How does tanning work?
Tanning beds use ultraviolet (UV) light to tan people. There are three types of UV; UVA, UVB, and UVC. Tanning beds are designed to concentrate optimal levels of UVA in conjunction with very low percentages of UVB, on the outermost layers of skin so as to stimulate the production of Melanin pigment, which is slightly pink in its dormant state, and cause it to turn brown after excretion. The more melanin cells that are present in the skin determine the amount of pigment that will be excreted and distributed, and therefore the extent of the tan. Tanning beds are designed to filter this UVC, as this is a harmful type of UV.
