The TanWall Blog

Sun tanning wasn’t always popular. In past civilizations light skin was a sign of high social standing and was deemed highly attractive by the fashionable elite. Tan skin was a sign of lower social status as lower-level workers often had to work in the sun and they had darker skin tones as a consequence.

Some people even went so far as to use lead-based cosmetics and arsenic to whiten their skin and appear more attractive, but you could imagine how that went.

You’ve probably seen images of pre-Victorian and Victorian England where men and women would powder their faces to look almost white. Also, Japanese Geisha are a good example of people using cosmetics such as paint to make their skin appear lighter and even white. Some people in India will even get skin bleaching procedures done to make their skin appear lighter to distinguish themselves from the darker-skinned lower castes. Some of these practices continue on today, though in other cultures, especially the Western culture, the sun tan has come to be seen as physically attractive, fashionable, and healthy. How did this come to be?

Many historians point to an interesting event in the 1920’s that seemed to have started the trend. Coco Chanel, the famous fashion designer, accidently got sunburned while out in the French Riviera. Coco’s fans ended up really liking her new tan, and sought to emulate her looks by tanning themselves. From there, the sun-tanned look became fashionable and attractive.

In the 1940’s, fashion trends and magazines really began to emphasize the attractiveness of the tanned look, showing women tanning while wearing more revealing swimsuits and using tanning lotions. After that, the bronzed look became the definitive fashionable look.

Today in the US, people still find the sun tan to look physically attractive and fashionable. Many people also comment that a tan makes a person look healthy and vivacious, which could have to do with the dosage of Vitamin D tanners get.

Nevertheless, the tan seems to remain a highly desired look, which has created a billion dollar business catering to the tanning needs of the consumer. New technologies like tanning beds, spray tans, lotions and more continue to advance and the tanning industry continues to flourish despite legislation!

The weather is gradually growing cooler and the sun’s intensity is diminishing as this summer is coming to a close. Now that more and more people are aware of the importance of Vitamin D, hopefully more people will head to the salon to get their much-needed dosage of Vitamin D. It will be interesting to see how the tanning industry does this winter in the wake of the Tan Tax.

Tanning Salons everywhere have been hurting from the tan tax. Grassroots efforts around the country have pitted local business owners against the unfair legislation passed this June by Congress. Small business owners are complaining that the tax is unfair to the predominantly middle class salon owners, hurting their business and jeopardizing possibly 1000’s of jobs.

Due to the increased concern of getting adequate Vitamin D, and faced with the fact that it is harder to get adequate levels of Vitamin D during the fall and winter seasons, hopefully more and more consumers will frequent tanning salons in the face of the added 10 percent tax. Vitamin D supplements aren’t that expensive either, but it remains to be seen if they are as effective as UV light. We will see if the emerging Vitamin D studies will encourage consumers to opt for indoor tanning to get their dosage of the vitamin.

After all, studies have shown that northern populations that don’t get enough sunlight have Vitamin D deficiencies and increased occurrence of certain cancers. Many people report depression and general sluggishness in the fall and winter seasons as well, suggesting that sunshine could be beneficial in many ways.

Indoor tanning salons are a great way to compensate that lack of sunshine in the fall and winter seasons. Again, it will be interesting to see what people have made of the Vitamin D reports when the fall and winter seasons come around this year, not to mention what the politicians think of their demonization of the tanning industry!

Many tanners wonder what method of indoor UV tanning works best: standing up in a tanning booth or lying down in a tanning bed. This article will outline the pros and cons of both methods and then you can decide for yourself which method is best for you.

Tanning Booth Pros

• More sanitary. The tanner is standing up in the booth, so the only point of contact of the tanner’s body is the soles of their feet on the booth floor. Less body contact means less chance of encountering unsanitary conditions.
• Less points of skin contact mean a more even tan. In a tanning bed, skin is being pressed down onto the acrylic, possibly causing folds and obscuring regions of skin. All of the tanner’s skin is evenly tanned in a tanning booth, and the tanner can raise their arms and get harder to reach regions to tan.
• Faster tan times. A tanning booth usually features more intense UV bulbs, so you get the same tan as a bed but in less time.

Tanning Booth Cons

• Possibly uncomfortable. The tanner has to stand for the duration of the tanning session, possibly becoming tired.
• More intense UV bulbs could increase the risk of burn if proper tanning guidelines aren’t followed, though most tanning salons are very stringent about following safe tanning guidelines.

Tanning Bed Pros

• Tanning beds are said to be more relaxing. The tanner can lie down in an air conditioned bed and listen to music for a highly relaxing tanning session.
• Less intense UV bulbs mean less of a chance for burning, and if the tanner prefers, a longer session for enduring relaxation.
• Closer to the traditional outdoor method of tanning: of lying down, relaxing, and soaking up the rays.

