Tanning lamps (sometimes called
tanning bulbs in the United States or
tanning tubes in Europe) are the part of a tanning bed, booth or other tanning device which produces
ultraviolet light responsible for
tanning. There are hundreds of different kinds of tanning lamps most of which can be classified in two basic groups: low pressure and high pressure. Within the industry, it is common to call high-pressure units "bulbs" and low-pressure units "lamps", although there are many exceptions and not everyone follows this example. This is likely due to the size of the unit, rather than the type. Both types require an oxygen free environment inside the lamp.