A slightly tanned woman.
A UVB tanning bed is an indoor device that emits 93% ultraviolet A (UVA) light and 7% ultraviolet B (UVB) light and is used to darken the skin. These types of indoor tanning beds use short-wavelength ultraviolet (UV) light emitted by fluorescent or incandescent light bulbs, producing a tan closer to what natural sunbathing can produce. Due to the short wavelength of UVB rays, the amount of time needed to produce a tan is considerably longer than with a UVA tanning bed.
A UVB tanning bed.
Indoor tanning beds artificially reproduce UVA and UVB light rays. When the body’s cells that produce pigment are exposed to natural sunlight or UVB rays from tanning beds, the body’s response is to protect the skin by increasing melanin production. Both UVA and UVB tanning beds make the skin on the body appear darker or tan. While a UVB tanning bed is powerful, achieving the desired tan pigmentation will take longer due to the shorter exposure time per session. Indoor tanning involving a UVB device should be limited to 20-minute sessions of seven to ten sessions to minimize the chance of sunburn and skin damage.
UVB tanning beds darken the skin by exposing it to artificially created UVB rays.
UVB beds can be found at tanning salons or purchased for home use. Home tanning beds are typically smaller and generally less powerful than professional tanning beds. Despite the longer time it takes to achieve the desired tan, a home UVB bed is considered a more popular option compared to UVA beds, often due to price and natural-looking results. UVA beds are generally much more expensive than UVB beds due to the fact that they contain premium quality quartz lamps, filters and reflector systems.
Precautions such as wearing proper eye protection and using a protective skin lotion should be taken into account when using a UVB tanning bed. Glasses can protect the cornea and retina from developing cataracts, a serious eye disease. Frequent and prolonged exposure to UVB light can be harmful, increasing the risk of sunburn, skin damage, and even skin cancer. Skin damage can manifest itself in the form of wrinkles, sun spots, and dry skin. After chronic exposure to UVB light, skin cancers such as basal cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma can develop.
Use of a skin protectant such as sunscreen or suntan lotion with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 is recommended. The SPF level will largely depend on your skin type and overall sensitivity to UVB rays. Lotions containing dibenzoylmethanes offer UVA and UVB protection when using a UVB tanning bed.