An important part of being a Smart Tan professional is teaching teenagers and their parents the very best ways to prevent sunburn – both in an indoor tanning facility and outdoors under the sun. We believe the practice of Smart Tanning leads to better sunburn prevention than simply avoiding the sun altogether. And our research supports this belief. Consider:

• It is generally believed that young skin is more susceptible to sunburn than adult skin. For this reason, it is especially important that teens who choose to tan practice Smart Tanning and sunburn prevention.
• Studies have shown that teens who tan in tanning facilities are less likely to sunburn outdoors compared to non-tanners.

• For more than 20 years, teens have used tanning facilities in the spring to build base tans that, combined with sunscreen usage, help to prevent sunburn on spring break, vacations and in summer months more effectively than sunscreen usage alone. A recent study revealed that 83 percent of teens who tan indoors prior to taking sunny vacations report that their indoor tan, combined with the proper use of sunscreen, helped them to prevent sunburn.
• Science suggests that burning at an early age may increase your risk of skin damage later in life, but there is no hard data to suggest that tanning alone is more dangerous for any specific age group. This is an important difference that is often misunderstood or ignored in discussions of proper sun-care.
• Today’s professional indoor tanning facilities are at the forefront in teaching teens and adults outdoor sunburn prevention, including the proper use of sunscreens outdoors to prevent sunburn.

In 2005 Smart Tan launched “Project Smart Teen” as a way for professional tanning facilities to promote sunburn prevention for families. The project asked teenagers and their parents to sign pledges committing to these smart tanning concepts:

Project Smart Teen can be promoted in professional tanning facilities through posters and the Commitment Brochure program. To learn more about how to incorporate Project Smart Teen into your business, call Smart Tan at 800-652-3269, Smart Tan-Canada at 866-795-3755 or email memberservices@smarttan.com.