Let’s face it; if there were no sunlamps, there
wouldn’t be an indoor tanning industry. But how much do you really know
about the most important tool of your trade?
____________________________________________________________
Most salon professionals know the basics about sunlamps and the tanning process – that UVB stimulates melanin in the skin, then UVA oxidizes it and turns it brown. Beyond that, however, there seems to be much confusion about these devices that founded the indoor tanning industry. And what you don’t know about sunlamps – especially concerning compatibility, “top-dropping” or UVB percentages – can hurt you. Only by talking to the tanning industry’s top sunlamp manufacturers can salon pros get the straight dope on these complicated and technical subjects. Fortunately, Island Sun Times has done that for you!
Sunlamp Compatibility
Are your sunlamps compatible with the tanning unit they’re being used in?
This is a question of extreme importance, says Joe Schuster of Light Sources,
Inc., because if the answer is “no,” then you might be in a heap of trouble
with the Food and Drug Administration. “Each tanning unit comes equipped
with a sunlamp product which should be specified in the unit’s labeling
as the ‘original equipment lamp,’” Schuster said. “This is the lamp product
with which the unit’s exposure schedule testing was performed. Questions
always arise when salon owners choose to replace those original lamps with
a different sunlamp model or brand.” The official word on compatibility,
according to Schuster, is that original equipment lamps can be replaced
by a different sunlamp as long as the replacement lamps are within plus
or minus 10 percent as effective as the original lamp in causing erythema
and melanogenesis. In addition, the replacement lamp can’t significantly
alter the unit’s current exposure schedule. Furthermore, it’s illegal to
substitute any lamp that might fit or to retro-fit the given unit so that
a lamp of different dimensions might be used. A document stating compatibility
must be supplied by the lamp manufacturer.
What can happen if a salon pro disobeys the recommendations and uses sunlamps that aren’t compatible with a given tanning unit? “If the substitute lamp’s spectral output differs by more than 10 percent and is not a compatible or compliant substitute by the FDA standards, the unit’s owner is now considered the ‘manufacturer’ of the equipment and is now liable for any injuries resulting from use,” Schuster explained. “Those units should be re-certified with test data submitted to the FDA to maintain compliance, and should be equipped with a new exposure schedule.” Salon owners looking to purchase replacement lamps should ask their supplier for the manufacturer’s letter of compatibility prior to making the purchase – tanning pros might find themselves having to supply this document in the event of a salon inspection by a state authority.
What is High-Pressure?
Many salon pros utilize the advantage of offering sessions in high-pressure
tanning systems to compliment their low-pressure units. When selling these
typically higher-priced sessions, tanners might ask, “What’s the difference?”
Rather than utilize complicated and highly technical data to explain the
difference between high- and low-pressure tanning, Bob Wagner, CEO of AEGIS
Inc., makers of Blue Soleil high-pressure lamps, suggests explaining it
in terms the tanner will best understand. “What the tanner really needs
to know is that they can achieve the color they’re looking for in a short
amount of time with a high-pressure unit,” Wagner explained. “This is possible
because high-pressure offers shorter, more intense dosages of UVA than the
average low-pressure unit. And because the exposure time is shorter and
more intense, clients won’t typically need to use it as often, which is
why the cost of high-pressure sessions and packages is typically more than
that of low-pressure units.”
Defining high-pressure tanning from a technical standpoint can be a bit tricky, but the information is good for tanning pros to know, especially if they’re considering offering these types of units at their salons. “It’s the type of material used that makes a high-pressure lamp what it is,” Wagner said. “High-pressure lamps utilize a combination of elements known as FeCoTH2, or Ferrous-Cobalt-Thalium-Iodide. When these elements are charged under high voltage, they become fissile and emit light. The glass tubing that encases the materials is made of high-quality quartz because of the material’s clarity and ability to withstand high temperatures.”
Lamp Depreciation Explained
Some salon pros still wish to know: When is the best time to change their
sunlamps? If they change them too early, they could be throwing away valuable
lamp life; if they change them too late, clients could complain about poor
tanning results. Fortunately, Wolff System Technology Corp. is willing to
set the record straight. Wolff’s definition of rated service life is that
point where UV output has depreciated 30 percent from initial levels (zero
hours). The best way to monitor the output of your lamps is to use a hand
held UV meter.
