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What Are the Best Tanning Lamps?

One of the most common questions we receive is from buyers is "what are the best tanning lamps?" The answer is really best answered by understanding your own skin type and then how your skin responds to the different kind of lamps. However it is also useful to understand the difference between regular tanning lamps (bulbs) and bronzing lamps (bulbs) before deciding on your lamps. 

There is a large amount of misinformation and confusion among customer and even sellers regarding the difference between tanning lamps and "bronzing lamps". Tanning beds and tanning booths can have many different lamp types installed but it's probably most useful to focus on the difference between regular tanning lamps vs. bronzing lamps for your tanning bed or tanning booth. Tanning lamps and bronzing lamps are both designed to emit Ultra Violet (UV) light that is made up of UVA and UVB rays. The UVA light has a longer wavelength and will penetrate the skin deeper than the UVB light. The UVB rays only penetrate the top layer on the skin and these rays are what create the reddish colored tan some people seek and when overdone can possible cause skin burns. However, these UVB rays also produce the majority of melanin which is a the necessary precursor to developing a dark tan. On the other hand, the UVA light penetrates deeper into the skin and those are the rays primarily responsible for oxidizing the melanin over time to create the brown color in our skin.

In general, when you are starting to tan most people will need a good dose of UVB to start the melanin production in their skin and they will also need a lamp they can stay under long enough without burning for the UVA rays to then oxidize the melanin to create a dark tan. The more UVB rays a lamp emits the more your skin may immediately shows some redness as more melanin is created. The more UVA rays your lamps emit the more it can darken and brown the melanin previously made by those UVB rays.

Bronzing lamps produce lower levels of UVB and high UVA while regular tanning lamps use a little higher UVB and slightly less UVA than bronzing lamps. Everyone's skin behaves differently to UVB and UVA ray combinations but in general regular tanning lamps are good for developing a base tan and may be good for people who are just getting into indoor tanning and using tanning beds. One very helpful rule to gauge how your skin behaves to UVB is to know that the natural sun at mid day in most parts of the United States produces about 5% to 6% UVB. Historically, tanning bed and booth manufacturers have installed lamps that produce about 5.0% to 7.5% as the standard lamps that come with a new bed in addition to a 20 minute maximum session timer. Some manufacturers offer alternative lamps when they produce a tanning bed or booth and those lamps can produce up to 11.9% UVB with lower sessions times of around 12-15 minutes. 

In addition, many people have a harder time producing melanin in their face and arms so higher levels of UVB in those areas can sometimes be necessary to jump start the melanin production. Bronzing lamps are generally good for more experienced tanners who already have been tanning or have a base tan and wish to maintain it with minimal UVB. Bronzing lamps normally emit UVB levels of about 2% to 5% and UVA levels of 97% to 95%. Tanning lamps can be generally defined at lamps with 5% to 11.9% UVB and 95% to 88.1% UVA. 

If you have used a tanning lamp or bronzing lamp before with success that is a good indication the combination of UVA and UVB works well for you! The combination of UVA and UVB in that lamp did well producing enough melanin with the UVB light and then it allowed you to spend enough exposure time for the UVA light to oxidize the melanin to give you a tan. When home tanning beds are made by the tanning bed manufacturers they normally install 20 minute lamps that produce about 5% to 6.5% UVB range because that level of UVB will not normally burn most users easily and work for the broad range of potential buyers. However, some users may tan better with 15 minute lamps that produce more UVB in the 7.5% to 11.9% UVB range to tan.

Your tanning unit is designed with a maximum timer setting and a specific lamp type in order to prevent the user from being exposed to excessive ultraviolet light. The original lamps are listed on the exposure label attached to the system or in the user manual and when used in combination with the timer on your system they insure a user is not exposed to excessive UV light during a tanning session. However, you may always retrofit your bed with a new replacement lamp of your choice but if you do please be aware of the strength of your new lamps and do not exceed the stated session times so you do not exceed the maximum daily UV radiation exposure limit set by the FDA.

The most popular F71 100W Bi-Pin Tanning lamps and their session times are listed below:

20-24 Minute F71 100W Bi-Pin Bronzing Lamps 

16-20 Minute F71 100W Bi-Pin Tanning Lamps

14-18 Minute F71 100W Bi-Pin Tanning Lamps

    10-15 Minute F71 100W Bi-Pin Tanning Lamps

      *See which Radiance tanning lamp may be the best for you (Click Here).

      *Determine your skin type (Click Here).

      If you have any questions please chat with us online or send an email to info@suntanningstore.com for assistance.  

      In the event your bed is made to use special (reflector type lamps) these FR71 100w Bi-Pin reflector lamps are popular options: 

      Radiance 5000R FR71 RUVA 14-18 Minute Sessions 

      Radiance 7000 FR71 RUVA  12-16 Minute Sessions

      Wolff Bronzing Sun Plus FR71 11-13 Minute Sessions

      Wolff Bronzing Sun MAG FR71 10-12 Minute Sessions 

      Note: Reflector lamps are made with a special reflective surface in the back of the lamps that focuses the light forward and can increase total UVB output as much as 40%. 

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