When your salon guests complain that their tan has “stripes”, it’s usually the result of the sunbed design – specifically, the distance between the lamps – and that you’ve installed a reflector lamp in a bed designed to employ non-reflector lamps.
A sunbed designed for non-reflector lamps has a reflective shield positioned behind the lamps, so that when the bed turns on, the UV rays from the lamps are dispersed in all directions. The rays that are directed toward the back of the bed bounce off the reflective shield and back to the tanner. Reflector lamps have a reflective coating on the back of the lamp wall, which sends the UV rays in one direction. Large spaces between the lamps can cause tanners to develop a tan that appears in “stripes”.
The diagram above illustrates a bed designed for non-reflector lamps – notice the spacing between the lamps.
Often, tanners develop white patches of skin that don’t tan – common areas are the shoulder blades and just above the buttocks. These are caused by the pressure on those areas as the body reclines on a hard surface and blood flow to those areas is restricted. Most people will lie in one position for the duration of their sunbed session. Since blood carries oxygen, which is essential to the tanning process, the skin at pressure points does not tan. Periodic body-shifting during a session will keep white patches from developing.
There are several reasons why white spots – or “sun spots” – become noticeable on the body once the tanning process begins.
Areas of skin which do not tan could be the result of genetics; the melanocytes in that certain area may simply not be efficient at producing melanin.
Tanners can also develop white spots that do not develop color, which are caused by the presence of a common fungus living on the skin’s surface. While the fungus is harmless, it absorbs UV light which would normally penetrate the skin. This fungus is not a result of UV tanning; it merely becomes noticeable once a tan develops. It can be remedied through the use of prescription medication or topical lotions created specifically to address this problem. You can also ask your lotion distributor if they have a product to treat white spots.
Certain medications can cause unfavorable reactions when combined with UV exposure. For example, birth control pills can cause blotches and uneven skin pigmentation.
