This question came to our team from Kristi and Tiffani Abela from Unique Super Tan in Woodhaven, MI:
“How do we respond to a salon guest who is comparing our beds to those in another facility based on the “total watts of power” indicated by the manufacturer on the sunbeds’ labels?”
I would suggest to a tanner who is comparing beds or salons that “lamp wattage” is not a good basis for comparison.
“Total power consumption in watts” is listed on the equipment manufacturer labels to help you determine the BTUs (British Thermal Unit) the tanning systems produce in order to properly ventilate and cool your salon.
“Total lamp wattage” is usually determined by taking the wattage of the lamp(s) installed in the unit and multiplying by the number of lamps in the unit. For instance, if you had (38) 160W lamps and three 400W high-pressure facial tanners, the lamp wattage would be 7,280. However, the ballast in the unit is the determining factor. Therefore, if the 160W lamp is run by a 200W ballast, it’s now a 200W lamp and the total wattage would increase. Or, if you were to put a 200W lamp on a 160W ballast, the wattage would decrease.
As we mentioned in an earlier article in which I described the differences between Level-1, Level-2 and Level-3 sunbeds, there are many factors that make up the variances between equipment models. I would suggest to a tanner who is comparing beds or salons that “lamp wattage” is not a good basis for comparison. I would suggest a few others factors to consider: Is the salon’s staff friendly and knowledgeable? Are the facility and equipment clean? Do you feel the salon operators are really interested in helping you achieve the best tan possible, or just putting “butts in beds?”
All tanning systems, regardless of timer interval or lamp type may produce a maximum of four MEDs (Minimal Erythemal Dose). An MED refers to the smallest amount of UV radiation a person can receive from a tanning 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 unit’s acrylic shield, the distance of the lamps from the tanner, the ballasts used, bed geometry, electrical current/voltage, number of lamps and the distance between the lamps, and the effectiveness of the unit’s reflector system all influence what the recommended exposure schedule and maximum timer interval will be.
You also want to know the type of lamp that’s currently installed in the bed – is it the original lamp or a compatible replacement lamp? If it’s not compatible, then the recommended session time may result in overexposure and reddening. For a low-pressure tanning system, the ideal lamp has just enough UVB to stimulate the skin’s melanin, lots of UVA1 for pigment darkening and less of UVA2, which causes wrinkles.
