Who does not want to get the bronzed kissed tan like the glamorous Hollywood stars? But how many of us can afford to head off to sea beaches and lie under the sun for a considerable time to get the natural tan? Then not all people are equally comfortable to take sun baths in the middle of the crowded beaches. And above all, days have changed and sun bath is no longer viewed as healthy as it had been some fifty years back, thanks to the hole in the ozone layer for which, these days you get plenty of UV rays free with the sunlight.

So what is the solution? Simple, get the tanned look right at your home! What did you say? Impossible? Not at all; you will only need to invest once in a simple accessory called the tanning bed and you will get the tan according to your wishes years after years without stepping outside your home.

Tanning beds have become quite popular means of gaining a tanned skin without spending precious hours in the sea beach. But this popular device has got only a short history. It was only during late 1970's that the concept of tanning bed was imported from Europe to North America by the German scientist, Friedrich Wolff.

The conventional tanning beds come with lamps that produce ultraviolet radiations that account for the change in the skin pigmentation. In fact these rays stimulate the production of melanin present in the skin and the increased number of melanin gives your skin a sun burnt tone.

It has been questioned that since the ultraviolet lights used in tanning beds contain exactly the same kind of ultraviolet rays coming from the sun, how safe is this device to use? The experts are however of the opinion that if tanning bed is used properly, it is absolutely safe and devoid of any risk. To make a proper use of it you have to first know how does it work?

The lamp in the tanning beds radiates both the UVB and UVA rays. It is the UVB rays that initiate the changes in pigmentation by stimulating the production of melanin. If your skin has a limited exposure to UVB rays, it will render a burnt out color to your skin without causing any harm linked to skin cancers. On the other hand it is the UVA rays that produce the golden brown color by oxidizing the melanin. Now that dominant rays coming from the tanning bed light are these UVA.

If you want the perfect olive or bronze look without making any misuse of the device, first you have to develop a base tan. You can get a base tan by using the bed for twenty to thirty minutes, three to five times a week. Continue with this schedule for about four weeks. The next is the time for maintenance. From now on you will need to take the tan just twice or thrice a week.

Remember one thing; make it a point to wear tanning goggles every time you are on the tanning bed. Simply closing your eyes or putting on an ordinary sunglass can not adequately protect your eyes from UV light.