Common tanning myths and mistakes

For decades, the public has been drilled false statements regarding the benefits of moderated tanning both indoors and out. Many consumers have also not been properly educated on what tanning really is and how to moderate their tanning process. If you are not using a professional tanning salon that is regulated, certified and monitors your UV exposure, go elsewhere.

Here are just a few of the common myths and tanner misinformation I have heard over the past decade. Please feel free to share or add to the list!

I don’t use goggles, I use a towel over my face.

At best a towel is only an SPF 5. This is not enough protection for your eyes. Closing your eyes is also not effective at protecting your eyes. Eyelids only block about 25% of UV light.

It needs to be really, really hot in order to tan.

Skiers can burn in the sun in the middle of January. Hot does not equal tan. The UV lights are what are tanning you, so be comfortable while you tan.

Tanning cooks your insides.

This one is quite ridiculous, but I still hear it. Mythbusters actually did this test on an episode. They put two raw chickens in a tanning bed for almost an hour. Guess what? They were still raw.

The more you tan, the darker you will get.

Excessive tanning can cause the epidermis layer of the skin to thicken, which blocks UV rays from tanning you. You can actually lose color when tanning too often.

If I don’t burn, I am not tanning.

Sunburns damage the skin, making it harder for the skin to tan. Burning indicates overexposure. You are not tanning when you burn. A responsible salon should always moderate your exposure and increase gradually to avoid burning at all costs!

I get darker without a lotion.

While that may be what you think you are seeing, the reality is vastly different. Lotions are designed to feed and enhance your tan.  They are formulated to hydrate your skin so it can better absorb the UV light, and contain nutrients to nourish and feed your skin exactly what it uses to produce tanning pigment.  Step 1 lotions contain Vitamins to help product pigment, and step 2 lotions contain CuO2 (Copper Dioxide) to bronze that pigment.  Cosmetic bronzers are also a part of most lotions, and they also add to your overall tan.  So why then do you sometimes appear darker immediately after tanning without a lotion? The simple answer is dehydration. The act of tanning without a lotion causes the skin to dehydrate temporarily, causing it to appear darker for a very short amount of time (minutes to hours, not days). This is why leather looks darker than skin. This is not considered a real tan (one that develops from Melanin being produced by cells in the skin). Rather, it usually has a more leathery, damaged appearance than a healthy natural one. It’s easy to see where the ‘Perception is Reality’ game can play tricks making you think you’re tanning better…but reality is reality and feeding your skin nutrients that produce a tan will not give you less of results. Also, anti-oxidants and nutrients will keep your skin looking healthy for years to come as well.

Spray tans turn people orange.

Professional Spray Tans do not turn you orange like many store bought products. The solution used in a professional salon does not contain the same preservatives as store bought brands that can cause this issue. Also, the number one reason for Orange appearance is overapplication. The same applies when you’re spraying a tan on at home. This is simplified and prevented when an automatic booth evenly mists the entire body giving you the perfect amount for that airbrushed look. Another factor in color can be your PH balance. This can be thrown off by using lotions or perfumes directly before applying sunless tanner or spray. Make sure your skin is clean and hydrated and make sure that you are hydrated as well. For added color, using a PH Balancing product or Sunless Accelerator can also help add deeper color. If you’ve never tried a professional spray tan, don’t worry, it’s not the tan in a can that you may be used to.

Tanning beds are different than sunshine.

Mid-day summer sunlight is made up of 95% UVA light and 5% UVB light. Most indoor tanning equipment emits the same thing but in slightly higher doses, usually 2-3 times more intense. That’s why professional tanning salons control the duration of your total exposure based on the UV output of the tanning unit.

It’s simple math. Your total exposure to the sun or a tanning unit is based on the intensity of the UV light multiplied by the total exposure time. So if the tanning unit you’re using is two times more powerful than sunlight, your tanning professional will carefully adjust your exposure time to at least half of the non-burning exposure you would want to get outdoors in summer sunlight.