Tanning Bed Cons

• Because a tanner’s skin makes contact with the acrylic on the beds, there’s the possibility of an uneven tan due to skin creases.  
• Skin contact from previous tanners on the tanning beds could provide health concern, though any legitimate tanning salon will thoroughly clean and disinfect their tanning beds, catching any bacteria that weren’t already killed by the UV.  

So as you can see, each method of UV tanning is different. In the end, each method will cater to two main types of tanners with different central aims. The tanning booth will cater to the first type of tanner, the tanner who is primarily at the salon to get an even, effective tan in the smallest amount of time possible. The tanning bed is going to cater to the second type of tanner, the tanner who has come to the salon not only to get a tan, but to lie down and relax and reap the psychological benefits of a tanning visit.

Getting that perfect bronze tan is not that difficult, you just have to follow the tips below on how to get a great tan. And always remember, it is important to practice safe tanning at all times.

1. Don’t Burn

This tip is pertaining to tanning safety. The number 1 rule of safe tanning is to not burn. Don’t overdue it whether you are using a booth or sitting outside in the sun. If you don’t yet have a base tan, spend [5-10] minutes tanning and then work your way up from there. The important thing is to not burn.

Tanning is a result of the body producing melanin in order to protect itself from the sun’s rays. This is a natural adaptive effect built into the skin. However, if you burn, that is an indication that the skin has gotten too much sun.

2. Prepare skin

Before tanning, prepare your skin to ensure optimal melanin creation and retention. Dead skin cells on your body can prevent optimal melanin formation and retention, so scrub it off in the shower with a gentle abrasive. Exfoliate. After the shower, make sure [to] use a moisturizer to retain your skin’s moisture. Consistently moist skin will tan better and retain the tan for a longer amount of time.

3. Use Tanning Lotion

Tanning lotion speeds up the tanning process and gets you a base tan quicker without spending too much time under the UV rays. Different tanning lotions feature different types of tan shades, so you can get the tan you want.

4. Moisturize

You will want to moisturize after tanning as well. Remember, consistently moist skin will help to retain your tan for longer. Maintain a daily regimen of moisturizing so that your tan will last.

5. Let the tan do its work

After tanning, try not to shower and engage in a water activity for at least 3 hours. You have to let your skin continue to tan.

If you follow these 5 simple tips, you [are] on your way to achieving that perfect, long lasting tan.

There is quite a buzz going on in the scientific and medical communities concerning the benefits of Vitamin D. Researchers are finding that Vitamin D can help prevent many diseases and ailments and that there is an epidemic of Vitamin D deficiency going on right now in the US, possibly leading to increased risk of disease and illness.

More and more studies done by scientific, nutritional, and medical organizations across the globe are indicating the high importance of Vitamin D. These organizations cite positive facts and negative facts to support their findings.

Positive Facts

Various studies have shown that the presence of sufficient levels of Vitamin D can lower risks of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, bone deficiencies, and certain cancers.

Vitamin D serves as an activator of autoimmune T-cells that neutralize foreign antibodies in the bloodstream. Basically, having sufficient Vitamin D levels will boost your immune system and make you more resilient to the flu and colds.

Vitamin D can also help with weight loss and mood regulation, among other things.

Negative Facts

Studies have found that there is an epidemic of Vitamin D deficiency in the US, accounting for a higher frequency of certain cancers, diabetes, heart disease, and other diseases in the general population.

Immune systems are believed to be affected by this deficiency as well, so that more people are more prone to colds.

Possible causes of the nation’s Vitamin D deficiency could be due to more time spent indoors, since a large portion of our Vitamin D comes from sunshine. Also, sun-scare sentiment which leads to practives such as wearing long sleeves, putting on sunscreen, and altogether staying out of the sun can be seen to be responsible for our lack of Vitamin D.

I have the facts, so how do I get my Vitamin D?

The best way to get Vitamin D is through sunshine. Specialists recommend getting 10-15 minutes a day of unblocked sunshine. This is more than enough to exceed the new proposed 1000 IUs a day of Vitamin D. You can also get Vitamin D from a tanning bed.

Vitamin D can be found in certain foods such as fish and milk.

During periods of time when we can’t get enough sunshine, or during the wintertime, it might also be prudent to take Vitamin D supplements

So now you know the facts. Vitamin D is quickly becoming an important factor in daily nutrition. Don’t let the medical/dermatological interests scare you into staying out of the sun. Get some sun every day but be sure not to overdo it. Your body will thank you with good health.