People tan for cosmetic
reasons. They feel & look better with a tan. It helps them
prepare for vacations, beach sessions, & an active outdoor
lifestyle by protecting the skin. For everyone, tanning provides a
heightened sense of well-being.
Why Is Indoor Tanning
“Smart Tanning?”
Indoor
tanning, if you can develop a tan, is an intelligent way to minimize
the risk of sunburn while maximizing the enjoyment and benefit of
having a tan. We call this SMART TANNING.
Gradual
tanning control is nearly impossible outdoors, where variables
including seasonality, time of day, weather conditions, reflective
surfaces and altitude all make outdoor tanning a random act and sunburn
prevention more difficult.
Why Should We Be
Concerned About Vitamin D Deficiency?
New
research has shown that vitamin D deficiency is epidemic in American
adults today, suggesting that up to 90 percent of North Americans are
vitamin D deficient. It is likely that over-usage of sunscreen in
climates and seasons when sunburn is not a possibility has contributed
to this epidemic. This is especially significant because:
- A 2006
systematic review of 63 studies on vitamin D status in relation to
cancer risk has shown that vitamin D sufficiency can reduce
one’s risk of colon, breast and ovarian cancers by up to 50
percent. The landmark paper, published in the February 2006 issue of
The American Journal of Public Health, is the most comprehensive paper
on vitamin D written to date.
- Additionally,
vitamin D deficiency is a leading cause of osteoporosis, a disease
affecting 25 million Americans which leads to 1 million hip and bone
fractures every year. In elderly individuals, such fractures are often
deadly. Encouraging everyone to wear sunscreen all year long in any
climate undoubtedly is contributing to this problem, as vitamin D is
necessary for the body to properly process calcium.
- While
environmental correlations have established for years that people in
sunny climates have lower risks of many forms of cancer, in recent
years the mechanism by which Vitamin D slows or retards the growth of
tumor cells has been researched and identified. It was once thought
that only the kidneys could produce active vitamin D, but we now know
that many cells in the body perform this function, including cells in
the breast, prostate, colon, brain and skin.
- Research
has shown that the active form of vitamin D, when present in cells
throughout the body, inhibits the growth and spread of abnormal cells,
including cancer cells.
What Does Indoor
Tanning Have To Do With Vitamin D?
Exposure
to UVB from sunshine is the body’s natural way to produce
vitamin D, accounting for 90 percent of vitamin D production. Dietary
“supplements” are just that: Supplemental ways to
produce vitamin D.
Research
has shown that people who utilize indoor tanning equipment that emits
UVB – which most tanning equipment does – also
produce vitamin D. And studies have also shown that indoor tanning
clients have higher vitamin D blood levels than non-tanners.
While
the North American indoor tanning industry promotes itself as a
cosmetic service, one undeniable side-effect of that cosmetic service
is vitamin D production. Even though it is not necessary to develop a
tan to produce vitamin D, this should be considered: Because research
suggests that the risks associated with sun exposure are related to
intermittent sunburns, it is credible to believe that the benefits of
regular, moderate non-burning exposure outweigh the easily manageable
risks associated with overexposure.
Tanning is a
Natural Body Process – It is Not Damage
Tanning
is your body’s natural protection against sunburn —
it is what your body is designed to do. Many have referred to this
process as “damage” to your skin, but calling a tan
“damage” is a dangerous oversimplification. Here is
why:
- Calling
a tan damage to your skin is like calling exercise damage to your
muscles. Consider, when one exercises you are actually tearing tiny
muscle fibers in your body. On the surface, examined at the
micro-level, that could be called “damage.” But
that damage on the micro-level is your body’s natural way on
the macro-level of building stronger muscle tissue. So to call exercise
“damaging” to muscles would be terribly deceiving.
The same can be said of sun exposure: Your body is designed to repair
any damage to the skin caused by ultraviolet light exposure. Developing
a tan is its natural way to protect against the dangers of sunburn and
further exposure.
- Saying
that any ultraviolet light exposure causes skin damage is a dangerous
oversimplification. It would be like saying that since water causes
drowning, humans should avoid all water. Yes, water causes drowning,
but our bodies also need water; we would die without it. Similarly, we
need sun exposure; we would die without it.
It is
the professional indoor tanning industry’s position that
sunburn prevention is a more effective message than sun avoidance,
which ultimately encourages abuse. It is a responsible, honest approach
to the issue.
But What About
Skin Cancer?
There
arguably is more misinformation about skin cancer than any other form
of cancer, and most of it involves distorting the nature of skin
cancer’s complex relationship with sun exposure. Consider:
- Melanoma
skin cancer is most common in people who work indoors – not
in those who work outdoors.
- Melanoma
skin cancer occurs most often on parts of the body that are not
regularly exposed to the sun.
- 18 of
22 studies examining melanoma and indoor tanning have shown no
statistically significant association, including the most recent and
largest study, which showed no connection at all. The four older
studies that alleged a connection did not adequately control for
important confounding variables such as the subjects’ outdoor
exposure to sunlight, childhood sunburns, type of tanning equipment
utilized (many of which were unsupervised home units) and duration and
quantity of exposures.
