More and more people are opting to buy their own tanning beds rather than frequent a tanning salon. The main reason for this is that over a period of months or years, frequenting a salon can cost you thousands of dollars. That’s money you could have spent on your own machine. And then there’s the matter of time spent traveling to and from the salon. If you tan often, why not invest in a home tanning bed?

Indoor Tanning Beds

Very recently the World Health Organization issued a statement, backed up by the National Institutes of Health, recommending that no one under the age of eighteen should use an indoor tanning bed, citing tanning bed popularity among youth, high ultraviolet radiation levels in the beds, and a general increase in skin cancer cases.

Whether minors should be prohibited from using indoor tanning beds is a question of politics, but the point on safety is well taken by the majority of the tanning bed industry, as the warnings on their websites can attest. Indoor tanning beds must be used in moderation. A good rule of thumb is this: If you think your tan looks good, take a break from your tanning schedule.

Residential Tanning Beds

Residential tanning beds run off 120V or 220V power and take the form of two basic designs. Mostly likely the design you buy will be a horizontal tanning bed. Also known as capsules or clamshells, these beds consist of a lid lined with tubular ultraviolet lamps, and a glass or plastic “bench" contoured to fit the body. Set the timer, lie down on the bench, close the lid, rest your head on a pillow and allow the UV light to penetrate your skin. Relax. Turn your body over one time halfway through your session for even tanning.

Almost as common for home use is the vertical tanning bed, also known as a tanning booth or stand-up. The interior walls are lined with UV lamps to tan you on all sides simultaneously. Just step inside and close the door. A tanning booth tans with twice the speed of a clamshell tanning bed.

Portable tanning beds are also popular in the residential sector. A portable tanning bed consists of a “canopy" of UV lamps on a wheeled support structure. Position the hydraulically mounted canopy over your favorite deck chair or beach towel and you’re golden. The best part: tanning canopies cost half as much as clamshell tanning beds. The down side: canopies don’t deliver as high a quality tan as stand-ups or clamshells.