Question for Don or Solarmeter - TanToday - Helping Salon Owners, One At A Time, Since 2000!

Island Cove · 23rd July 2006, 02:37 AM

or who ever else can answer this.

why is it that you can take 2 tanning units, one being an HP unit, and one being a VHR

VHR has 160 watt lamps and (i know you hate this Don but bare with me ) 3.5% UVB, Max session is 15 min to reach 4 meds.

HP has 500-1500 watt lamps, just under 2% UVB and max session is 15 min to 4meds.

this being said, one would asume you would burn at the same rate as both units reach 4 meds in 15 minutes. (I do understand how the UVB% thing works in acordance to watts of lamps.

so how is it then that the VHR will have an exposure schedual that recomends a client starts 3-5 minutes their first session, but the HP unit exposure schedual starts at 9 min. I know their is way more UVA on an HP unit, does this UVA make enough of a difference the very first tanning session to allow a client to tan longer than on a VHR? doesn't add up for me, Unless I got the exposure schedual wrong

solarmeter® · 23rd July 2006, 12:14 PM

Quote:

but bare with me

Hmmmmm... ^_^ OK.

You really need a MED meter (shameless spam) to understand this.

The spectral power distribution in the UVB (and UVA) bandwidths are quite different between HP and many VHRs. Yet - IF they BOTH certified at 15 min to 4 MED then they should read the same MED/hr on a 7.0 meter: 16 MED/hr. But probably they don't.

The initial session time is always supposed to be 3/4 MED on any bed for type 2 skin. The shortcut to get I-ST is 45/MED.hr or 45/16 = 2.8 minutes rounded to 3.

So what the VHR label is trying to say is 3 min for type 2 skin, and 4-5 minutes for types 3-4 respectively.

The HP I-ST suggestion is too high IF they are delivering 4 MEDs in Te Max time. But typically HP lists a shorter Te time for marketing reasons.... and because most people don't NEED 4 MEDs in max session because the total UV is so much higher on a 5.0 meter - jumbo UVA.

On the other hand.... if your HP really does have 2% UVB, that is on the high end of what's out there. More normal is 1.0-1.5% lately. The "classic" HPs were only 0.4-0.6%. So maybe your HP really IS putting out 4 MEDs in 15 minutes. If so, then the above 3,4,5 minute I-ST would be correct... NOT 9 minutes!

Island Cove · 24th July 2006, 02:42 AM

Thanks Solarmeter. Your explanation was great

Drew · 27th July 2006, 07:54 PM

Most HP beds are "certified" much lower than 4 med's. The manufacturers know that the tanning salon owners wouldn't understand a "legal" time of 48 minutes and would probably run the dumb bed for "full session"

Old UB beds were legal for 2 hours but amazingly they never had a 2 hour sticker.

Cove, glad you are wanting to learn about this. Really. If you don't understand tanning.......ask. You will be happier knowing youare not part of the problem but part of the solution.

Most people are affraid to ask.

23rd July 2006, 02:37 AM	#1 (permalink)
Island Cove The Good, The Bad, The Banned Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 2,187	Question for Don or Solarmeter or who ever else can answer this. why is it that you can take 2 tanning units, one being an HP unit, and one being a VHR VHR has 160 watt lamps and (i know you hate this Don but bare with me ) 3.5% UVB, Max session is 15 min to reach 4 meds. HP has 500-1500 watt lamps, just under 2% UVB and max session is 15 min to 4meds. this being said, one would asume you would burn at the same rate as both units reach 4 meds in 15 minutes. (I do understand how the UVB% thing works in acordance to watts of lamps. so how is it then that the VHR will have an exposure schedual that recomends a client starts 3-5 minutes their first session, but the HP unit exposure schedual starts at 9 min. I know their is way more UVA on an HP unit, does this UVA make enough of a difference the very first tanning session to allow a client to tan longer than on a VHR? doesn't add up for me, Unless I got the exposure schedual wrong

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24th July 2006, 02:42 AM	#3 (permalink)
Island Cove The Good, The Bad, The Banned Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 2,187	Thanks Solarmeter. Your explanation was great

27th July 2006, 07:54 PM	#4 (permalink)
Drew Hall of Famer Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ca Posts: 2,890	Most HP beds are "certified" much lower than 4 med's. The manufacturers know that the tanning salon owners wouldn't understand a "legal" time of 48 minutes and would probably run the dumb bed for "full session" Old UB beds were legal for 2 hours but amazingly they never had a 2 hour sticker. Cove, glad you are wanting to learn about this. Really. If you don't understand tanning.......ask. You will be happier knowing youare not part of the problem but part of the solution. Most people are affraid to ask.