- Melanoma
mortality rates in the United States are not rising among young women,
but are increasing dramatically among older men, according to National
Cancer Institute data. (In Canada, melanoma rates for women under 50
have actually declined in the past 20 years). Yet the majority of the
marketing message about this disease is directed at young women, who
are the highest consumers of dermatological services.
- The
photobiology research community has determined that most skin cancers
are most likely related to a strong pattern of burning and intermittent
sun exposure in those people who are genetically predisposed to skin
cancer and not simply to cumulative exposure. That suggests that a
pattern of repeated sun burning is what we need to prevent. And that
kind of prevention is exactly what the indoor tanning industry is doing
effectively.
- Skin
cancer generally has a 20- to 30-year latency period. The rates of skin
cancer we are seeing today in older individuals mostly are a function
of the ignorant misbehavior of the 1970s and early 1980s. Recall:
Society used to view sunburns as an inconvenient rite of spring, or as
a “precursor” to developing a summer tan. Severe
burns were commonplace. Today we know how reckless that approach was,
and the incidence rates of skin cancer today in those over 50 years of
age reflect that ignorance.
The
indoor tanning industry believes that our role in teaching sunburn
prevention will help to reverse the increases that largely are a result
of misbehavior that took place years ago before the professional
tanning industry existed and before we were organized to teach sunburn
prevention.
ProSun's Company
Profile
Indoor tanning
salon operators are very selective when it comes to shopping for
tanning beds. Most salon operators shop by referral and choose
manufacturers based on their reputation and experience-highly desired
attributes for any business in any industry.
Few
manufacturers have a better combination of reputation and experience
than ProSun International, LLC. The St. Petersburg, Fla.-based company
has been manufacturing quality, high-end and affordable tanning beds
for over 25 years.
“Fulfilling our customers'
wishes always will be our principle goal at ProSun,” says
Philip Doffegnies, Vice President at ProSun. “As always, we
are looking to continue our quality and service in the
industry...”
ProSun started
in 1994 in the United States, but its roots go back to 1979 when owner
Tom Henkemans founded the company HAPRO in the Netherlands.
Today ProSun employs over 60 talented
people, resides in a 90,000-square-foot manufacturing facility and
supplies equipment to salons in North America, South America, and
Central America. The U.S. market is ProSun's top priority; however, the
company recently has experienced increased international business.
Returns Policy
- Returned goods will only be
accepted within thirty (30) days of purchase.
- No returns on electrical
components, buck and boost transformers, or special orders.
- All deposits for special orders are
non-refundable.
- All returns must be approved in
advance by ProSun and must be packaged in its original packaging, must
not have been used, and must be in "as new" condition.
- All
returns are subject to a 15% restocking fee.
- ProSun is not responsible for
freight charges for returned merchandise
For warranty
part returns:
Customer must first contact ProSun's
Customer Service Department. If it is determined that the part in
question is a warrantied part, a Customer Service Representative will
provide a Return Materials Authorization number (RMA#) that must be
clearly marked on the packaging of the goods to be returned.
Customer
is responsible for the cost of shipping back to ProSun,
must properly package the goods to be returned so as to avoid damage in
transit, and must use a traceable method of shipment as customer is
responsible for the item until it is received in good condition by
ProSun.
LIMITED
WARRANTY
1. Warranty Period: PROSUN warrants
new tanning equipment manufactured or imported by it, provided it is
still owned and operated by the original purchaser, to be free from
defects in material and workmanship under normal use and service, for a
prorated period of two (2) years from the date of delivery to the
original Purchaser
2. Activation of Warranty: To activate
this Limited Warranty the original Warranty Registration card attached
hereto must be completed by the Purchaser and the Selling Dealer at the
time of delivery to the Purchaser, and returned to PROSUN within
fifteen (15) days of delivery as a condition precedent to obtaining any
coverage under this Limited Warranty. Further, warranty coverage for
equipment intended for commercial use will not be considered active
until the customer takes possession of the equipment. Equipment
intended for residential use, where a Prosun authorized dealer sells
equipment to a third party, will be considered active when the third
party takes possession of the equipment or six months after the dealer
takes possession of the equipment- whichever occurs first.
3. What
is covered: During the warranty period as specified above
PROSUN will replace any defective system or component, at
PROSUN’s sole discretion. The Purchaser shall be responsible
for the difference between the cost of a new system or component and
the prorated value of the defective system or component. Prior to
making any repairs PROSUN will advise the Purchaser of the nature of
the problem and the cost to the Purchaser based on the proration of the
defective system or component.
4. What
is not covered:
- Acrylic sheets, starters
(igniters), lamps, blue and clear filter glass.
- Any plastic parts affected by
discoloration.
