The VIP guide to tanning

Modern lamps versus the beds you remember

If your reference point is a sunbed from fifteen years ago, the equipment has genuinely moved on. Three things changed:

Regulated output

The 0.3 W/m² limit means a compliant modern bed cannot be run at the intensity some older beds were. Sessions are shorter as a result — 8 to 12 minutes rather than 20 to 30.

Balanced lamp spectrum

Modern low-pressure lamps are engineered for a specific UVA/UVB balance rather than maximum output, which is intended to let colour develop gradually rather than forcing a fast, patchy, high-burn-risk tan. How skin responds varies between individuals.

Comfort and cooling

Current beds run cooler, with better airflow, reduced infrared and shoulder tanners to even out the areas that used to come out pale. It is a considerably more comfortable experience than it used to be.

None of this makes UV harmless. It makes the exposure more controlled and more predictable, which is a real improvement — but it is a difference of degree, not of kind.

How often should you use a sunbed?

Less often than most people assume. General guidance for commercial sunbed use is a maximum of around 60 sessions a year, with at least 24 hours between sessions — your skin needs that time to react and repair. Never tan twice in one day, and never use a sunbed on the same day you have had significant sun exposure.

Our unlimited packages cap you at 12 minutes a day for exactly this reason. Building a tan gradually over several short sessions gives a better and longer-lasting colour than trying to force it in two long ones — and it is far less likely to leave you burnt.

What about vitamin D and "winter benefits"?

You will see salons claim sunbeds treat seasonal low mood or are a good source of vitamin D. We will not make those claims, because the evidence does not support them and the NHS specifically advises against using sunbeds as a vitamin D source. Sunbeds are predominantly UVA; vitamin D synthesis is driven by UVB.

If you are worried about vitamin D over winter, a supplement is cheaper, safer and actually works — the UK government recommends 10 micrograms a day for adults during autumn and winter. Please speak to a pharmacist or your GP rather than to us.

The honest reason most of our clients tan in winter is simpler: they prefer how they look with a tan, and they feel better for it. That is a legitimate reason. It just isn't a medical one, and we are not going to dress it up as one.

Who should not use a sunbed

• Anyone under 18 — legally prohibited
• Fitzpatrick skin type I: very fair skin that always burns and never tans
• Anyone with a history of skin cancer, or a family history of melanoma
• Anyone with a large number of moles or freckles, or any changing mole
• Anyone taking photosensitising medication — some antibiotics, acne treatments, St John's Wort and others
• Anyone who is pregnant, or has a condition made worse by UV exposure
• Anyone who has had sunburn in the last week

Every new client has a free skin-type consultation before their first session. If your skin type means tanning is a bad idea, we will tell you so and we will not sell you minutes. We would rather lose the sale than give you a burn.

Getting the best from your session

1. Always wear the goggles. Closing your eyes is not protection — UV passes through the eyelid. We provide goggles free.
2. Arrive with clean skin. Remove make-up, perfume, deodorant and aftershave; several ingredients are photosensitising.
3. Do not use SPF on a sunbed. It is designed for outdoor use and will simply block the session you have paid for.
4. Use a proper tanning lotion. Hydrated skin holds a tan noticeably longer than dry skin.
5. Start short. Begin at the low end for your skin type and build up. You cannot undo a burn.
6. Moisturise afterwards. Daily, generously. This is the single biggest factor in how long your colour lasts.
7. Check your skin. If a mole changes shape, size or colour, see your GP. Do not wait.

The legal position in the UK

Under the Sunbeds (Regulation) Act 2010, it is illegal for a commercial salon in England and Wales to allow anyone under 18 to use a sunbed. Scotland has equivalent rules. This is not a house policy we could bend if we wanted to — we check ID, every time, without exception. If you look under 25 and cannot produce identification, we will not let you tan.

Commercial sunbeds in the UK are also limited by standard to an effective erythemal irradiance of 0.3 W/m². In practice that means a properly maintained modern bed is regulated to a defined output rather than being as strong as the manufacturer can make it.

What sunbeds do — honestly

A sunbed produces ultraviolet light, mostly UVA with a smaller amount of UVB. UV triggers melanin production in the skin, which is what produces a tan. A tan is, biologically, a response to UV damage — that is true of sunlight and it is true of a sunbed.

We are not going to pretend otherwise. The World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies UV-emitting tanning devices as a Group 1 carcinogen — the same category as sunlight itself. Using a sunbed increases your lifetime risk of skin cancer, and that risk is higher the younger you start and the more often you go.

Plenty of adults weigh that up and decide to tan anyway, in the same way people weigh up sunbathing on holiday. Our job is to make sure you make that decision with accurate information, that the equipment is properly maintained, and that you are not overdoing it.

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This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have any concern about your skin, a mole, or whether tanning is appropriate for you, please speak to your GP or a pharmacist. Sources: Sunbeds (Regulation) Act 2010; IARC Monograph on solar and UV radiation; NHS guidance on sunbeds and vitamin D.