Hybrid tanning beds are becoming more popular thanks to their great benefits and their ease of use – and they might just be the perfect option for your next tanning session!
If you have never come across one before, they might seem a little futuristic, but what are hybrid tanning beds? Hybrid tanning beds are a combination of both UV lights and red light therapy, which help to give you a more natural, long-lasting tan, and which have some great skin benefits too. It is an all-in-one tanning and skin rejuvenation hybrid, which are super comfortable to use.
With the benefits of both red light therapy and UV rays to tan, hybrid tanning beds are definitely worth considering if you do not want to spend time out in the sun. Keep reading to find out more on hybrid tanning beds, and if they are the right option for you!
Hybrid Tanning Beds
Hybrid tanning beds are fitted with bulbs that emit red light and UV light, giving you the benefits of both.
They are not as widespread or as popular as normal tanning beds, as they are quite expensive to purchase and maintain, as the benefits of red light therapy have only just been noticed.
To better understand how hybrid tanning beds work, it helps to know what red light therapy and UV lights offer your skin.
UV Rays
The UV rays emitted from bulbs in a hybrid tanning bed mimic those from the sun and help you to tan. When the UV rays reach your skin, your skin responds by increasing melanin production, which darkens the color of your skin.
The problem with this is that UV ray exposure can also lead to skin damage and burning, and over time this can lead to premature aging, creating fine lines, wrinkles, and leathery skin.
UV rays in a tanning bed can still burn your skin too, so having protection such as sunscreen can help prevent burning and instead help build a tan.
Red Light Therapy
Red light therapy works very differently from UV light. It will not tan or burn your skin as UV rays do, and it instead counteracts the damaging effects done by UV rays.
Red light therapy can help rejuvenate your skin, causing it to be more supple and youthful. Blood circulation has been known to increase where the skin is exposed to red light therapy, which is what causes the rejuvenation of the skin.
Combining the tanning effects of UV lights, and then the skin rejuvenation benefits of red light therapy, your tan, and your skin will be much better off using hybrid tanning beds compared to regular sunbeds.
How Hybrid Tanning Beds Differ From Normal Tanning Beds
The biggest difference that hybrid tanning beds have compared to normal tanning beds is that they incorporate the use of red light therapy. This means that there are both UV light bulbs and red light bulbs in the tanning bed, which shine down on your skin at the same time.
You use hybrid tanning beds much the same way as you would a regular tanning bed, as you are not required to do anything different to benefit from the red light therapy that the hybrid beds offer.
As red light therapy is a fairly new type of skin treatment, the hybrid tanning beds are all new and modern too. This means that many of them have some great features that regular tanning beds do not.
These features can include the following:
- Music streaming via Bluetooth connection
- Tanning bed adjusts to fit your body
- Airconditioning to keep you cool
- Misting aromas
Hybrid tanning beds also come with varying intensities of UV rays, so you can choose the intensity that suits your skin type, so you do not burn more than what your skin can handle, or so that you can be exposed to stronger UV rays to help your skin tan.
How Hybrid Tanning Beds Differ From Red Light Therapy
Hybrid tanning beds offer red light therapy, but they differ from normal red light therapy by also offering exposure to UV rays which will tan your skin as the red light therapy works to rejuvenate your skin.
Hybrid tanning beds are the best of both types of treatments and are a great way to give yourself a tan while still caring for your skin and avoiding premature aging of your skin.
The Benefits Of Hybrid Tanning Beds
Hybrid tanning beds have more benefits than just red light therapy or UV light sunbeds on their own. The two types of light therapy together give you a natural, long-lasting tan and healthier-looking skin.
Here are the combined benefits of both that hybrid tanning beds have to offer:
- Skin rejuvenation
- Reduction of fine lines and wrinkles
- Reduces premature skin aging
- Improves blood circulation
- Builds a golden tan
Do You Need Sunscreen In A Hybrid Tanning Bed?
You might not want to use sunscreen in a hybrid tanning bed, as it could hinder your tanning goals, especially if you are only spending a short amount of time in the tanning bed.
If you do opt to use sunscreen, SPF15 is a good option. Those with skin types 1, 2, or 3 should use sunscreen in a tanning bed, as their skin is more susceptible to burning rather than tanning, and the sunscreen will help to take the edge off.
Whether you choose to use sunscreen or not is up to you, but you should always use a tan accelerator or a tanning lotion, even when in a hybrid tanning bed.
The red light therapy in a hybrid tanning bed does help to rejuvenate and improve the appearance of your skin, but it does not completely counteract the effects that the UV rays might have.
A tanning accelerator or a tanning lotion will help to keep your skin hydrated and nourished during the tanning session and after, and it will also help you make the most of the red light therapy too, giving your skin all it needs to be more supple and healthy.
Are Hybrid Tanning Beds Safe?
Hybrid tanning beds are not more or less safe than normal tanning beds, as you are still exposing your skin to UV rays that could cause sunburn and lasting damage. The red light therapy does help to rejuvenate skin, but it does not cancel out the damaging effects of the UV rays.
It is always worth understanding the risks that come with tanning in a sunbed or a hybrid tanning bed, and you need to make sure to limit your exposure so that your skin does not age too fast or you cause lasting damage.
Hybrid tanning beds can help to create a longer-lasting, more natural-looking tan, but they still do damage to your skin.
How To Prepare Your Skin For A Hybrid Tanning Bed
You need to prepare your skin before heading into a hybrid tanning bed, to make the most of the time you spend under the UV rays and the red light therapy.
Here is what you should do leading up to your hybrid tanning bed session:
- Shave or wax your legs and other preferred areas 24 hours before the tanning session.
- Exfoliate your skin the day before your tanning session.
- Moisturize your skin in the days leading up to the hybrid session, using an oil-free moisturizer.
- Remove any makeup and other products from your skin before getting into the tanning bed
When in the hybrid tanning bed, make sure to still use protective eye goggles or patches to prevent damage done to your eyes too.
What Is A Hybrid Tanning Bed?
Hybrid tanning beds are the latest technology in the tanning world. They combine UV rays along with red light therapy to help tan your skin and rejuvenate it at the same time.
The resultant tan you will get with a hybrid tanning bed will be more natural-looking and will be longer-lasting, as your skin will be more supple and youthful-looking after the tanning session while glowing from the newly developed tan too!
As they are still fairly new, there aren’t too many hybrid tanning beds around, but hopefully, you will find one near you to try out!
Related Questions
Are hybrid tanning beds stronger than usual tanning beds?
Hybrid tanning beds are not necessarily stronger than usual tanning beds, and some models have 20% less UV output, as they manage to achieve better tanning results thanks to the combination of red light and UV light.
What type of tanning bed is the safest?
No tanning bed is completely safe, as all require UV exposure to tan your skin, and with tanning inevitably comes skin damage.
There are less intense tanning beds, but your skin would still be exposed to UV rays.
Does red light cause your skin to tan?
Red light on its own will not cause your skin to tan. It helps to combat skin aging and helps rejuvenate skin, but you will need exposure to UV light to actually tan your skin.
