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We received this question from Tara, a salon operator in the northeastern U.S.:
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“Can Team Wolff help me explain to my salon guests the differences between our Level-One, Level-Two & Level-Three tanning systems?”
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This is a great question. As a consumer, how do you decide between a Honda Fit, Honda Civic or Honda Accord? All three will get you to your destination, right? Are you more concerned with price and mileage? What about comfort and style? It’s a matter of personal preference, and what you will invest for your desired experience.
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It’s the same thing with tanning equipment. All UV tanning units, regardless of timer interval or lamp type, may produce a maximum of four (4) MED (minimal erythemal dose) during a session. An MED refers to the least amount of UV radiation a person can receive during a session which induces a distinct erythema or “pinkening” of the skin with 7-24 hours following exposure. Factors such as the transmissive quality of the acrylic shield, the distance of the lamps from the tanner, the ballasts used, bed geometry (design), electrical current/voltage, number of lamps in the system and the distance between them, and the effectiveness of the reflector system all influence what the manufacturer’s recommended exposure schedule and maximum timer interval will be.
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Typically, the more lamps and more spacious the bed, the shorter the exposure schedule. Also, the higher-end systems tend to have more bells and whistles – body contour acrylics, air conditioning, premium quality sound systems, and more.
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Factors to consider: Is your tanner on a tight budget? Are they a “Type A” personality who prefers to get in and out of the salon quickly? Or, are they like me and enjoy taking a nap while tanning? Is comfort more important to them? All of these factors should come into play when helping a guest choose a tanning package according to tanning “level.”
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Also, we humans are creatures of habit. You no doubt have salon guests who will only tan in “Room #4,” even though you have the same bed in two other rooms. It’s your job to entice your tanners to “upgrade.” You might offer one week of sessions in any equipment level for a special price. Or, when a tanner spends a certain amount on lotion, they get a tanning level upgrade. Rental car companies offer free upgrades all the time, in hopes that if you drive off in their full-size car, you’ll never go back to renting a compact or mid-size.
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You can still get a great tan from a 20-minute bed; but it will not be the same tanning experience as one delivered by a higher-end system. Since I’m from the lamp company side, let’s get back to lamps. I don’t care how expensive the bed is, if you’re using lamps that don’t tan your customers, you’re throwing money down the drain. For your low-pressure beds, you want a lamp with just enough UVB to stimulate the melanin production, lots of UVA1 for pigment-darkening and less of UVA2, which causes wrinkles.
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Tara, thanks for your great question!
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If you have a question you’d like to be featured in an upcoming article, please email sales@wolffsys.com.
