Almost immediately after introducing the SmartSun Therapy SST28 at one of his Haute Skin Spa & Tanning locations in Minnesota, Cole Johnson ran into a big problem.

His single unit couldn’t keep up.

“Basically, what happened is it got too successful, too fast. We’re getting to that threshold where I don’t know if we can sell more packages right now because it’s so heavily used. This is a very good problem to have, but people start getting annoyed because they have to wait or they can’t get in because it’s so busy,” Johnson says.

Since launching the SST28 in late 2025, usage has surged well beyond expectations. By integrating the service into both a $149.95 all-access membership and a $100-per-month wellness membership, the system quickly became one of the most utilized offerings in the salon.

After upgrading from more basic red light equipment to the SST28, Johnson saw red light revenue increase more than tenfold year-over-year. As of March, he was awaiting delivery of two additional units to help keep up with demand.

Click here to read the entire article in the latest issue of Smart Tan Magazine online.