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10 Golden rules for sensible tanning
1 Before your client takes his or her tan in a tanning unit
first consult thoroughly the tanning table that you will
find in this book and follow its recommendations.
2 People have different reactions to sunlight. Somebody
with a pale complexion should take more care when
tanning than somebody with a darker complexion. Sun
beds should not be used by people:
• Whose skin displays signs of burning due to the
simple fact of being exposed to sunlight.
• Who have already been burned by the sun.
• Who have a skin condition or have or have had
skin cancer.
• Who are younger than 16 years.
• With skin type 1.
3 Make sure that upon commencing a series of tanning
sessions your customers have a rest day following their
first tanning session. If there is no sign of any unde-
sirable skin reaction they can then continue with the
series of sessions.
4 Make sure that your customers do not tan more than
once a day. This applies to tanning on the sun appli-
ance and tanning in natural sunlight. The skin does
not make a distinction between the two either. Taking
exposure to natural sunlight into account.
5 Some medicines and beauty products contain sub-
stances which can cause certain undesirable reactions
when combined with exposure to UV radiation. Other
substances may also sometimes have a similar effect.
Below you will find a list of substances which can react
when combined with exposure to UV radiation:
• Sulphonamide - in various medicines including
antibiotics
• Tetracyclines - in antibiotics, antiacne preparations
• Nalidexine acid - in medication for infection of the
urinary passages
• Chlorothiazide - in diuretics
• Sulphonylurea - in diabetic medication
• Phenothiazines - anti-stress medication
• Triacetyldiphenylisatine - in laxatives
• Psoralenes - in tanning accelerators
• Cyclamates - in sweeteners
• Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) - in sun protection
creams/oils
• Musk ambrette, musk oil - in perfumes
• Bleaching agents - in washing powders/liquids
• Eosine - in colorings
• Halogenated salicylamide - in anti fungal substances
6 When combined with exposure to ultraviolet light, cos-
metic products - perfumes and make-up, can cause
the skin to react. So take care to ensure that your
customers skin is clean before tanning. Some products
penetrate deep into the skin. Advise your custom-
ers to ensure that their skin is clean when tanning.
Recommend that they clean their skin thoroughly a
few hours before each tanning session, or better still,
recommend that they wear no make-up at all the day
before. Also advise your customers to remove any jew-
elry before tanning.
7 Make sure that your customers do not use cream or oil
that contains a sun block or self-tanning lotion when
using the tanning equipment. These products contain
substances which influence tanning times and thus
make the prescribed times unreliable. Also make sure
that your customers do not use tanning pills in combi-
nation with a series of tanning sessions or exposure to
natural sunlight. The combination of tanning pills and
UV light can increase the possibility of skin irritation
and sunburn.
8 If the skin is red and taut a short time after the tan-
ning session it is likely to be sunburnt. Wait for these
symptoms to disappear before tanning again, revise
the tanning plan and reduce the length of the individual
tanning sessions for the customer in question. If tan-
ning gives rise to undesirable reactions that you cannot
explain, stop the series of tanning sessions and advise
your customer to see their doctor if the symptoms do
not disappear within a short space of time.
9 Make sure that your customers always wear protective
goggles to protect their eyes - even if you may have
seen pictures of people tanning without using these
goggles. UV light which directly enters the eyes can
cause eye disorders (snow blindness, actinic conjunc-
tivitis or cataracts).
10 Reduce the tanning time by 20% during the first 50
hours that the (new) sun appliance is in use. During
these first 50 hours the tubes do not emit the normal
100% energy but 120% energy. After the first 50 hours
the tubes will emit the normal capacity of between 95%
to 100%.
Note:
If your customers are using medication,
ask them to consult their doctor before
embarking on a series of tanning sessions.