Tanning salons see spike in customers
Brandon Edwards, Staff Writer
Issue date: 2/11/05 Section: Lifestyles
- Page 1 of 2 next >
Spring break is only five weeks away, and the tanning season has officially begun. The winter season puts sunbathers into hibernation, and students looking to hit the beach during spring break are heading to the tanning beds to get started on their tan.
"The tanning season definitely begins right now in February," said Ali McIntosh, manager of A Classic Salon. "In January we had anywhere from 10 to 20 clients per day, but now we're having anywhere from 45 to 50 clients a day."
Major spring break destinations are beaches like Cancun, Cabo San Lucas and Florida, where the sun plays a major factor in vacation activities. Many students tan to shed their pale winter look and kick off spring with a more "outdoor" look.
"In general, most people are concerned about appearance. It can be assumed that people desire to be considered beautiful by others and to have more pleasant features. The stereotypical good-looking person is usually a thin female or muscularly built male with nice, clean hair and bronze or tan skin," according to a recent study from the psychology department of Vanderbilt University.
Many students turn to tanning beds to achieve that dark, bronzed look and to arrive at the beach with a base tan.
"At our place we recommend starting your tanning process slow, so you don't burn," McIntosh said. "The best thing is usually to talk to the person running the tanning bed about what works best for your own personal skin type."
McIntosh said she advises clients to start at five minutes in a low wattage bed. Once they have a base tan they can start increasing their time. However, it won't happen after two visits. "It's a process," she said.
There are other ways to get that dark tan look without relying ultraviolet rays, however. Stacy, a licensed practical nurse at Ozark Dermatology Clinic, said she found a new, safer way to achieve a tan.
"Several people in my office, including myself, have tried the new process called Mystic Tan, which uses a shower head and total body spray," Stacy said. "I think it gives you a darker look. Being in the dermatology business we don't recommend that [tanning beds] at all. Those things accelerate aging, wrinkles and give your skin a leathery look. There are absolutely no positives to tanning beds."
"The tanning season definitely begins right now in February," said Ali McIntosh, manager of A Classic Salon. "In January we had anywhere from 10 to 20 clients per day, but now we're having anywhere from 45 to 50 clients a day."
Major spring break destinations are beaches like Cancun, Cabo San Lucas and Florida, where the sun plays a major factor in vacation activities. Many students tan to shed their pale winter look and kick off spring with a more "outdoor" look.
"In general, most people are concerned about appearance. It can be assumed that people desire to be considered beautiful by others and to have more pleasant features. The stereotypical good-looking person is usually a thin female or muscularly built male with nice, clean hair and bronze or tan skin," according to a recent study from the psychology department of Vanderbilt University.
Many students turn to tanning beds to achieve that dark, bronzed look and to arrive at the beach with a base tan.
"At our place we recommend starting your tanning process slow, so you don't burn," McIntosh said. "The best thing is usually to talk to the person running the tanning bed about what works best for your own personal skin type."
McIntosh said she advises clients to start at five minutes in a low wattage bed. Once they have a base tan they can start increasing their time. However, it won't happen after two visits. "It's a process," she said.
There are other ways to get that dark tan look without relying ultraviolet rays, however. Stacy, a licensed practical nurse at Ozark Dermatology Clinic, said she found a new, safer way to achieve a tan.
"Several people in my office, including myself, have tried the new process called Mystic Tan, which uses a shower head and total body spray," Stacy said. "I think it gives you a darker look. Being in the dermatology business we don't recommend that [tanning beds] at all. Those things accelerate aging, wrinkles and give your skin a leathery look. There are absolutely no positives to tanning beds."
