What to look for in a tanning salon:

Don’t go by the expression “seen one, seen ‘em all”. There are a whole lot of things one should look for while surveying a potential place, but we will limit it to the basics as to what you should really look for in a tanning salon.

Maintenance & Hygiene – ‘cleanliness’ is something that cannot evade even the most cursory survey. Peek into the booths, check out the tanning beds, and skim as maximum surface of place and equipment with your fingers to look for dust and grease. Pretend that you have to mentally provide a certification of cleanliness. During the conducted ‘inspection’, see if the floor has been scrubbed and even check if the bathrooms are dry and clean. If some area is carpeted, confirm about its maintenance and overall sanitization. The place must reek like a ward in a hospital. Also casually enquire about the regular inspections, which are mandatory.    

Trained Manpower- Besides being able to greet you with a smile, check out if the staff is sufficiently trained to be certified a professional or an expert? Most of this would come through from the deft manner they handle your queries, so ask as much as possible if only to gauge their knowledge. They should confidently explain the entire tanning process, usage of various lotions and safety equipment; enquire about your skin type to determine the type and timing of UV Ray exposure, and the associated precautions if on any particular medication. Check if they have a recommended list of medicines in the extreme case of an emergency. Once convinced, sign the consent form.

Infrastructure & Equipment- You must make yourself familiar with the types of tanning equipments in use, and even count the number of vertical stand-up booths and horizontal lay-down booths. During your round, do ensure that you are escorted by a staff member at all times as this too is a mandatory procedure by law. Do enquire about the duration of exposure as per the skin-type. You should know that exposure duration will be less with more bulbs.