Taking Wellness to the Next Level

Building on its strong reputation as a wellness-focused business, Carolina Tan & Wellness has taken its commitment to holistic well-being to the next level with the introduction of SmartSun Therapy. The advanced, medical-grade red light therapy equipment has enabled the salon to introduce a new membership tier while also providing clients with an expanded range of transformative results.

“I’m very passionate about not relying on pharmaceuticals as a Band-Aid. With SmartSun Therapy, I’m able to provide a holistic way for my husband, my clients, and my community to get relief and truly life-changing results,” says owner Emily Sigmon says.

SmartSun Therapy now stands out as the only service not fully included in the $99 Wellness+ “all-access” membership at Carolina Tan & Wellness. At that level, members do receive four SmartSun Therapy sessions per month, but unlimited access is only available via their $199 Smart Sun membership. With single sessions priced at $125, it’s easy for clients to see the value in the membership options.

Including limited membership access along with utilizing promotional offers like $50 to add four more sessions has been effective at encouraging clients to try the service and embrace it as part of their routine. Interestingly, Sigmon has found that the first thing tanners who try SmartSun Therapy tend to notice is how much it enhances their tanning results.

“Why not make their experience as a tanner even better because I’m giving them a massive boost to their color development by giving them access to SmartSun? Ultimately, that’s converting them to an upper-level or wellness client because then they’re noticing other benefits. We’re introducing it to them and being able to convert them from a $19 membership to a $99 membership,” she says.

But the customers that will ultimately go for the $199 Smart Sun membership are ones who are “truly battling something,” Sigmon says. Several customers have reported remarkable improvements in their health and well-being thanks to SmartSun Therapy. One client with erythromelalgia, who had not felt sensation in her fingers for years, experienced a return of sensation after starting SmartSun Therapy.

“She started using it on Wellness+ and told staff she started to have a sensation in her fingertips that feels like bee stings. This is wonderful news. The fact she’s feeling anything is incredible. That’s pretty big to me,” Sigmon says. “She’s been everywhere to try to find relief from this, and now she’s getting that from something that’s part of her tanning package. Who would have thought we’d be able to make such a difference in someone’s life?”

Another client, suffering from chronic pain and sleep issues, saw significant improvements after just a month of therapy.

“She has struggled with headaches that keep her awake at night. I started her off doing it three times a week, then two times a week, and once a week to see how it works. When we touched base after her first month, she said she’s sleeping better than she has in 25 years. Her headaches are almost completely gone,” Sigmon says.

Even Emily’s husband and business partner, Keith, has experienced the physical benefits SmartSun Therapy can provide. Keith, who worked in construction for 20 years and has arthritis in his knees, saw an immediate impact when Emily convinced him to give their new service a try.

“He was getting no pain relief from medications. I pretty much had to force him to try it because he’s stubborn. I told him, ‘Just get in there. Just do it.’ He felt immediate relief after the session,” she says. “We tell people some people will see immediate result while others we’ll encourage give it three to four times if they want to really see a change. It just kind of depends on the person.”

Creating a Professional Wellness Therapy Environment

Last summer, I met with a salon group that has been using SmartSun Therapy medical grade red light beds in their stores for two years. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss what we’ve all learned about red light therapy services in the tanning salon environment. In the meetings, we discussed everything from customer experiences and feedback, marketable treatments, session and membership pricing, operator and consumer education, and non-salon competition.

After reviewing mountains of information and evaluating everything we’ve experienced in the past two years, a number of revelations came to light. The resounding point being that to truly unlock the full potential of red light therapy in tanning businesses, we need to price, consult, and sell it the way consumers would expect from a medical-grade service provider.

In a professional wellness therapy environment, caregivers provide scientifically supported treatments after carefully evaluating each patient, and then prescribe the appropriate treatment schedule. Sound familiar? For years, Smart Tan professional tanning salon operators have been trained to do just that for our UV services. We ask why our customers are tanning, evaluate the best course to achieve their desired results, and schedule them into the appropriate UV device and spray service, along with recommending additional beneficial products.

But with red light services, I think many of us may have skimped on the training, evaluation, and prescribing sessions program while providing their medical-grade red light therapy treatments. Many of us have become so focused on driving sales and increasing our average EFT ticket that we’ve ignored just how impactful this level of red light therapy can be to our businesses. We didn’t think about how much our existing customers were willing to pay for the service, or about the cost of similar services from other non-tanning salon providers. We just focused on getting the device into our stores, adding a few bucks to our all-inclusive EFTs, and were happy to see our top EFT membership climb.

