Tanning Tips & FAQs

“Sunlight exposure decreases adrenaline and nor adrenaline levels for an “anti-stressing” effect and releases endorphins for the feeling of “well-being.”
Greiter, F., et al. “UV Conditioning: Physical and Physiological Impact” Current Problems in Dermatology. Vol. 15:282-9, 1986

“Exposure to sunlight may have similar effects to exercise: decreased blood pressure, lower resting heart rate, a 39% increase in the output of Blood.”
Falkenbach, Dr. A. et al. “heart Rate Variability…” Biological Effects of Light. New York, Walter de Gryter, 1992

“Sunlight exposure may prevent certain types of cancer: colon and breast cancer rates are three times higher in northern states like New Hampshire and Vermont compared to sunny states like New Mexico and Arizona.”
Garland, Dr. C. et al. “Calcium and Colon Cancer” Clinical Nutrition. July/August 161-6, 1986

“Preliminary Studies indicate that photo therapy may be beneficial in treating patients with AIDS-related complex.”
Taylor, A. et al. “Extra corporeal Photo chemotherapy for Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma and Other Diseases” Seminars in Hematology 29-2:132, 1992

“10 minute exposure to ultraviolet light one to three times a week results in a reduction of frequency of colds up to 40.3%.”
Kime, Dr. Z. Sunlight, Penryn, CA: World HEalth Publications, 1980

“Sunlight stimulates the thyroid gland which boosts your metabolism.”
Hollwich, Fritz, The Influence of Ocular Light Perception on Metabolism in Man and in Animal. New York; Springer Verlag, 1979

“Skin cancer has been linked to non-UV causes: diet, genetics and alcohol.”
Marchand, Dr. L. “Dietary Factors in the Etiology of Melanoma” Clinics in Dermatology 10:79, 1992

“A 1993 study shows that 70% of patients with SAD show improvement after light treatment, the only known cure for the “winter blues.”
Wirz-Justice, A. et al ‘Light Therapy in Seasonal Affective Disorder is Dependent on Time of Day Circadian Phase’ Arch Gen Psychiatry.” 50:929, 1993

“Significant seasonal bone loss due to lack of sunlight-produced vitamin D is prominent in areas with reduced winter sunlight and can lead to Osteoporosis.”
Rosen, Dr. C. et al. “Seasonal Effects of Sunlight on Bone Mass in Elderly Women” Biological Effects of Light. New York Walter de Gruyter, 1994

“80% of Psoriasis sufferers show improvement with UV exposure.”
“PUVA Myth” Pharmacy News, vol. 6:1, 1994

“Sunlight is the most responsible source of vitamin D.”
Holick, Dr. M, et al. “Sunlight Regulates…” Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism. 68:882, 1989

“During the process of tanning Vitamin D also produced.”
Matsuka, L. et al. “Sun tanning and Cutaneous Synthesis of Vitamin D3” Journal of Clinical Medicine, 116:87, 1990

“Tanning is natural. It is what your body was designed to do. Just like you need air, food and water, you need sunlight to survive.”
Tanning Truth

Light is essential to all life on earth. There are various physiological and psychological reasons why exposure to light is desirable and necessary. There’s a growing body of scientific evidence showing people actually require light exposure to function effectively. Light exposure causes the brain to suppress the release of the hormone melatonin that acts as a depressant in the body and exposure to light produces various health benefits, such as the production of the very necesssary Vitamin D3 in the prevention of bone diseases (such as osteoporosis) and in the improvement of symptoms of psoriasis.

People who are exposed to longer hours of bright light feel happier and are able to enjoy life. Potential health benefits include but are not limited to: production of Vitamin D, decreased risks of breast and colon cancer, and reduced risk of sunburn. The psychological benefits of tanning are also well researched. Sunlight deprivation has been linked to some mental disorders. There are numerous reasons, physical and psychological, why exposure to ultraviolet light is desirable. FDA regulations at the present time prevent the indoor tanning industry from making any medical representations or claims related to indoor tanning exposure. And of course, people know that a great tan looks good, feels good, and can add to personal confidence and attractiveness.

Indoor tanning eliminates the “guesswork” of tanning outdoors and is easy, convenient and private. Ideally, indoor tanning is supervised by a trained professional helping you achieve the desired color you want, reminding you to wear protective eyewear, encouraging and recommending lotions before and after tanning and helping you avoid over-exposure.

Your skin produces a tan the same way in an indoor tanning salon as it does when you lay out in the sun: through ultraviolet (UV) light. However, out in the sun, you cannot control the amount of UV light exposure and trying to achieve an all-over even-body tan is very difficult. Indoor tanning allows you to control the amount of UV light, for all all-over even tan. With indoor tanning you can gradually increase your exposure time eliminating any sunburn, which is harmful to the skin.

