Q: One of our tanners was trying to compare beds in one salon to those in another by the “total watts of power” that the bed claimed to emit. How does this work?
Kristi & Tiffani Abela
Unique Super Tan – Woodhaven, MI
A: Thanks for your question, ladies. With regard to tanning systems, “total power consumption in watts” is to help you determine the BTUs needed to properly ventilate your salon. “Total lamp wattage” is usually determined by taking the wattage of each lamp and multiplying by the number of lamps in the unit. For instance, if the system has (38) 160W lamps and three 400W high-pressure facial lamps, this would equal 7,280 lamp wattage.
However, the ballast is the determining factor. Therefore, if the 160W lamp was on a 200W ballast, it’s now a 200W lamp and the total lamp wattage would increase. Or, if you were to put a 200W lamp on a160W ballast, the wattage would decrease.
As we mentioned back in April, when we explored the differences between Level-1, Level-2 and Level-3 sunbed, there are a lot of factors involved. Using the “lamp wattage” is not a good way to compare beds or salons.
Aside from the output of the tanning equipment, a few important factors to consider when comparing tanning facilities include: Is the salon staff friendly and knowledgeable? Is the facility and equipment clean? Do you feel the staff is really interested in helping you attain the best tan possible, or just putting “butts in beds”?
All tanning units, regardless of timer interval or lamp type may produce a maximum of 4 MEDs (minimal erythemal dose). An MED refers to the least amount of UV exposure a person can receive 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, number of lamps and the distance between them, the ballasts used, bed geometry, electrical current/voltage, and the effectiveness of the reflector system all influence what the exposure schedule and maximum timer interval will be.
You also want to know the type of lamp that’s in the bed. Is the lamp currently installed the unit’s original lamp or a compatible replacement? If it’s not compatible, then it may result in overexposure and reddening. For your low-pressure beds, you want a lamp with just enough UVB to stimulate the melanin, lots of UVA1 for pigment darkening and less of UVA2, which can cause wrinkling of the skin.
