Krissy Deleon of Hav A Tan is a specialist in tanning options. The business, which has been operating for 20 years, offers high- and low-pressure tanning beds, UV-free tanning, hydration stations and tanning products. (Jennifer M. Howell/News-Sentinel)

What we can learn from Krissy Deleon

Tanning salon manager lets the sunshine in

Krissy Deleon, manager at Hav A Tan in Lodi, says that over the years, tanning has gotten a bad name. That's why Deleon, 33, and the other specialists at Hav A Tan try to educate their customers as much as possible before they even get into a tanning bed.

By doing so, Deleon hopes that each person can get the tan that's right for them, in a comfortable and accepting environment.

Deleon and the other employees at Hav A Tan are now celebrating their company's 20th year in business.

Many people have the notion that sun exposure in any form is harmful to the skin and can have adverse effects, ranging from premature aging to skin cancer. However, you consider this a myth. Why is that?

More money is made scaring people out of the sun than will ever be made by encouraging people to tan responsibly. Thirty billion dollars (is spent) in anti-sun products and the "anti-tanning lobby" distorting the truth to scare people out of the sun.

What are the different routes you can take to getting bronze skin?

(There's) high-pressure tanning, (where) you tan on a comfortable mattress bed using only quartz lights with filters that emit about 1 percent of UVB rays, so you get tan quicker and it lasts longer and you are less likely to burn.

A low-pressure (tanning bed), is a tanning device with lamps on top or bottom. The lights look similar to flourecent tube lights, but have an acrylic over them and emit generally 4.5 percent UVB rays. So you have shorter tanning sessions and have to go more often.

A spray-on (tanning machine) is a machine that sprays on a tan without UV light.

What causes tanning? What causes burning?

Tanning happens when you expose your skin to ultraviolet light and it touches the melanocytes. They then produce more melanin, and the melanin then surfaces and turns you tan. It's your body's natural way to protect itself from additional exposure.

Burning is (caused by) exposure to UV light while (using) photo-sensitive drugs, (eating) certain foods, (wearing certain) cosmetics or perfumes, and an uncontrolled amount of sunlight outdoors.

The elements of outdoor tanning always vary, and you should always tan responsibly outdoors with a sunscreen.

What are the benefits to tanning?

Besides the fact that everyone looks and feels better with a tan, what most people do not know is that there are also a lot of medical reasons why people tan.

(People) are referred to us by their doctors, but because tanning salons can only advertise tanning for cosmetic purposes due to FDA regulations, the positive effects of UV light get lost in the "sun scare" promotion.

All living things need UV light to live, just like we all need water to live.

What's the difference between UVA and UVB rays, and how do they affect your skin differently?

The UVA ray, I like to refer it to as the tanning ray. UVA oxidizes the melanin that is already in your skin, turning it brown.

The UVB ray is sometimes referred to as the burning ray. Although UVB is great at producing more melanin in your skin, you must be extremely careful with high levels of UVB, to not cause burning.

What type of education do your tanning specialists go through?

All employees at Hav A Tan go through hours of Smart Tan Training and certification courses that can go all the way to Master Certification. The state of California does not require certification, but other states in the U.S. do.

How long does it take to get a tan?

Going in high-pressure every other day for three to six visits and using an indoor tanning product, you will achieve your base tan. To maintain your base tan, you only have to tan one or two times a week after that.

Going in low-pressure every other day for eight to 14 visits and using an indoor tanning product, you will achieve your base tan. To maintain your base tan, you will have to tan three to four times a week.

To achieve your tan with spray-on tanning, you would want to go two to three times in a row. To maintain your color, you would need to spray on approximately once every five to seven days.

How do you keep from getting that orange tan that's often associated with over-tanning?

The "orange look" is mostly associated with people who have an overexposure to bronzing products. To avoid that, they should use a product that allows their skin to tan its natural color, or use a product with less of a bronzing agent.

Contact reporter Amanda Dyer at amandad@lodinews.com.