SMART TAN CERTIFICATION Flashcards

Customer Expectations

• Cleanliness and operator education are the two primary factors customers prioritize when seeking tanning services.

Skin Overview

• Skin, the largest organ, weighs about 9 pounds and plays crucial roles in protection, temperature regulation, moisture retention, sensory reception, and chemical metabolism.

Skin Structure

• Composed of three layers: the epidermis (outer), dermis (middle), and subcutaneous (inner).

Epidermis Details

• The epidermis is the thinnest layer that produces a tan and protects the body from environmental factors.
• Divided into two sections: living and dead layers.

Layers of the Epidermis

• The horny layer consists of dead skin cells and acts as a sealant.
• The germinative layer contains living skin cells that reproduce and push older cells outward.

Types of Living Epidermis

• Three primary types of living epidermal cells: basal (parent cells at the base), keratinocytes (majority that seals the skin), and melanocytes (pigment-producing cells).

Melanocyte Function

• Melanocytes produce melanin, with about 5 million in every person, essential for skin pigmentation.

UV Light and Melanin Production

• UV light triggers melanin production, vital for tanning processes.

Fitzpatrick Skin Type System

• A questionnaire method for identifying client skin types, categorized as:
  • Type 1: Extremely fair (Northern European)
  • Type 2: Fair-skinned (European)
  • Type 3: Central European
  • Type 4: Mediterranean, Oriental, Hispanic
  • Type 5: American Indian, Asian, Hispanic, African American
  • Type 6: African American, Aborigine

Sunlight Composition

• Natural sunlight comprises energy waves, with various parts of the spectrum affecting skin differently.

Light Waves

• Energy waves are classified by their wavelength in nanometers, with one nanometer being one billionth of a meter.

Types of Light Reaching Earth

• Infrared light (700-30,000nm) accounts for 49% of sunlight.
• Visible light (400-700nm) represents 46% of sunlight, corresponding to the colors of the rainbow.
• UV light (200-400nm) constitutes 5% of sunlight and is divided into UVA (penetrates atmosphere) and UVB (activates melanin), while UVC does not reach Earth.

UV Light Characteristics

• UVA is linked to melanin browning and comprises 95% of summer sunlight.
• UVB, shorter in wavelength, is the burning ray that stimulates melanin production and accounts for 5% of summer sunlight.
• UVC is intense but does not emerge from tanning equipment; it serves germicidal purposes.

Protective Mechanisms

• The ozone layer acts as an invisible barrier that protects against sun radiation, being least efficient at noon.

Seasonal Sun Position

• The sun reaches its highest point in June and its lowest in December, with increased UVB exposure closer to the equator.

Radiation Types

• Radiation involves energy discharge; non-ionizing radiation is low energy, while ionizing radiation, including radioactivity, alters chemical structures.

Indoor Tanning

• Controlled mixtures of UVA and UVB are utilized in indoor tanning to provide safe and effective tanning results.