- Cracked or broken coverplates,
endcaps and sidebars
- Any failure to the external timing
system (example: T-Max, FST timers and timer system components)
- Any failure to the external voltage
transformer (example: “buck and boost”
transformers)
- Any damage caused by the failure of
any supporting hardware not supplied by PROSUN.
- Any labor charges, travel time
charges, or mileage charges associated with a warranty item.
- Shipping costs back to PROSUN'S
factory. PROSUN will pay for ground transportation of repaired or
replaced part back to purchaser.
- Tanning units, parts or components
damaged in transit where PROSUN’S damaged goods policy is not
followed by purchaser or purchaser’s designee.
This warranty does not apply to any
failure of product due to alterations, modifications, misuse, abuse,
neglect, accident, improper maintenance or installation, use of parts
not supplied by PROSUN, failure to operate and use the product in
accordance with the instructions provided in the Owner's Manual
supplied with the product or failure to otherwise meet
manufacturer’s specifications, or if the serial number has
been removed, altered or defaced.
6. Procedure for Requesting Warranty
Work: In the event of a problem covered under this limited warranty,
the customer must first contact PROSUN and obtain a Returned Goods
Authorization for products to be repaired or replaced at PROSUN's
discretion, provided product(s) are returned freight prepaid to PROSUN.
PROSUN will perform its obligation within thirty (30) days from the
date of PROSUN’s receipt of the Purchaser’s
authorization to effect repairs and acceptance of the cost of repairs
based on the prorated values of the defective systems or components.
Any payment due from the Purchaser shall be payable in full prior to
PROSUN’s return of the repaired system or component. Any
product being returned to PROSUN for repair or replacement must be
adequately packaged to prevent freight damage and shipped via traceable
method
7. Right to Modify: PROSUN reserves
the right to make changes or improvements in its products without
incurring any obligations to similarly alter products which have been
previously purchased.
8. Exclusivity of Warranty: This
warranty is the only warranty made by PROSUN and may only be modified
or amended by a written instrument signed by a duly authorized officer
of PROSUN. PROSUN's sole and exclusive liability and Purchaser's sole
and exclusive
remedy under this warranty shall be, at PROSUN's option, to repair or
replace, to the extent available on a prorated basis, any such
defective Products. These remedies are available only if PROSUN's
examination of such Products discloses to PROSUN's satisfaction that
such defects actually exist and were not caused by Purchaser's misuse,
abuse, neglect, improper installation, maintenance or testing,
alterations or modifications, failure to meet manufacturer’s
specifications or any other cause beyond the range of normal usage, or
by accident, fire or other hazard. Repair or replacement of a part does
not extend the warranty period or extend the prorated value of a part
or product beyond the initial two year limited warranty period from the
date of delivery.
THE WARRANTY SET FORTH ABOVE IS IN
LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT
LIMITED TO ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL PROSUN BE LIABLE FOR ANY
INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES WITH RESPECT TO THE PRODUCTS
DELIVERED HEREUNDER OR SUBSEQUENT USE THEREOF.
9. Limitation of Liability: PROSUN
shall not be liable for any loss, damages, or penalty resulting from
failure to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement due to
force majeure or any cause beyond its reasonable control.
PROSUN'S LIABILITY UNDER OR FOR BREACH
OF THIS AGREEMENT SHALL NOT EXCEED THE REFUND OF THE PURCHASE PRICE
LESS REASONABLE RENTAL FOR PAST USE. IN NO EVENT SHALL PROSUN BE LIABLE
FOR COSTS OF PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS BY THE PURCHASER OR FOR
UNAUTHORIZED REPAIRS UNDERTAKEN BY THE PURCHASER WITHOUT
PROSUN’S PREVIOUS WRITTEN APPROVAL. IN NO EVENT SHALL PROSUN
BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES,
HOWEVER CAUSED, WHETHER FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY, NEGLIGENCE, OR
OTHERWISE. PROSUN DISCLAIMS ANY OBLIGATION OR LIABILITY FOR LOSS OF USE
OF THE PRODUCT WARRANTED, LOSS OF TIME, INCONVENIENCE, RENTAL OR
SUBSTITUTE PRODUCTS, LOSS OF BUSINESS, LOSS OF INCOME, COMMERCIAL LOSS
OR ANY OTHER DIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES.
10. Governing Law: Notwithstanding
principles of conflicts of law of any jurisdiction to the contrary, all
terms and provisions of this Agreement are to be construed and governed
by the laws of the state of Florida without regard to the laws of any
other jurisdiction. The Purchaser waives any and all privileges and
rights which they may have under Chapter 47, Florida Statutes (1993),
relating to venue as it now exists or may hereafter be amended, and
under any other statute, or administrative provision thereof in any
legal action on this Agreement; and further, the Purchaser agrees that
any legal action brought on this Agreement or in connection therewith,
shall be brought in the appropriate court in Pinellas County, Florida.
11. Attorney’s Fees: Should
a dispute arise with regard to this warranty or any other aspect of
this sale the prevailing party shall be entitled to reasonable
attorneys fees and costs through appeal.