Am I being irresponsible?

Tropical Sun · 04-26-2002, 01:33 AM

Don -

I have customers that feel they have gotten "too much sun" because they have burned there upper body. Although there chest may be burned, they have absolutely no burn whatsoever on there legs. When they request the leg tanner because the rest of their body is burned, I allow them to go because the assure me, there legs are fine. Even when they are pink on the face and chest, after tanning the legs, there legs ARE NOT BURNED from the leg tanner. Why is this? Do legs naturally have a higher tolerance to UVR? I have had customers with a burn to the upper body, tan the legs, and the legs never burn. I, of course am happy to let them use the leg tanner because I charge twice as much as a single session, and it makes them use there points up faster - but am I being irresponsible or do legs just have a higher tolerance? If you do not know the answer, no big deal - just please say so and do not make something up.

Rod(Mike)

Don Smith · 04-26-2002, 05:19 AM

Mike:

That's a great observation and question!

I don't have the answer to your question right now but I'll do a little research to see what I can find.

Now that I stop and think about it, I don't remember anyone ever complaining about sunburning their legs or their forearms. Does that mean that certain parts of the body have a higher tolerance to UVR? If so, why?

What I CAN tell you is that my bald head sunburns MUCH easier that anywhere else on my body!

Good question.

Don

Chippp · 04-26-2002, 01:19 PM

everyone will find that their arms and legs can take higher amounts the the face.

solarmeter · 04-26-2002, 02:16 PM

Most likely because we've run around outdoors in shorts and T-shirts all those years, increasing TUVR of legs and arms.

As for head, it was protected by hair so many years that it acts like a baby's butt when hair leaves. Wear backwards baseball hat and play Rap on your boombox..

Don Smith · 04-27-2002, 09:31 AM

Mike:

I have found some information that may shed some light on the problem but first I have some questions.

1. Do you have a hand-held radiometer? If so, which one? (I hope you have both an UVA/UVB and UVB meters since that would be the ideal.)

2. If you do, have you "measured" the output of the leg tanning unit?

I ask these questions because it is possible that the UVB percentage is quite low in the leg tanner and, therefore, you would not expect to have much sunburning.

Thus, if you have these two meters, read the A & B and the B, calculate the UVB% (by subrracting the UVB from the UVA/UVB) and let us know the results.

There may be a simple answer to your question and that "answer" would be important for your buddy Drew to know.

Don

04-26-2002, 01:33 AM	#1 (permalink)
Tropical Sun Join Date: Dec 3 2001 Posts: 62 Rep Power: 0	Don - I have customers that feel they have gotten "too much sun" because they have burned there upper body. Although there chest may be burned, they have absolutely no burn whatsoever on there legs. When they request the leg tanner because the rest of their body is burned, I allow them to go because the assure me, there legs are fine. Even when they are pink on the face and chest, after tanning the legs, there legs ARE NOT BURNED from the leg tanner. Why is this? Do legs naturally have a higher tolerance to UVR? I have had customers with a burn to the upper body, tan the legs, and the legs never burn. I, of course am happy to let them use the leg tanner because I charge twice as much as a single session, and it makes them use there points up faster - but am I being irresponsible or do legs just have a higher tolerance? If you do not know the answer, no big deal - just please say so and do not make something up. Rod(Mike)

04-26-2002, 05:19 AM	#2 (permalink)
Don Smith Join Date: Feb 25 2000 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 1,619 Rep Power: 10	Mike: That's a great observation and question! I don't have the answer to your question right now but I'll do a little research to see what I can find. Now that I stop and think about it, I don't remember anyone ever complaining about sunburning their legs or their forearms. Does that mean that certain parts of the body have a higher tolerance to UVR? If so, why? What I CAN tell you is that my bald head sunburns MUCH easier that anywhere else on my body! Good question. Don

04-26-2002, 01:19 PM	#3 (permalink)
Chippp Join Date: Apr 19 2001 Posts: 2,556 Rep Power: 8	everyone will find that their arms and legs can take higher amounts the the face.

04-26-2002, 02:16 PM	#4 (permalink)
solarmeter Join Date: Nov 13 2001 Location: MI Posts: 631 Rep Power: 8	Most likely because we've run around outdoors in shorts and T-shirts all those years, increasing TUVR of legs and arms. As for head, it was protected by hair so many years that it acts like a baby's butt when hair leaves. Wear backwards baseball hat and play Rap on your boombox..

04-27-2002, 09:31 AM	#5 (permalink)
Don Smith Join Date: Feb 25 2000 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 1,619 Rep Power: 10	Mike: I have found some information that may shed some light on the problem but first I have some questions. 1. Do you have a hand-held radiometer? If so, which one? (I hope you have both an UVA/UVB and UVB meters since that would be the ideal.) 2. If you do, have you "measured" the output of the leg tanning unit? I ask these questions because it is possible that the UVB percentage is quite low in the leg tanner and, therefore, you would not expect to have much sunburning. Thus, if you have these two meters, read the A & B and the B, calculate the UVB% (by subrracting the UVB from the UVA/UVB) and let us know the results. There may be a simple answer to your question and that "answer" would be important for your buddy Drew to know. Don

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