Health risks cause more students to turn toward UV-free fads

Bronzed faces and long lines at tanning salons are prevalent this season in Bloomington. As the weather gets colder and the sunlight hours dwindle, more students begin to desire that straight-from-the-beach tan. In light of skin cancer and other health risks associated with tanning, many students are finding new methods to achieve their healthy glows ranging from low-risk tanning beds to spray tanning.\nAccording to the American Academy of Dermatology, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. More than one million new cases are diagnosed in the United States each year. Many of these are attributed to over exposure to damaging ultraviolet, or UV, rays of the sun and traditional tanning beds. One type of UV ray, called UVA, penetrates deep into the skin and can cause premature aging of the skin and the development of certain types of skin cancer, according to the Sun Safety Alliance. To avoid these harmful rays, the tanning bed alternative, spray tanning, is gaining appeal as a sunless way to obtain a healthy tan. As a result, two local salons, Sol Spa and Total Tan, now provide UV-free tanning options.\nSpray tanning is effective at dying the skin because the solution applied contains dihydroxyacetone, a chemical that interacts with proteins in the skin to produce a tan color that does not wash off. Both salons offer different forms of spray tanning. Total Tan has a service called Mystic Tan, a machine that sprays a solution for 60 seconds while the patron stands in a booth. Sol Spa, however, uses an airbrush applicator and hand sprays each tanner. \n"Total Tan and my salon at home both have the Mystic Tan, yet I like being airbrushed better because it is more even and gives me better color," said sophomore Lauren Lamping. \nAirbrushing is something Sol Spa added to its Walnut Street salon more than a year ago. Sol Spa technicians use a small airbrush to spray an orange-colored solution from patrons' feet to their head. The tan usually lasts from one to two weeks, but the color may begin to fade after the first couple of days. Although it only takes one session to obtain a deep tan, customers may go back after a couple of weeks to gain a deeper color. Airbrushing is priced at $25 a session, approximately $20 more than the traditional, entry-level tanning bed.\nTotal Tan offers another UV-free option called Mystic Tan, which has gained the attention of everyone from students to celebrities. Before using Mystic, the patron undresses alone, donning a cap to cover his or her hair, and puts cream over creases and cuticles to prevent the dye from soaking in and leaving orange marks or creases. The Mystic Tan machine has about six nozzles that spray tanning solution from head to toe. It has two levels of darkness: one for those who are relatively pale and another for the customers who are already tanned or have done the Mystic before.\n"I do not tan at all because I am concerned about protecting my skin," said senior Alex Gray. "I do the Mystic occasionally, but mostly I use self-tanner."\nIt usually takes two to three sessions in the Mystic for a person to obtain a strong tan. The cost for a complete treatment can range from about $30 to $50, depending on the person's skin type. \nBut for students like junior Meghann Faas, the extra money may be an obstacle but worth the reward.\n"I won't tan due to the cancer risks, but I can't afford to spray tan all the time," Faas said. "I save it for special occasions."\nFor students who prefer traditional tanning beds but are concerned about health risks, Sol Spa also offers a high-pressure bronzing bed that emits low UVB rays. UVB rays are more dangerous than UVA rays and are the primary cause of sunburns, premature aging of the skin and skin cancer. The salon's bed, The Ultra Bronze, gives off less than 1 percent of UVB rays; typical tanning beds emit about 5 percent UVB rays. As a result, this high-pressure bed decreases the likelihood of getting burned.\nWith the options of low-UVB beds and spray tanning, more students can find peace of mind knowing their tans are risk-free. But still, because of their efficiency and inexpensiveness, Mills said most customers still prefer to use the traditional tanning beds. \n"Why would I pay $25 for a spray tan when I can pay around $3 and relax in a tanning bed?" said junior Alexandra Bernardi. "I'm not that concerned with the health risks right now."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Kristin \nFruehauf at kfruehau@indiana.edu.