Commercial Tanning Beds: An Overview

Commercial tanning beds come in two basic formats. Horizontal tanning beds are the most commonly seen tanning beds in both residential and commercial settings. These pod- or shell-shaped tanning beds consist of a top lined with tubular ultraviolet lamps and a contoured glass or plastic “bench” for optimal relaxation. Just lie down, close the lid, and allow the UV light to penetrate your skin. Flip your body once halfway through your session for an even tan.

Vertical tanning beds are also known as tanning booths or stand-ups. The interior is lined with UV light bulbs in a 360° pattern. Just go in and close the door. Since your body is exposed to UV light on all sides, there’s no need to turn your body over mid-session; therefore, a tanning booth tans twice as fast as a collapsible tanning bed.

High-pressure tanning beds bombard you with more tanning rays (UVA) and fewer sunburn rays (UVB). The lamps are made of quartz, which allows their internal air pressure to be higher than conventional UV lamps, thus filtering out more unwanted UVB rays. High-pressure tanning beds sport elegant “open cage” construction with no doors. They are suitable for medium to dark skin tones. Most commercial tanning beds include high-pressure lamps for at least the facial area.

All UV lamps are marked with a UVB percentage. For example, a lamp marked 5% UVB emits five percent UVB rays and ninety-five percent UVA rays. This is a particularly low percentage of UVB, which means that the tans produced by its radiation will be brown and not burnt. This is a good thing.

Most UV lamps have a life of between 500 and 1,000 hours. However, you should replace the lamps halfway down, as the quality of their light weakens over time.

The FDA requires that all commercial tanning beds include a timer that automatically turns off the lamps at a set time.

The latest technological advance in commercial tanning beds are cooling systems, which keep you even more comfortable while tanning.