With so many distinct skin types (see chart on next page) and so many different clients, there cannot be one lamp that is ideal for everyone who desires a tan. Some like stronger lamps than others. Some of us find that our faces (and perhaps our legs) tan differently than our bodies. For this reason, AUVL manufactures a wide variety of tanning lamp strengths.
Tanning lamps are divided into two lamp types. Low pressure - similar to today’s florescent lamps and High Intensity Discharge (HID) more commonly referred to as high pressure lamps. Both low pressure and high pressure lamps emit ultraviolet light. UV light waves are shorter in length than visible light waves, and are not visible to the human eye. But the effect of them can be seen on a person’s skin commonly referred to as a tan.

Low pressure lamps are the most common in the tanning industry. All low pressure lamps share the same basic design, a glass tube lined with a phosphor coating, two electrodes inside, and end-caps to seal the glass tube. Low pressure lamps vary from each other in their length, end-cap style and wattage content. These lamps emit a wide range of UVA and UVB depending on lamps individual characteristics. The amount of UVA and UVB is changed through varying a lamps phosphor composition. Lamp manufacturers balance the amount of UVA and UVB to achieve the tan they require from an individual lamp. By using more UVB phosphor in a lamp, the lamp emits more UVB thus shortening the tan time. People often refer to these higher UVB lamps as hotter or more reddening.

High pressure lamps are very different then low pressure lamps. Their size is much smaller and they’re output is much greater. They are most commonly used as facial lamps but also are used in full body high pressure units. They emit a wide range of UV light including even UVC. While the lamp itself emits a wide range of UV light only a small fraction of the light is allowed to reach the tanner. HP lamps are installed behind filter glass, which eliminates most of the UVB and all of the UVC. HP lamps are considerably more expensive and are becoming more and more popular particularly in today’s high end tanning units.

The Tanning Process - There are 3 key elements needed to produce a tan - UVA, UVB & Oxygen

UVA
Commonly referred to as the “tanning ray”. This ray has the longest wavelength and thus penetrates the skin the deepest.

UVB
Wrongfully referred to as the “burning ray”. This ray has a shorter wavelength and is used to produce melanin and start the tanning process.

UVC
Used primarily in germicidal applications. This ray has the shortest wavelength and is not
used in the tanning process.

Oxygen
Found in the bloodstream is brought to the surface of the skin and allows for the oxidation or
browning of the skin. Without oxygen, the tanning process could not take place.

Tanning is the body's natural response to ultraviolet light

Thus the tanning process involves the relatively quick reddening of the skin followed by a slower forming, but longer lasting browning of the skin. The key is providing sufficient amounts of UVB to properly stimulate melanin followed with effective amounts of UVA to complete the tanning process.