Commercial tanning beds are designed to artificially darken the skin using bulbs that simulate the rays of the sun. In a horizontal bed, the person seeking a tan lies down in the bed for a pre-determined amount of time. In a vertical booth, the client stands up to receive their rays.

A horizontal commercial tanning bed used to be the only way to fake-tan. When too many customers complained about touching the surface touched by so many before them, as well as claustrophobia, the vertical tanning booth was born.

Another alternative has also emerged, challenging the traditional commercial tanning bed – spray tanning. Spray tanning takes less time (and, therefore, don’t last as long), but the results are good enough that plenty of people keep coming back for the spray tan. Not to mention, the skin damage caused by the rays of the sun, real and simulated.