Sunbed dilemma?

[Deb]

Hi, I am contenmplating installing a sunbed in a treatment room - are sunbeds still popular in salons?? Do salon lease or buy them?

Any advice would be gratefully received as I am in a quandry as what to do with the back treatment room, how to maximise its utilisation and increase salon takings - (currently the room is under used)

thanks

 

[Fifilovecat]

I can't answer professionally how ever all the sunbed shops round my area are busy and you often have to wait to get one and in a very small town near me they only have 2 salons which have which have sunbeds (1 each) one is very expensive about £1 a minuet (not usually busy) and the other which is about 60p a minuet (standard price round here) is so busy that in the summer you have to book an appointment to just to use the sunbed! Hth

 

[Steph86]

Yep the salon I work at busy busy busy with sunbeds! Price depends on watt of the tubes, from £1 for 2mins to £1 per min. Keep them clean, and working, retubed when needed. Our salon was bought with the beds inc so they don't lease.

Worth asking companies for repossesed beds.

Stock creams, and charge for winkease, but just provide normal goggles as standard. Xx

 

[MisstyB]

Hi, although yes sunbeds are very popular and will bring you in a good revenue, IMO they are so terrible for your skin that as someone who is supposed to advise clients on what is best for their skin I would never have one in my salon....how can you be one moment performing a facial and advising clients to wear sun block etc, then the next offering them the chance to fry their skin....for me it doesnt sit right!Why not rent the room to some one? maybe sports massage, semi perm make up, reiki??????? Sorry hon hate to throw the cat amounst the pigeons, but I see that you are a holistic therapist to, so maybe it would be better to try and find something that is not so damaging to your clients???

 

[Mimo9]

I would say go for it!! I've just opened a tanning and nail salon in what you would consider to be a more upmarket area and so far I'm stunned by who uses sunbeds! I've even got a couple of well heeled little old ladies coming in for regular three minute sessions as they suffer from SAD and find that a short course of sunbeds helps them. Most people are obviously going to warn you off and of course they get such a bad press but there are also a lot of people with skin problems who get a great deal of benefit from them provided they use them with caution, myself included! I struggled with acne for years and sunbeds were my saviour.....so I will defend sensible use all the way. I am trying to be as responsible as possible and won't allow the younger folk to go crazy on them especially as the new tubes are so hot! All we offer here are vertical tanning units, spray tanning and nail enhancements but having only opened seven weeks ago I'm pleased with how it's going and have a huge client base already. Renting one is a great option as you can return it without much hassle if it's not for you. I think you do need to think about the previous comment though as if you are offering anti-ageing products and treatments then it does seem that you have a real conflict of interest. Think about the off peak times too which even I can't help with as it's all so new to me. I'm preparing for the fact that come October the sunbeds will be way quieter so I'll need to offer some discounts and push the nails etc a bit more. HTH xx

 

[Male Storme]

If you are going to buy, look for a good upright second hand unit. Something like a Tansun Symphony.

Uprights tend to be more popular than lie downs, people do not like the thought of lying in someone else's sweat lol.

Also be regulation compliant with your tubes being 0.3% and I am sure you will do OK with it.

If you need any advice, or companies to contact regarding used beds etc and tubes, just PM me.

 

[kazzy70]

Agree totally with Male Storme 0.3 is a must to fall in line with the new regulations currently being implemented and I would advise to join the Sunbed association, they will keep you up to date on all current regulations and compliance. Also make sure that your insurance company WILL cover you for such, a many companies are No longer willing to do cover and if they do it is at a Premium, so you may have to shop around.
In my slaon I provide Winkease for free, but I am currently thinking of changing this, and charging as I seem to have an awful lot of "one eyed clients" ? This I cannot understand, only conclusion I have come up with is, That some clients also use them to cover moles or tattoos???
Funny one anyway.
We also clean each bed or stand before a new client enters the room for there session, and feel this gives us a heads up on other salons whom have a sign up in each room and ask that the client be responsible for the cleaning of the bed/stand?
I dont know, only my opinion, and they are welcome AND DO come and watch as we thoroughly clean and sterilise.
We also provide baby wipes and dressing robes for modesty should there be any unforeseen problems, and I have just started putting deoderant in each room. However I dont think I will continue with the latter as some Lovely clients keep "nicking it".
Honestly. You cant win sometimes, Oh and they still moan!
But hey its the general public and they never Fail to Surprise.
Every day is a School day, Thank god for this site I say! :hug: