More frequently asked questions are added to this page all the time! And if it's not here, please just ask. Don't worry, we've probably heard it before and it'll remind us to put it on this page.
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☼
What
is the difference between UVB and UVA light?
So as not to make this too lengthy, in a nut shell, UVB is responsible for triggering
melanin production in the skin, and UVA is responsible for oxidizing the melanin
(turning the melanin brown).
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☼
What
does VHR stand for? What is it?
VHR stands for Very High Output Reflective. Although some people will mistakenly
refer to a simple 100 watt reflective bulb as VHR, a bulb is not actually a
"high output" bulb unless it is 160 watts or above. Regular base beds
typically use a standard 100 watt bulb and VHR uses a 160 watt high output reflective
bulb. A reflective bulb is coated on the back and sides with a reflective material
that forces all of the output light to the front of the bulb, onto the tanner.
VHR bulbs are typically lower in UVB than a standard bulb and higher in UVA,
so they oxidize melanin more effectively and specifically. What that means to
the consumer is you get a deeper, bronzer result that actually lasts longer
with less UVB exposure. VHR exposure is limited to every other day because most
results appear from using VHR up to 48 hours after initial exposure.
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☼ What
is the difference in a VHR bed and a "VIP" bed?
A “VIP” bed is simply a regular 100 watt bed with high wattage facial bulbs.
At Tan Shadows our base beds are 120 watts with facial bulbs! Tan Shadows offers
you VHR as our upgrade units of choice; which is high wattage completely.
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☼ Why
do I need to use a tanning accelerator?
Tanning accelerators prompt your skin to produce more melanin (more pigment).
By using the right indoor tanning accelerator for your skin type (ask a Tan
Shadows customer service associate for help) from day one, you will get a base
tan 64% quicker, get beyond your tanning plateau and feed your skin the vitamins
and nutrients it needs to stay healthy. Back
to top
☼
What
are the different features of some of your tanning lotions and after-tan products?
What
is the difference in an upper-end product and a lower-end product besides the
price? (ALSO SEE SKIN CARE BELOW!) Using a lower-end product is certainly better
than trying to tan with nothing on your skin at all, but there are many differences
in an upper and lower-end lotion. An upper-end will have more tyrosine acids,
which is the amino acid your skin/body has to have to actually produce melanin
(pigment that make your brown). Many upper-ends will contain DNA restoratives
which will prevent elastin break down from occurring in the skin. Many upper-ends
contain a complex that will also eliminate the after-tan odor (SEE BELOW).
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☼ What's
a tanning plateau?
A tanning plateau is a phase you go through when it just doesn't seem like you
are getting any darker. When you first start tanning it's easy to see daily
results but as you gradually acquire a dark tan, it's sometimes hard to see
the different stages of tan. There is only so much melanin your skin will produce
using indoor tanning equipment because tanning salons are regulated as to how
much "sun" we can give you in a session. This is where accelerators
come in; they prompt your skin to produce more pigment. If you think you've
reached a plateau, talk to us and we'll help you get over the hump.
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☼ Why
are you guys always telling me to take better care of my skin?
Tan Shadows customer service associates are always telling you to take better
care of your skin for lots of reasons. We can't stress the importance of good
skin care enough! You can't expect your skin to reward you with a healthy-looking
radiant glow if you don't take good care of it. Moist skin tans faster, gets
darker and stays that way longer. If you have dry , scaley skin, your skin will
actually reflect the UV light right off of it and you won't get a very good
tan like that (and that is why you come to us in the first place)! Another reason
we harp on you about skin care is healthy skin is important to overall good
health, and we care about you. Back
to top
☼ So,
what is good skin care and what isn't? A
good skin care plan is to use a properly ph balanced shower gel (NOT BAR SOAP
EVER) and a properly ph balanced after shower moisturizer (WITHOUT MINERAL OIL,
WITHOUT ALCOHOL). Bar soaps and fragrant body lotions contain alcohol that is
not ph balanced to the skin's natural ph level, so it strips the acid mantel
off the skin, leaving it vulnerable to harmful environmental factors. (The same
is true with your hair too by the way, so listen to your hairdresser about salon
hair care products next time). Mineral oil, which is in ALL over the counter
type body lotions, is just a cheap filler that does absolutely NOTHING to replace
vitamins and nutrients your skin loses from day to day. Mineral oil also seals
the skin, which is why it works great on a baby's butt when a baby gets diaper
rash, and doesn't work great on adult skin! Sealing the skin will inhibit the
effectiveness of your tanning lotion too. Back
to top
☼ Why
do I always have that "after tan" smell after my tanning session?
That after tan smell is actually a naturally occurring bacteria on your skin
that reacts to intense UV light exposure. Many accelerators that we carry have
a chemical that will eliminate the after tan odor. Ask us for help on which
ones are best for this. Back
to top
☼ What
is skin damage?
Skin damage is cause by prolonged OVERexposure to UV light. It causes the skin's
elastin to break down and the appearance of the skin will sag and wrinkle when
the elastin breakdown is extensive. Many of our accelerators have DNA restoratives
which will prevent elastin damage. Back
to top
☼ What
is the difference in a sunburn and a suntan?
A sunburn is caused by OVERexposure. Ideally you move up in your exposure times
in a tanning bed because your skin is acquiring a cosmetically appealing tan
along the way. Overexposure and sunburn are BAD. Tanning and burning are two
distinctly different actions and a sunburn should by no means ever be considered
part of the tanning process. Your skin is designed to tan to protect itself
from sunburn. Your skin cannot begin the tanning process until a sunburn has
completely healed. Back
to top
If
you didn't see your question here,
please email
us or ask us in the store. If your questions aren't answered somewhere on
our web site, we want to know! Back
to top
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