Aug. 10, 2000
Are you having a hard time getting out into the sun to get that good-looking tan? And those self-tanning lotions and tanning beds just don't cut it?
Well how about making it easy-- walking into a shower stall and having your tan sprayed on?
It's possible and you can have it done, right here in Salt Lake City.
Science Specialist Ed Yeates shows us how it works.
Mindy Larson gets ready for followup treatment in a machine called "Mist-On."
First she puts on a hairnet and rubs lotion on the palms of her hands or anywhere she doesn't want a tan.
MINDY LARSON, MIST-ON TANNING SALON: "WE PUT THE LOTION ON SO YOU DON'T TAN THE PALM OF YOUR HANDS, BECAUSE NATURALLY THE PALM OF YOUR HANDS DON'T TAN."
Inside the shower stall like device, Mindy keeps her eyes and mouth closed and holds her breath while the moving misting bar pauses between each pass. Customers rotate their body three times to cover front, back and sides. In 40 seconds, Mindy's tan is done!
ED YEATES, SCIENCE SPECIALIST: "CLIENTS HERE MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS. ONCE INSIDE THE BOOTH, THEY CAN TAKE OFF AS MUCH AS THEY WANT - IN CASE THEY WANT A WHOLE BODY TAN."
LESLIE MULFORD, MIST-ON TANNING SALON: "THE INITIAL COST FOR ONE VISIT IS $18. AND IF YOU BUY A PASS IT CAN GO DOWN TO $15. AND THEN AN ADDITIONAL PASS IS $12."
"Mist-On" sprays a liquid which has been sold as a tanning lotion for years. University of Utah research dermatologist Dr. Larry Meyer says the ingredient, called Dyhydroxe Acetone, binds to the skin and creates a visible pigment similar to a tan, which lasts about a week.
LAURENCE MEYER, M.D., U OF U RESEARCH DERMATOLOGIST: "I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY GENERAL THREATS TO HEALTH FROM THESE PRODUCTS. THEY'VE BEEN USED FOR A LONG TIME AND THEY'RE GENERALLY SAFE."
While Dr. Meyer says dyes are safer than ultra-violet lights, he doesn't know enough yet about the misters.
He also reminds consumers, dyes produce a cosmetic tan only and will not block out harmful rays from the sun.
"IT DOESN'T PREVENT U.V. LIGHT FROM GETTING TO THE DEEPER LAYERS OF SKIN THE WAY A NATURAL TAN DOES. SO IT WILL ALLOW YOU TO BURN RIGHT THROUGH THAT TANNED APPEARANCE."
A few clients have tried Mist-On so far. They're mostly women, between 16 and 75 years of age.
"Mist-On" was developed in the state of Texas.
The cost for each machine is $50,000.
