Tanning beds became a huge fad in the mid-1980's, right after Fredrich Wolff introduced the concept in 1978. Nowadays, indoor tanning is not as popular as a few years back, given that the risk of melanoma, a type of skin cancer, has spooked nearly all fervent tanning advocates.
Tanning still remains popular for:
- Teens and young adults want to attract the opposite sex
- Getting ready for summar vacation
- Bodybuilders tanning for competition
- Heliotherapy for seasonal depression (or SAD)
Whatever your reason, you want to get yourself an indoor tan. You need to learn
how to use a tanning bed. Understand that there are basically two styles of full body tanners to choose from, tanning beds and booths. Your option of booth or bed might be determined by the units on hand at tanning salons close to you. Check with the clerks of your selected tanning saloon which of their packages will work best for your tanning goal.
Also, have the salon owner choose an appropriate tanning lotion for you. There are as many varieties of tanning lotions as there are skin colors and tanning goals.
Once you've paid for your tanning package, the attendant allocates a tanning bed and a room.
Once you're in your room, secure and lock the door, and get out of those clothes and into the bed. You can keep the bare essentials on if you're concerned about privacy or toasting your privates. But, if youre hoping to darken evenly, you may want to tan in the nude to avoid any tan lines.
How to use a tanning bed:
Apply tanning lotion all over your body, but not your face, since the lotion is not hypoallergenic, it can trigger breakouts, especially with the added heat/sweat. Open the door of the tanning booth or lift the lid on the tanning bed, as appropriate.
Now, if you're using a tanning bed, you might want to position a pillow or towel under your head to make things more comfortable. You might also want to turn on your iPod and the fan. Things will get pretty warm when this things heat up.
If your hair is long, you'll want to fasten your hair up on top of your head with a scrunchy or clip. This will make sure that your lush mane doesn't get in the way of the tanning bed and make sure you don't end up with unusual tan lines on your face.
Next, it is critical that you wear the goggles provided by the tanning saloon during the entire time that the tanning bed/tanning booth is in operation. The ultraviolet light from these is so powerful that it can cause cataracts when you don't wear tanning goggles. Closing your eyes is not enough. Your eyelids are thin enough that the a lot of the energy will pass through them and still cause irreparable damage.
At long last, fire up the tanning unit. You might need to press a "start" button or a timer to set, depending upon how your tanning saloon works. If you're just starting tanning and are fairly pale, your first few visits should be from six to ten minutes. After a while you can build up to as high as 30 minutes per session.
Whether you use a bed or a booth, once the timer runs out, the lights will turn off, indicating that you've been bronzed to golden excellence. Open the lid or door, take off your goggles, and wipe off the lotion and sweat with a towel. Get clothed again and gather your things!
Remember to take your iPod with you on your way out. Don't shower for the rest of the day; the active ingredients in soap can fade your tan if used too soon after tanning. With this knowledge now at your disposal, you're ready for a healthy, radiant tanning bed tan.