Stepp points out that there are many ways in which a salon
pro can use a UV meter to measure sunlamp output. “Some recommend letting
lamps ‘burn off’ for about 10 hours before metering, while others like to
take readings on three different spots on the bed,” he stated. “Still others
might recommend taking readings 25cm from the bench. No matter which method
is used, it’s important to test under the same circumstances each time.
The purpose of the meter is to recognize when UV output has depreciated
by 30 percent from initial levels, then re-lamp.” Wolff recommends taking
a reading first thing in the morning after the bed has warmed up for 15
minutes. The UV meter can be placed right on the acrylic – facing down or
facing up. “Just remember to be consistent,” Stepp added.
Sunlamps are strongest during their first 50 to 100 hours of use, so Wolff
recommends salon owners consider this when assigning exposure times to their
clients. “Salon pros might cut clients’ exposure time back about 10 percent
during this period until they adjust to the new lamps,” Stepp said. “Using
a UV meter requires extra work, but will allow you to replace depreciated
sunlamps before you get customer complaints.”
Lamp Staggering – the Dos and Don’ts
Some salon owners try to save money on sunlamp replacement by “staggering”
the lamps in their tanning systems – changing every other lamp after a certain
number of hours rather than group re-lamping or re-lamping all at once.
“The gradual reduction of UV output from sunlamps requires that the lamps
be replaced before they actually burn out, and before tanners complain of
poor tanning results,” said Michael Stepp of Wolff System Technology Corp.
“Service-life ratings from Wolff System are determined based upon a 30 percent
reduction in output from initial levels – some lamp types have service-life
ratings of 500, 800, 1000 hours based on this formula. Wolff recommends,
at a minimum, that lamps be ordered when output has declined by 25 percent
from initial readings, and replaced when the decline reaches 30 percent.”
Given this formula, Stepp says there’s one way to stagger lamp changes and
another way not to – it’s important for salon pros to know the difference.
Example One:
At 30 percent output decline from new, the salon pro replaces every other
lamp with plans to repeat the process eventually, only this time replacing
the oldest lamps. At the second half re-lamping, the oldest lamps are now
down by as much as 50 percent. “A 20-minute bed with sunlamps down 30 percent
becomes a 26-minute bed; with half new lamps, the unit is restored to 23
minutes,” explained Stepp. “At the second half re-lamp, the oldest lamps
are now down 50 percent and the newest lamps are down 30 percent, which
results in a 28-minute bed. Replacing half the lamps again will restore
the unit to 23 minutes.” Stepp said this method of staggering lamp changes
is not recommended because, while the salon pro will save money on lamp
purchases, they run the risk of losing clients due to unsatisfactory tanning
results.
Example Two:
Stepp does offer a potentially successful way to stagger sunlamp changes.
At about 15 percent output decline, a salon pro can replace every other
lamp with plans to repeat the process after the same time period, only this
time, replace the oldest lamps. At the second half re-lamp, the oldest lamps
are now down 30 percent and the newest are reduced by 15 percent. The results
– a 20-minute bed down 15 percent becomes a 23-minute bed; half new lamps
restores the bed to 21.5 minutes. At the second half re-lamp, the oldest
lamps are down 30 percent and the newest lamps are down 15 percent – this
makes the bed a 24.5-minute unit. “While this approach might not save money
on lamp purchases, it will dramatically reduce the risk of losing clients
due to poor tanning results,” Stepp commented. “It carries less risk and
requires the same lamp purchases over the life of the equipment as if you
had completely re-lamped when lamps drop 30 percent, but with more frequent
and smaller lamp orders. The tanning experience you offer your clients may
be superior to those of your competitors, especially if they don’t stagger
their lamps correctly.”
The Scoop On “Top-Dropping”
Ever hear of “top-dropping?” It’s the common name for the practice of rotating
used lamps from the canopy to the bench sometime during a lamp’s life cycle.
But can “top-dropping” really extend sunlamp life? “The answer is absolutely,
probably, probably not and no,” said Kevin Apgar, Cosmedico Light Inc. Director
of Sales and Business Development. “The specific answer depends entirely
on the tanning unit in question.” Kevin explains that when a tanning unit
is measured by a manufacturer to establish an exposure schedule, it is a
commonly accepted practice that two to three areas are measured separately
– the facial area (if high-pressure facials are used), body area beneath
the canopy, and the bench. Each area emits UV and exposure schedules for
each of the three areas are determined with a UV meter. “Seldom do all three
of these areas have identical exposure times,” Kevin added. “And it is the
area that produces the maximum irradiation and has the shortest exposure
time that must be used when setting the exposure schedule for the bed.”
