Spray Tanning Ventilation

Ventilation Overflow

A common question for tanning technicians is how big of an area do you need to offer a spray tanning service? The simple answer would seem to be an area large enough so you, your client and all the equipment needed can fit comfortably, maybe a space needed for a shower or smaller bathroom. However, there is a major limiting factor many people don't think about when choosing their set-up area - ventilation. Enough space is needed to allow proper airflow so the work area is not stuffy from tanning mist and overspray. Proper ventilation is also a necessity for the health of you and your client, as DHA is only FDA approved for external application. It is essential to take every available measure possible to reduce the inhalation of spray mist.

The major factors affecting ventilation are air filtration, protective gear, equipment utilization, equipment settings, and spray technique.

Air Filtration

The Sun Tanning Store offers two options for overspray removal and air filtration. You may also consider a HEPA filter as a supplementary room air cleaner. These tend to become clogged too easily to serve as a primary overspray reduction device.

The single most important step that can be taken to ensure a safe ventilation requirement is to use an effective air cleaner. Next select equipment and procedures that minimize overspray -- this will have the side benefit of saving you money in solution costs and not over-applying to your client. Protective accessories include masks, nose plugs, lip balm, goggles, and disposables. We recommend that the technician wear a mask and that the customer be offered nose plugs. The client should apply lip balm to protect the lips, since the lips are not technically an external application. The eyes can be protected by eye goggles or even the UV eye protectors used by tanning bed users. Disposables or the clients underwear or swimwear can protect the epithelial tissue of genitals. But the genital area should not be sprayed for aesthetic or health reasons.

Equipment Settings

Common sense here advises to follow the recommended settings for both the equipment and solution being used. But airbrush users may find these standard settings a bit tough to follow as the airbrush is a fairly low-pressure device that is not especially susceptible to overspraying. An equipment set-up can utilize as much as an 8 psi range while still producing an acceptable atomization of spray. At the top of this range, additional overspray is being produced but the spray pattern has not broken down to being a 'cloud' of tanning mist. At the bottom of this range, overspray is minimal but the spray pattern is only just above inadequate atomization. Optimal atomization for spray tanning is reached as a mutual relationship is found between application technique and an equipment psi setting.

HVLP Overspray Myth

The myth of HVLP not producing overspray could not be further from the truth. Some technicians wrongly believe that a overspray collection system is not required for HVLP spray tanning setups. While HVLP systems do quite well on "Material Transfer Rate" statistics, meaning that a high amount of solution is transferred to the intended object while minimizing wasted spray, the benchmark set for this test is only a 65% target rating. LVLP systems do not fair much better, as they have only slightly better ratings than HVLP units.

So, even in the ideal case, HVLP material transfer rates mean 25-35% of the spray is wasted. But these statistics also assume transfer to a large, flat surface and great coverage technique. HVLP spray tanning on a body with a hurried "2 Minute Tan mindset" execution can calculate closer to only a 60% successful target mark. Many HVLP technicians carry the mentality of performing a speedy application at the expense of solution waste and final tan quality. This hurried technique requires up to an 8 inch spray pattern with fleeting passes across the body, creating an incredible 40% estimated amount of overspray. All spray tanning setups should include an adequate ventilation/filtration system.

Air Quality

No matter what method of spray tanning is used, no matter what size room the set-up is in, it is important to your clients and yourself to employ the best ventilation units possible.