Nineteen out of every 20 owners of professional tanning facilities say that their indoor tanning clients were less likely to sunburn during outdoor activities on Memorial Day weekend, according to a SmartTan.com poll conducted last week.

“The poll, while not scientific, certainly re-affirms one cornerstone of indoor tanning: That people in the indoor tanning community, having developed based tans, are less likely to sunburn outdoors when compared with non-tanners,” Smart Tan Vice President Joseph Levy said. “It’s amazing that anyone could think differently.”

According to the poll, 95 percent of tanning businesses say that non-tanners sunburned more often during the three-day Memorial Day weekend.

The tanning industry promotes the proper usage of sunscreen outdoors. But sunscreen can be much more effective at preventing sunburn for those who have base tans. “For many non-tanners, sunscreen alone won’t prevent sunburn on extended holiday weekends. Once the summer season arrives, one five-hour round of golf, lengthy tennis match or day at the beach for a non-tanner can lead to sunburn even if they use sunscreen properly.”

An indoor tan multiplies the effectiveness of sunscreen at preventing sunburn, as a tanner’s skin is more resistant to sunburn before the sunscreen is applied.

“A tan is the skin’s natural protection against sunburn,” Levy said. “There’s no denying that.”