• Indoor tanning technology includes an exposure schedule that factors in individual skin type and appropriate time exposure.
• With convenient indoor tanning you can tan at any time and aren’t limited to daylight hours or weather conditions.
• With private indoor tanning you can tan in the nude or partially nude to eliminate tan lines.
• You can help ensure that you won’t get a sunburn when following an appropriate time exposure.
• Outdoor sun exposure is an uncontrollable environment as no one can control the sun.
• Outdoor exposure varies in intensity depending on such factors as altitude, cloud cover, air pollutants, reflective surfaces, times of day, time of year, and proximity to the equator.
• The controlled environment and the ability to time your UV exposure to the minute makes burning less likely with a tanning bed than with outdoor sun exposure.

Tanning beds and booths act like the sun. The sun emits three kinds of UV rays that make you tan. UV-C, the shortest wavelength of the three is the most harmful. Today’s sophisticated tanning lamps filter out this type of UV light. UV-B, the middle wavelength, begins the tanning process, by stimulating the melanocyte cells that produce melanin, however overexposure can cause sunburn. Melanin will be bronzed by UV-A, the longest wavelength, by oxidizing the melanin and producing the tan. Technologically advanced tanning lamps use the best ratio of UV-B and UV-A light to provide the greatest tanning results, with a lowered risk of overexposure.

It may be easier to get the desired color by tanning indoors. Begin with a short exposure time and increase it very gradually. A tanning professional can help you determine the best exposure time for your skin type. However, if you NEVER tan from the sun, you will not tan from tanning lamps, as they imitate the sun.

To build an awesome tan, tan regularly. Allowing too much time between visits will cause your tan to fade. You can tan up to once every 24 hours, however it is recommended that you allow 48 hours in between each session to permit your tan to fully develop in between visits. Once you are tan, you can maintain your tan with visits of two or three times a week in a base bed and once every 7 days in the best upgrade equipment. Also, to help prolong the life of your tan, make sure to keep your skin moisturized with a high quality specially formulated-for-tanning lotion.

You’ll notice results after your very first session. To build a base tan most people need 3-5 sessions to get the color desired. If you need an instant tan, you should consider Mystic Tan or, for the fastest tan, a combination of regular tanning equipment and Mystic spray-on. Going on a vacation? Tan before you go and allow a few weeks of tanning prior to your trip. We recommend using a specially formulated lotion to increase your tanning potential and keep your skin feeling healthy and soft.

Your first session length will depend upon your skin tone and type, and your tanning professional will ask you to fill out a skin analysis to help determine your skin type. Also taken into consideration is how long it has been since you last tanned. The most common skin type is Type 3, who typically tan for 10-12 minutes the first time in a machine that has a 20 minute maximum.

You can tan in your bathing suit, underwear, or if you prefer a more “natural” approach, you can tan semi-nude or nude. Being in a private room while tanning – unlike at the beach or pool, you can wear whatever you like. Please be aware of exposing sensitive body parts that are not normally exposed to light. It is highly recommended that sensitive body parts be gradually exposed to prevent overexposure. It is also recommended to cover up a previously unexposed part of the body for part of your tanning time, so it can catch up safely with the rest of your tan. The only required attire is eye protection because your eyelids, even when they are closed, aren’t enough protection and light can cause temporary and permanent damage to them.

Eyewear protection is required by law. Your eyelids aren’t thick enough to provide protection and do not effectively block light while tanning. Approved eye protection is required to ensure you won’t have any ill effects such as reduced color vision or night blindness.

Yes! Science has embraced beauty to create Indoor Tanning Lotions. Specially formulated tanning lotions are jam-packed and enriched with nutrients, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial ingredients to help get you tan FAST, replenish the skin, is essential for proper skin care and to help achieve a healthier-looking, longer-lasting tan. They also help you get more value for each tanning session. Healthy skin tans faster, darker, and retains a tan longer.

Upgrade beds are ‘super’ tanners, tripling or more the power of regular tanning equipment with more intense lamps and changes of the percentages of different types of rays. High performance upgrade equipment can tan you faster, deeper, and tans last longer. In addition, there are many other features: upgraded cooling systems, specialized facial lamps, gentler tanning rays, and more.

To get an “instant” tan you should consider using our Mystic Spray Booth. In just seconds you can have the natural-looking color you want. If you prefer traditional tanning please remember that color takes up to 24 hours to develop as your skin produces your tan. Accordingly the FDA prohibits tanning more frequently than once per 24 hours because you could unintentionally sun burn yourself. There is no such limitation for spray booth tans AND spray booth tanning IS allowed on the same day as a traditional tanning session.