Now don’t get me wrong – increasing our top-level EFT is a huge win. But did we leave a lot of money on the table? Did we cheapen the perceived value of this medical-grade service? More importantly, did we miss a rare opportunity for our businesses to shed the “tanning salon” stigma that we’ve all suffered from for so many years? Are we missing the opportunity to become serious wellness providers in the eyes of our community? These issues need to be an important part of our planning as we continue to advance our businesses into the future.

Let’s take a look at our own industry’s successes over the past several decades. Our industry began as unsophisticated operators that didn’t know much more about UV light and the skin than a fast-food employee knew about nutrition. In our early years, we got away with that lack of professionalism because tanning was cheap and easy.

Fast forward to today’s sophisticated tanning businesses, and we find professionally certified operators who understand UV light and how the skin tans. We evaluate and prescribe tanning “treatments” utilizing a variety of German-engineered high-end devices that today include UVA, UVB, and red light. And let’s not forget our spray tanning services that include pre-spray, color variations, and after-spray options. Yes, today’s tanning salon is a highly sophisticated operation requiring technical skills that weren’t needed in our early years. Today’s tanning businesses also command solid pricing and memberships that are commensurate with our level of equipment and services.

Thanks to our industry rising to this level, we are able to effectively compete with powerful fitness chains and franchises that have nice equipment at very low prices. Have you ever considered how this is possible? Experience has taught us that most consumers prefer to tan in a professionally trained environment where they can trust their skin is being cared for by someone who knows what they’re doing, and with the best equipment and products available. Consumers trust tanning salons because they understand that we are professional UV providers.

So, how can we become the trusted provider of red light therapy? It’s simple. We need to follow the same path we’ve already taken with our suntanning services. We need to become sophisticated professional red light therapy providers the same way we’ve become the most trusted source for suntanning services.

[Header] Built to Shine: The Tech Behind SmartSun Therapy

Red light therapy has rapidly become one of the most exciting and profitable service categories in the tanning and wellness industry. Thanks to significant advancements in technology, today’s systems are light-years ahead of the older, outdated models that once filled the market. Leading the charge is the SmartSun Therapy SST28—a high-performance, Made-in-USA device engineered for maximum results, ease of use, long-term durability, and an exceptional return on investment.

So how did we get here — and why is the SST28 considered the best-performing and most popular full-body red light therapy device in the tanning industry today?

Red light therapy traces its roots to NASA research in the 1990s, when scientists investigated the use of specific wavelengths of red light to support plant growth in space. During those experiments, they discovered that red and near-infrared light could also stimulate cellular regeneration and accelerate healing in human tissue. This breakthrough sparked decades of research and development, ultimately transforming red light therapy from a space-age innovation into a mainstream wellness solution.

Despite its potential, widespread adoption of red light therapy for consumer wellness was initially limited by the high cost of LED technology. Most commercial systems carry six-figure price tags, making sessions prohibitively expensive for the average consumer. While medical-grade red light therapy built a loyal niche following, it remained out of reach for many salons and wellness centers. Meanwhile, low-pressure red light systems became popular in the tanning industry, but without high-output LED technology, the results, profitability, and room for growth were highly limited.

That’s where SmartSun Therapy changed the game.

Designed and manufactured in Las Vegas by a family-run company, the SST28 is purpose-built to deliver elite-level results at a far more accessible price point. Its advanced LED technology rivals that of red light systems found outside the industry costing over $100,000—yet the SST28 comes in at a fraction of the cost. Within the tanning industry, it has no peer: The SST28 delivers more than twice the energy of the leading competitor in a standard 15-minute session.

That unmatched performance is driven by over 28,000 high-output red and infrared LEDs and a sleek, contoured design that positions the body just two to three inches from the light source—the optimal distance for therapeutic effect. Proximity is key: the closer the light is to the skin, the more energy is absorbed, and the better the results. The SST28’s unique layout maximizes this efficiency, allowing salons to offer shorter session times without sacrificing effectiveness. And that means more appointments per day—and more revenue.

Engineered specifically for the tanning industry, the SST28 is built not just for performance but also for longevity and durability. Its 50,000-hour-rated LEDs provide years of worry-free performance, and the modular LED board design ensures that any necessary repairs are simple and affordable. Operating costs are minimal, requiring little more than electricity and a quick wipe-down between sessions.

For tanning businesses seeking to grow through service expansion and diversification, SmartSun Therapy offers a proven, profitable opportunity. The SST28’s combination of advanced technology, regulatory credibility, stunning design, and accessible pricing makes it the perfect solution to attract new wellness-focused customers, re-engage past clients, and elevate your brand.

