Tanning Junkie

The Benefits Of Indoor Tanning Lotions

The Benefits Of Indoor Tanning Lotions

Every day your clients battle the war to maintain healthy skincare. And as a tanning and skincare expert you are responsible for protecting and preserving your customers’ skin by offering a selection of lotions to keep skin soft, supple and looking healthy.

No one can dispute the fact that the lotion and skincare segment of the tanning industry has experienced explosive growth in the last eight years. Both veteran and newcomer lotion and skincare manufacturers have recognized the market potential and expanded their product lines to provide tanners with a wide array of choices. From lotions and gels, to sprays and greaseless oils, today’s tanners have a plethora of products to choose from.

Specifically Formulated Lotions 

Research from lotion and skincare manufacturers indicate that the use of products formulated specifically for indoor tanning actually can enhance and stimulate the body’s natural tanning process. When the skin is exposed to natural or manufactured ultraviolet light, it stimulates production of a pigment found in the body called melanin. When melanin is triggered, it rises to the epidermal layer of the skin, allowing the tanning process to begin. However, large amounts of amino acids, which are components of melanin, are not stored by our bodies, which means that it can take days after exposure to ultraviolet light to develop a tan.

There are two basic steps that one can follow in developing an indoor or outdoor tan. Pre-tan solutions are applied before exposure to ultraviolet light. These formulas include vitamins, botanicals and essential oils to nourish the skin and prepare it for the tanning process. The old rule of thumb—healthy skin tans the best—is key. A pre-tan solution lays the foundation for building a rich, healthy tan, and manufacturers of tanning products believe a properly cultivated tan can be the body’s most effective sunscreen against the harmful effects of UV rays on the skin.

Amplifiers are products that moisturize the skin while tanning and allow ultraviolet light to penetrate the skin. Normally, some ultraviolet rays bounce off our bodies. Amplifiers reduce the skin’s capacity for reflection, so more rays can penetrate.

Using post-tanning solutions is another vital step one may follow in a tanning regimen. They serve basically one purpose—to moisturize and replenish the skin that has been dried during the tanning process. This minimizes both peeling and flaking, and keeps the skin moist and healthy.

There are some major differences between indoor and outdoor tanning. Indoor tanning relies primarily on manufactured UVA rays in a controlled environment, compared to outdoor tanning that consists of both UVA and UVB natural rays in widely varying environments. Because of these different conditions in outdoor and indoor tanning, different solutions for protection and tanning enhancement should be used.

Moisturizers 

Moisturizers are an extremely important weapon in the battle against dry skin. When the skin is moist, it remains supple and lubricated. Environmental elements such as heat, air, sun and water can all contribute to dried, rough skin. Oil-and-water-based moisturizing lotions on the market coat the skin with a film to bind water to the skin and also to maintain a smooth look.

Vitamins are also a popular addition to moisturizers. Among the most commonly used vitamins in creams and lotions are A, C, D and E. Vitamin A helps keep skin soft, lubricated and healthy looking; vitamin C is supposed to act as a preservative; vitamin D is believed to have certain skin healing and UV-blocking properties; and vitamin E is used primarily as an antioxidant to help maintain product freshness. Antioxidants also may slow down the skin’s aging process.

Sunblocks 

Anyone who has had the experience of being burned by in the sun knows the value of sunscreens and sunblocks. However, most people don’t understand how they work to protect the skin. Sunscreen chemicals absorb solar energy (UVA and UVB) before it can penetrate into the skin. The absorbed energy excites the sunscreen temporarily; then, as the chemical relaxes back into its original state, it transforms that entry into something harmless (usually heat). This process is repeated countless times per second.

Every sunscreen chemical has a characteristic absorption spectrum. It is capable of absorbing only certain wavelengths of ultraviolet light energy. High SPF (Sun Protection Factor) sunscreen formulas contain blends of more than one sunscreen because no single chemical is capable of absorbing all UVB radiation.

UVA And UVB Absorbers 

In 1978, an FDA Expert Panel issued proposed rules that “would establish conditions for the safety, effectiveness, and labeling of over-the-counter (OTC) drug products.” Sunscreens fell under the category of OTC drugs because their use can affect the structure or function of the skin. Although technically the proposal is still not officially law, FDA officials and reputable marketers treat it as such and adhere to the rules and regulations it set forth in 1978.

One of the most helpful developments in selecting the right suntan product is the skin type guide created by the FDA. Categories of skin type, based on their reaction to the sun, have been identified and a numerical sun protection factor has been recommended for each skin type. This number, or SPF, is a measurement of the amount of burning rays that are filtered out by the sunscreen ingredient contained in the suntan lotion or oil.

Generally, SPF numbers range from 2 to 15, with the higher numbers containing the greater amount of protection from sunburn. Sunscreen products are categorized as follows: Minimal Protection (SPF 2 to 4); Moderate Protection (SPF 4 to 6); Extra Protection (SPF 6 to 8); Maximal Protection (SPF 8 to 15); and, Ultra Protection (SPF 16 and greater).

With increasing publicity in recent years about the dangers of overexposure to UV light, consumers have demanded marketers have provided) sunscreen formulas with SPFs greater than 15. Technically, these products are mislabeled, but the FDA has not yet intervened. Many noted authorities are debating how high we need to go with SPFs because they say there is relatively little extra protection to be gained above SPF 15 or 20.

An Introduction To Ultraviolet Light

It is useful to have an assortment of products with varying SPF numbers. The suntan lotion which is desired in the early days of summer, SPF 4, for example, may have too great an SPF for the last days of August, when SPF 2 may be more appropriate.

Another point to consider is the fact that different parts of the body require special care in the sun. Because of their prominence, noses, cheeks and lips often require a product with a stronger SPF than needed for arms and legs. Suntan products should be applied liberally to all exposed parts of the body and should be reapplied after swimming or strenuous activity.

Personal preference is an important deciding factor in selecting a suntan product, and one which determines whether to choose an oil or lotion; a bottle or tube; a coconut or baby fresh scent. Personal choice is important, but it should not overrule selection of the product based on skin type and SPF.

Selection of the right suntan product is an important variable in getting a perfect tan. More important is regular use of suntan products and common sense about when to come in from the sun.

SPF Calculation 

In order to calculate the SPF of a sunscreen, two terms must be understood. SPF—Ratio of the amount of energy required to produce a minimal sunburn through a sunscreen product film to the amount of energy required to produce the same minimal sunburn without any sunscreen protection. MED—”Minimal erythema dose” is the amount of energy needed to produce a just-perceptible sunburn.

In calculation, the following formula is used: SPF = MED protected skin/MED unprotected skin.

Factors That Affect SPF And Tanning 

There are a number of factors that determine the effect of SPFs on the tanning process.

1. Formula—Oils are generally less effective than creams.
2. Amount applied—It is important to apply a thick, even film of sunscreen and to re-apply it after swimming or exercise.
3. Skin type—It determines your amount of natural protection. Fair skin burns easily and produces little tan because it has little natural protection. Dark skin tans easier and burns less because it has more natural protection.
4. Location—Affects how much UV gets through the atmosphere. There is more UV exposure at high altitudes, and more near the Equator than at the Poles.
5. Time of day and season of the year—These factors determine the tilt and rotation of the earth, and this affects how much UV gets through the atmosphere. Sun energy is most intense between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. and more intense in summer than winter.
6. Reflection and transmission of light—Light reflects off sand, water, cement, etc. Glass transmits UVA light.