The skin on your legs is thicker than other parts of your body and when you shave your legs you are mechanically exfoliating the uppermost skin cells and part of your tan.

MOISTURIZE! MOISTURIZE! MOISTURIZE! Using a high quality specially formulated tanning moisturizer will help replenish vitamins and nutrients, keeping your skin smooth and younger looking while helping you maintain that deep dark tan you love. Remember properly moisturized skin TANS FASTER, TANS DARKER, and STAYS TANNED LONGER!

Skin type 1 cannot tan, but anyone can get a gorgeous golden-tan look with our Mystic UV-Free Spray-on Tanning process. Our tanning professionals can help you determine the type of tanning best suited to your skin type.

There are six basic skin types:

• Skin type 1: Always burns, never tans
• Skin type 2: Burns easily, tans slightly
• Skin type 3: Sometimes burns, tans gradually
• Skin type 4: Burns minimally, always tans well
• Skin type 5: Burns rarely, tans deeply
• Skin type 6: Almost never burns, deeply pigmented

Always wear proper sunlamp goggles. Most people have no trouble whatsoever leaving their contact lenses in while tanning indoors. Heat from the sunlamps may cause dryness and mild to moderate discomfort for some contact lens wearers. Try tanning with your contact lenses in. If you find this uncomfortable, then take them out before tanning next time.

When you are taking photosensitizing medication it is not recommended to tan outdoors or indoors. If you aren’t sure, ask your doctor, or ask a tanning consultant at your tanning facility to see a list of these medications, which can greatly increase the risk of overexposure. A partial list, by no means inclusive, appears below. You should also avoid tanning if you are pregnant, due to the heat, unless your doctor approves it. The concern is that tanning while pregnant may tend to increase body temperature which may be harmful to the unborn baby. Ultraviolet radiation from tanning equipment does not affect tissues below the surface of the skin, including a developing, unborn baby. However, to be completely safe, we require women to refer to their doctors prior to tanning when pregnant.

Many common medications and even ingredients in food, shampoos & soaps can cause photo sensitivity which may lead to overexposure. If you are taking prescription medications please check with your physician regarding possible photo sensitivity. Perfumes and colognes containing Furocoumarins, compound from natural products such as plants and fruits. Their natural oils can cause your skin to become highly sensitive to UV light. Food and fruits that contain photosensitizing agents: celery, carrots, lime, coriander, parsley, fennel, dill, buttercup, mustard and fig.

• Not everyone will experience a photosensitive reaction. Also, someone who experiences a photosensitive reaction once will NOT necessarily experience it again or every time.
• Medications will NOT cause the same degree of skin reaction in all individuals.
• The most common photosensitizing things. This is not an exhaustive list of everything that could have photosensitizing effects. For answers to any question about a drug or product that you use, you should consult a physician.

Maybe. And your skin will wrinkle if you don’t tan. Age, Diet, Genetics, certain behaviors (smoking cigarettes) and environmental pollution can wrinkle your skin more than moderate sun tanning. Overexposure, not moderate exposure, can cause the skin to wrinkle and therefore, it is advised to avoid overexposure.

Tinea Versicolor, a skin condition , caused by a microscopic fungus from the scalp, falls onto arms, shoulders, and other body parts and leaves bleached-looking areas on the skin, which can spread. It is treatable with topical aids such as leaving the active ingredient in Selsun Blue dandruff shampoo on for 10 minutes for mild cases and for more resistant conditions, your doctor may prescribe pills for treatment. Since tinea versicolor covers skin cells and acts as a sun screen with high SPF factor, the effected areas must be protected from further ultraviolet light exposure until those bleached areas have begun developing melanin again.

Phototherapy (use of UV light) has been used in treating the skin problems of this condition. Tanning dries the skin and this can help keep acne outbreaks to a minimum in acute cases and can help eliminate outbreaks in mild cases. There are also many drugs, including tetracycline and Retin-A, which are also used for the treatment of acne and because these drugs can render the skin photosensitive, one must avoid UV exposure or take extreme care when medicated. The use of UV light for acne treatment should only be administered by a qualified physician. The Food and Drug Administration prohibits indoor tanning equipment operators from asserting that UV light is beneficial for any purpose other than cosmetic coloring.

A growing body of scientific evidence exists that shows some people require more light exposure in order to function properly. Bright light exposure, such as the mid-day summer sun, causes the brain to suppress the release of the hormone melatonin which acts as a depressant in the body if generated during the daytime. Affected people, exposed to longer hours of bright light, feel happier and more able to enjoy life. Bright light sources emitting only visible light are now frequently used to successfully treat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and Sub-syndrome Seasonal Affective Disorder (SSAD).

Yes! The only need for a SPF is on your lips because your lips can’t tan.