To illustrate his point, Apgar gave three examples of sunbeds, and in which
ones top-dropping can and cannot be used:
Sunbed A:
The bench of this unit has the higher output and is the reason it has a
15-minute exposure schedule. Practically speaking, a salon pro would need
four more minutes under the canopy to receive full exposure. “This is a
perfect example of where top-dropping can be advantageous,” Apgar commented.
“It puts new, fresh, full-power lamps into the canopy, where they are needed.”
Sunbed B:
In this situation, the unit’s canopy produces the most UV and has an exposure
schedule that is three minutes shorter than the bench. “Here, top-dropping
would not be recommended,” Apgar said. “The better thing to do would be
to rotate upward, also known as ‘bottom-upping.’ This would put the new
lamps in the bench where they’re most needed.”
Sunbed C:
Apgar gives a third example of a tanning unit that emits identical UV output
from both bench and canopy. “Moving depleted lamps from top to bottom or
vice versa makes little sense here,” he commented. “The best recommendation
is to replace all the lamps at the same time.”
UVB Percentage – The Truth is Out There
One of the most misunderstood aspects of sunlamps is UVB percentage,
says Michael Stepp. Thankfully, he was willing to step up and set the record
straight.
“Many salon pros believe that the UVB percentage is exactly
that – the
percentage of UVB rays that a sunlamp emits,” he said. “UVB percentage does
not refer to the percent of the lamp’s output in the UVB spectrum; this
percentage refers to the ratio of UVB to UVA.” For example, if a sunlamp
delivers 10 parts UVB and 200 parts UVA, the UVB ratio is 10/200, or five
percent. “Generally speaking, the only solid information a salon pro can
obtain by referring to a manufacturer’s UVB percentage ratings alone is
what that manufacturer wants to tell you about their lamp,” Stepp added.
“The higher the stated UVB percentage, the faster the lamp is supposed to
take a tanner to the maximum allowable dose of four MEDs for a full session,
as compared to other lamps from the same manufacturer.”
Another aspect of UVB percentage that can be misleading is when salon pros
compare the percentage between two types of lamps. For example, one lamp
can have a five percent UVB ratio while another could have a four percent
UVB ratio. If one only looks to the UVB percentage values, Lamp 1 with its
higher UVB/UVA ratio could mistakenly be construed as a stronger or more
effective lamp. “Not true,” Stepp commented. “Both lamps deliver the same
amount of UVB, but deliver greatly differing amounts of UVA. Lamp 2 has
a lower UVB ratio because it delivers so much more UVA.”
As you can see, there’s a lot more to knowing sunlamps than simply understanding how they work. This is serious business, and salon pros must know the facts in order to make the most of their sunlamp investment and provide the best results possible for their tanners. It’s why you got into this business, after all, isn’t it?
Lamp Fact:
The most reliable way to determine when lamps should be replaced is by using
a UV meter. When a sunlamp’s output has decreased to 70 percent of its UV
value when new, it is time for replacement.
Lamp Fact:
To be FDA compliant, a replacement lamp must be plus or minus 10 percent
of the original lamp’s erythemegenic and melanogenic output.
Lamp Fact:
Lamp makers recommend that gloves (latex or rubber) be worn when installing
lamps, as fingerprints on the glass can negatively affect the lamp’s performance.
Lamp Fact:
Darkening of lamp ends within the initial hours of operation may indicate
excessive voltage is being supplied to the tanning system. Check the equipment
manufacturer’s recommendation.
Lamp Fact:
When using a UV meter, it is essential that the meter position, room temperature
and incoming voltage be consistent with the original test conditions.
Today, the tanning industry produces many varieties of lamps, each with unique features and benefits. With so much innovation, salon pros have nearly endless options when it comes to choosing the perfect sunlamp for their needs. Know the facts, talk to the experts and invest wisely!
IST thanks Blue Soleil, Cosmedico, Light Sources and Wolff
System Technology Corp. for their assistance in preparing this article.