Caribbean Beach Tanning’s SST28 Launch Delivers a Fast Start and Powerful Results

Caribbean Beach Tanning & Wellness may have just added the SmartSun Therapy SST28 in April, but the results are already exceeding expectations.

By introducing a new $99 SST–only membership and incorporating the device into their all-inclusive EFT program, the salon saw an immediate impact. Their first EFT draw after the SST28 launch was $2,700 higher than May of the previous year. In June, that figure more than doubled, with EFT revenue up by $5,400 year-over-year.

Located in Minnesota’s Brainerd Lakes region—an area known for outdoor summer recreation and lifestyle—Caribbean Beach typically sees a seasonal dip in business when warmer weather hits. But this year, the addition of full-body red light therapy helped reverse that trend.

“Brainerd Lakes is very much a summer, outdoorsy tourist area. We usually see a lot of decrease, so we hope it continues for July and August this year and we’ll have the best summer we’ve ever had in 20 years,” owner Jackie Gruber says.

Gruber has long believed in the potential of red light therapy, having previously operated a LED red light panel system at the salon. But as demand grew for full-body sessions, it became clear a step up was needed.

“The SST28 was on our bucket list because we got the panel three years ago and it went really well. The one downfall was most people wanted full body,” she says. “When we ordered the SST28, we teased a little about it and told customers it’s coming. The day after it shipped, we sold a red light package without it being in operation. People were really excited.”

While cosmetic benefits continue to be a strong draw, Gruber says the SST28 has uncovered a much deeper need in the community: pain relief.

“Having full body blows the panel out of the water comparing to how it went when we first got it. Full body is what people need and what we’ve been noticing is a lot of people used the panel for cosmetic reasons and the bed showed us that more people are in pain than you think, and they’ve had so much relief with it,” she says.

Despite the fast start, the salon is only beginning to tap into the SST28’s full potential. A few completely new customers have already signed up for red light therapy, and some former clients have returned after several years away. Still, most of the early growth has come from upgrading and retaining their existing base. And with word-of-mouth just starting to build around the Brainerd Lakes community, the sky’s the limit for what this service could become.

With momentum building, Caribbean Beach is positioned not just for a standout summer, but for elevated success year-round.

Choosing the Right Red Light Therapy Device

As the demand for red light therapy devices grows, it becomes essential for tanning businesses to make informed decisions before making a purchase. If you’re going to invest in red light, you want a device that’s going to provide substantial results for clients and become a new profit center for your business. Here are some crucial elements to consider when selecting a red light therapy device:

1. LED Quantity:

One of the fundamental factors to assess is the number of LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) in the device. The effectiveness of red light therapy is often associated with the density of LEDs per square inch. For example, a red light facial unit may have 3,000 to 4,000 LEDs, while a full-body system should ideally exceed 25,000 LEDs to deliver optimal results. The higher the LED count, the better the coverage and potential benefits.

2. Wavelengths:

Not all red light therapy devices are created equal, and the specific wavelengths emitted play a crucial role in their effectiveness. Look for devices that offer targeted 635nm red light and 850nm near-infrared light. Scientific research has shown that these spectrums are the most impactful for red light therapy, promoting cellular function and yielding positive results in various applications.

3. LED Proximity:

The distance between the LEDs and the user is a critical consideration. Red and near-infrared light diminish rapidly over distance, and as much as 60-80% of the light can be lost in just a few inches. Therefore, it is important to choose a device where the LEDs are positioned optimally to ensure consistent and effective light exposure during the therapy session.

4. Market Testing:

Before investing in a red light therapy device, inquire about its success in the indoor tanning market. Check to see if the company has testimonials or can even put you in touch with owners of similar businesses who have purchased the device. Those people will be the best sources to tell you if your investment will be a true difference-maker or just anther complementary service.

5. FDA Registration or Clearance:

Ensure that the red light therapy device you are considering is properly registered or cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA registration ensures that the device meets safety and performance standards. Some manufacturers have faced consequences for not complying with these regulations, leading to the shutdown of their operations. Protect your investment by choosing a device with proper FDA documentation.

When considering all of these elements, there’s only one device in the tanning market that checks all the boxes. The SmartSun Therapy SST28 features 28,433 red and near-infrared light diodes, highly specific wavelengths, zero-gravity design, is FDA-registered, and has been proven in more than 100 tanning businesses to produce the most significant results of any device used in the industry. Numerous tanning businesses of all shapes and sizes will tell you that SmartSun Therapy is one of the best investments they’ve ever made.