A tanning booth is a device that emits ultraviolet radiation, usually for the purpose of a cosmetic tan. They are very similar to a tanning bed, but the design is such that it is intended to be used while standing up, rather than lying down. Tanning booths generally use 160 watt VHO (Very High Output) or VHO-R (Very High Output with Reflector) lamps, but some less expensive systems use standard 100 watt HO (High Output) or RUVA (Reflector UVA) lamps.

Many people confuse "VHO-R" and "VHR ", with the latter being a trademark of Cosmedico lamps for their versions of the VHO-R lamps. The average tanning booth has from 32 to 56 lamps and uses a 10 to 15 minute tanning session time. Tanning booths are similar but distinct from tanning beds in that they are vertical rather than horizontal, but there are generally other differences as well.

Most tanning booths use the higher watt VHO and VHO-R lamp, which consume 160 watts, while most tanning beds use 100W HO lamps, although there are many exceptions. Tanning booths are often said to give the user a better tan because it is easier to move while tanning, and most have handles above the head, which makes tanning under the arms and on the sides easier. Most booths do not have a reflector system behind the lamps because they use the VHO-R lamps, which have a more effective reflector built inside the lamp itself.

This forces all the light to be focused out the front of the lamp, reducing lost UV from phase cancellation. This is where two opposing waves (in this case, UV) that are out of phase with each other partially cancelling each other out, resulting in a loss of net UV that reaches the user. Another difference that is not as obvious is that there are no pressure points when tanning inside a booth.

A person using a tanning bed is supported by the acrylic, and in these areas the blood flow is reduced. Melanin production is somewhat reduced in these areas leading to a tan that is not completely even. For most individuals, this isn't very obvious but certain individuals will experience circular areas with slight but noticeably less tan in those pressure areas.

Most (but not all) tanning booths do not have acrylics and instead use a wire mesh to protect the user from the lamps. Although this results in a somewhat higher UV transmission, it does not offer the same protection that a solid acrylic sheet offers.

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