning booth the way your salon representative instructs or the product manual recommends, if you tan at home.

4. Make sure all the tanning bulbs are working. Flickering or nonworking bulbs may need replacement, or there could be an electrical problem. If you use the booth in this condition, you may end up with an uneven tan and damage the equipment. Inform the salon representative if you tan in a salon, or refer to the product manual if tanning at home.

5. Replace bulbs with the maximum wattage recommendations. You risk fire and damage to your bed if you use a different bulb wattage than recommended by the manufacturer. You may also have an uneven tan or suffer severe burns. If a bulb in the booth seems more vivid or hotter than the other bulbs, inform the salon representative so they can check the bulbs.

6. Turn the tanning booth off if you want to end your session early. Professional tanning salons preset the time allowed for your session, so turn off the booth if you step out. Do not let the booth continue to run until the preset time runs out to extend the life and output of the tanning bulbs.

7. Use professional-quality tanning lotion (see Resources). Tanning lotions bought in the drugstore contain ingredients that harm the acrylic on the tanning equipment, even though the label says it is for indoor use. To keep prices down at your tanning salon, always purchase tanning lotion from a salon representative so your skin stays healthy and your lotion doesn't harm the bed. Do not buy them from third-party sellers online. They may not be authentic.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep your warranty and instruction manual in a safe place. Include all correspondence notes and receipt from your tanning booth in one location. Consider tanning naked instead of wearing a bikini. This way you can avoid tan lines, and you won't accidentally scratch the tanning booth with the bikini hardware such as claps or buckles. Check for the sanitation sign on each bed before use. This confirms that the bed is sanitary and is cleaned after each use. Even professional-quality products build up on the bed, potentially harming the acrylic material on the tanning bed.

• You may get skin cancer from using a tanning booth. Tanning booths are not safe for your skin, even though they are safer than ultraviolet rays coming from the sun.

Resources

• Tanning Bed Store
• Swedish Beauty: Professional tanning lotion