I received a “Lamp Talk” submission from Kimberly Ammons, owner of Toast Yur Bunz in Decatur, TX and she asked many great questions!
Q: What’s the simplest way to explain to a tanner how a sunlamp works?
A: There really is no one answer to this question, as there are many different lamp types that are designed for many different tanning systems.
Here is the simplest explanation: Fluorescent lamps employed in a tanning system emulate the sun’s UV light spectrum in a controlled spectral irradiance in order to prevent overexposure; high-pressure lamps with filter glasses do the same.
Q: Is there such a thing as a “bronzing lamp”? If so, what exactly is it and how does it differ from other sunlamps found in a tanning system?
A: This term was coined by salon operators who like to state that one lamp type makes you “browner’’ than others do, but it really has no relevance.
Q: Do certain brands of lamps emit different types of UV rays?
A: A fluorescent sunlamp’s spectral irradiance consists of UVA, UVB and infrared.
The lamp’s phosphor content and the type of glass used to make it determine the UV output. With regard to high-pressure lamp products, the filter glasses determine the mix of UVA and UVB.
Q: How often should lamps be removed from a tanning unit, wiped down and re-installed?
A: There is no specific time frame for this matter; in order to maximize performance, tanning units and lamps should be kept clean and free of internal dust build-up at all times.
Q: Is it pointless to install new lamps in a bed with old acrylic shields?
A: Acrylics do deteriorate over time, more
quickly with heavy use. In order to allow the lamps to perform properly, the shields should, of course, be changed as needed.
Q: Should lamps be moved from a sunbed canopy to the bench at half-life and new lamps installed in the canopy? Or, should all lamps be removed and replaced at the same time after recommended usage hours have been exceeded?
A: You should change all lamps in the tanning system after a certain number of hours. I recommend that you measure lamp output with a UVA/UVB meter after the first 50 hours of use and make notations of the output readings. Do the reading again at 500 hours to see how much (what percentage) the output has dropped. Generally speaking, different lamps in different tanning units have a useful life of anywhere from 500-750 hours, but should be changed for tanning performance purposes when output has dropped 20% or so.
Q: Do the lamps in a bed determine what “level’’ it is?
A: The term “level” is simply marketing that salon operators have used in order to differentiate between the various bed/stand-up models they offer. Typically, salons refer to a starter/low-end tanning system as “Level 1” and then assign a higher number to more powerful beds with a higher cost per session. A bed’s “level’’ has nothing to do with the lamps installed in it.
Q: Does a customer need a good base tan before high-pressure lamps will make a difference?
A: No. The UV spectrum of a high-pressure lamp develops color in the skin in a different way than low-pressure lamps, which typically emit a bit more UVB.
Q: Why do high-pressure bulbs differ so much in size and shape?
A: High-pressure lamps are designed for different applications based on the reflectors, wattage and even the cooling system of the bed. The important thing is to have the right lamp for a specific tanning unit.
