Sunburn

Prevention

Sunburn Prevention

JCTA Member salons want to make sure you never sunburn. To limit risk of sunburn, you need to acclimatize (tan) your skin for experiencing a higher UV Index, whether you're going on a sunny vacation or simply getting ready for the Canadian summer. In Canada, we can go from a zero UV Index to an average UV Index of eight. Occasionally, we can reach an extreme UV Index. As well as teaching smart practices for indoor tanning, the JCTA wants to make sure you understand how to protect yourself from overexposure from that glorious ball in the sky. The sun is a necessity for good health, in moderation. So, here's some information to help.

Indoor Sunbathing Checklist

If you are pre-tanning for a sunny vacation or just getting ready for a Canadian summer, check this out.

View Indoor Checklist

Outdoor Sunbathing Checklist

The golden rule of UV Exposure is to NEVER SUNBURN. Check this out to reduce your risk.

View Outdoor Checklist

Professional Salons Near You

Did You Know?

The 2014 Canadian Community Health Survey showed that most tanning facilities are following best practices and informing clients of the risks of UV overexposure. JCTA Member Salons go further by following Professional Standards. Some of the highlights of the survey:

62%

of indoor tanners use equipment to create a base tan.

85%

of all users use eyewear.

85%

of users read warning label/signs either every time, once, or was verbally told.

80%

followed exposure schedule.

89.6%

reported NO discomfort/injury to skin in the past year.

Further Information Outside the Survey

Thousands and thousands of people come back every year to create a base tan. They say it saved their vacation and they had no sunburns. They know base tans protect them.
Doctors prescribe sunbed sessions for people before a sunny holiday.
There is a lower risk of skin damage using a sunbed compared to a tropical sunny vacation using sunscreen. (Diffey 2015)
Outdoor sun exposure, because it is uncontrolled, is 3-4 times the risk for melanoma than a sunbed. (WHO IARC 2012, Gandini 2005)

Can the indoor tanning community do more to protect its client?

The Answer Is YES.

This is why the JCTA works with salons, governments and insurance companies. Education is the key to reducing risk of anything!

JCTA Members no longer use recommended guidelines, they follow Professional Standards. No one can control a piece of equipment without first being Industry Certified and Trained.
JCTA works with the government to ensure better compliancy through online complaint mechanisms.
JCTA has worked with insurance companies for years to make sure the best practices are used in tanning facilities, like remote control timing, no insurance for self-serve equipment, and no insurance without certified operators.

Please Tan Responsibly

Whether you sunbathe indoors or outdoors, you need to protect yourself from overexposure (sunburn), which is the greatest risk factor for skin cancer (WHO). There has never been a RCT (Randomized Controlled Trial) study done to show that having a tan increases your risk of skin cancer, and there never will be. Research has shown that Professional Salons have practically zero effect on skin cancer risk when you remove Skin Type 1 people, whom Professional Salons will not tan (Grant 2010). The increase risk shows up in uncontrolled equipment (like home or self-serve) and medical units (Hoel 2016).

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