Got Sunless? Get Certified

Does your salon offer sunless services? Summer months can create additional cash flow for tanning salons offering sunless services, as many customers who tan indoors or outdoors turn to sunless to even out tan lines or pressure points. Similarly, sunless is a perfect option for those clients who cannot—or should not—tan in UV equipment or outdoors.

Given that roughly 45 percent of U.S. tanning salons offer at least one form of sunless service—either automated booths or airbrush/HVLP—this summer is the perfect time to step up your services by becoming an NTTI-certified sunless technician. This professional accreditation will help boost consumer confidence in your services and hopefully add extra profits to your cash registers. In addition, ensuring that you are up-to-date on all regulations surrounding sunless services is a must—the following is a quick refresher designed to help you and your staff provide a higher level of service to customers and serve as responsible representatives of the indoor tanning industry.

On the legal front, one frequently asked question is whether sunless airbrushing/HVLP is regulated. Due to the popularity of sunless tanning, some states have enacted or are considering proposing regulations for sunless services. Currently, Oregon and Arizona mandate that airbrush technicians fall under the scope of their Boards of Cosmetology, which require licensing for airbrush technicians. Salons offering sunless applications should check with their State Boards of Cosmetology to find out if requirements or pending legislation exists related to sunless services. You also can check lookingfit.com for the latest in state regulations governing tanning.

On the federal level, regulations surround dihydroxyacetone (DHA), the main active ingredient in sunless solutions. Section 721 of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) authorizes the regulation of color additives, their uses and restrictions. A color additive is considered unsafe under the law if it is not permitted by regulation or is used in a manner that does not comply with the regulations authorizing its particular use. In addition, no color additive may be used in cosmetics intended for use in the area of the eye unless the color additive is permitted specifically for such use (21 CFR 70.5a).

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also restricts the use of DHA in cosmetics to external application. According to the FDA statement, areas to be protected from exposure to DHA are eyes and the surrounding eye area, lips and other parts of the body covered by mucous membranes. Internal exposure caused by inhaling or ingesting the sunless solution also is restricted. Operators can take simple steps to ensure consumers—and technicians—are protected adequately from exposure by ensuring that spraying only takes place in a well-ventilated area with an overspray booth or fans with filters to remove the overspray. Salons also should utilize a nose filter and barrier product such as petroleum jelly to protect the lips. Disposable undergarments can be used to protect the mucous membranes, and clients can avoid getting the solution into their eyes by using disposable eye protection.

And, although sunless solutions contain no known toxins, the repeated inhalation—as with any substance—may cause irritation. Common sense dictates technicians should wear a filtering mask while spraying clients.