Benefits

The Tanning Process:

Tanning takes place in the skin's outermost layer, the epidermis. About five percent of the cells in your epidermis are special cells call melanocytes. When exposed to ultraviolet B light (short wave ultraviolet), melanocytes produce melanin - the pigment which is ultimately responsible for your tan. The pinkish melanin travels up through the epidermis and is absorbed by other skin cells. When exposed to ultraviolet A light (longer wave), the melanin oxidizes or darkens. This darkening is your skin's way of protecting itself against too much UV light. Everyone has the same number of melanocytes in their body - about five million. But your heredity dictates how much melanin your body's melanocytes naturally will produce. For example, the skin of African Americans contains enough melanin to create a black or brown skin color, while the skin of Caucasians has less melanin and is pale. In order to most effectively avoid overexposure, a tan should be acquired gradually, according to the guidelines prescribed by your salon professional. A sunburn, or eruthema, occurs when too much ultraviolet light reaches the skin and disrupts the tiny blood vessels near the skin's surface. Why does a tan fade? Cells in the epidermis' germinative layer (also called the living epidermis) are constantly reproducing and pushing older cells upward toward the horny layer (dead epidermis), where they are sloughed off in about one month. As your skin replaces its cells, the cells laden with melanin are removed. So the tanning process must continue with the new cell.



Tanning Benefits:

Light Increases Longevity
Invigorating sunlight provides us with the vital nutrients that have the power to increase your longevity. Sunlight enters the body through the eyes and skin, affecting virtually every cell in the body. It is not surprising that sunlight can be used as a natural remedy. Through the prevention of such diseases as colon cancer and the stimulation of white blood cells to fight other diseases, the sun can help us live longer, healthier lives.

The Sunshine Vitamin
Exposed to the UVB portion of sunlight, the skin produces Vitamin D, also known as the Sunshine Vitamin. By making it possible for your body to absorb calcium and other vital minerals from your diet, Vitamin D and the sun play crucial roles in the life-long development and maintenance of healthy bones and teeth. Sunlight and Vitamin D synthesis significantly influence your body, everything from lowering cholesterol to preventing cancer.

Light Affects Over 100 Bodily Functions
Light plays a crucial role in the regulation of over 100 bodily functions.. The pineal gland, the body's "third eye," coordinates most of our life-sustaining functions based on the light information it receives. Located deep in the center of the brain, the pineal gland receives light energy exclusively through the eyes. Sunlight keeps the body's systems in balance, everything from the immune systems to fertility.