With swimsuit season just around the corner, several people are visiting tanning salons. While some are using the tanning beds, others are choosing to get spray tans, which may prove to be the best alternative to harmful UV rays.

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Elizabeth Anne Leavitt, senior at Auburn University, is an avid fan of spray tans.

“I get spray tans because skin cancer runs in my family. It’s less time consuming than going to tan every day in a normal tanning bed,” Leavitt said.

Leavitt said that she likes the results so much, that she has gotten 10 spray tans in the past two years.

“I like them because I can have a tan in the middle of the winter or when it’s cloudy outside or,” Leavitt said. “It’s like an instant tan.”

According to Leavitt, it’s a healthier solution to tanning. She says that it’s fast and worth the money.

“It gives you more reliable results,” she said. “You know what you will look like when you come out.”

After deciding if you want a light, medium or dark spray tan, you go into a booth and apply a base lotion that prevents streaking and balances the pH level in your skin. You are also given a shower cap and barrier cream to put on your hands and feet. A voice guides you through the process.

“It takes about 15 minutes and you stand in four different positions in the booth while it sprays, right, left, and front and back,” Leavitt said. “The machine talks to you and tells you where to place your feet on the ground.”

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the most effective sunless tanning products contain DHA (dihydroxyacetone), a chemical that creates the long-term tanning effect. When applied to the skin, DHA reacts with the proteins and amino acids in the skin's superficial layer to produce a golden brown color. The skin begins to darken two to three hours after application and lasts five to seven days.

Leavitt says she gets spray tans before special occasions like weddings, formals and sorority recruitment. She usually gets them two days before the event.

“Being tan makes me feel more confident,” Leavitt said. “It typically makes you look more healthy and it makes your skin look more radiant.”

The Tan Essentials on South College Street offers Mystic Tans. The light shade is $21, the medium shade is $23 and the dark shade is $24. Aromas or triple bronzing boosts may be added for $4 extra. You can also buy three sessions for $50. On “Mystic Mondays,” customers can purchase any shade for $18.

Palm Beach Tan on South College Street offers Mystic Tans and VersaSpa