UV panels were first used in Europe in the 1930s to assist coal miners developing physical and psychological ailments from lack of sunlight. The first commercial units came out about 40 years later in the 1970s, using primarily Wolff Low-Pressure tanning lamps. These units put out about 10 - 15% UVB, and ran a similar risk of burning you as the natural sun. It is hard to believe, but even with plexiglass on the top and bottom to eliminate the need to flip, the exposure limit at this time was between 30 and 50 minutes to achieve the same color we can provide today in 8 to 10.

By the early 1980s, commercial units were beginning to use more lamps and tanning salons began to multiply. Average session times dropped to 20 - 30 minutes, but the lamp technology was not greatly improved and still tended to yield a high risk of burning. In response, High-Pressure Technology began to gain popularity later in the decade. High-pressure units literally emit NO UVB, so the immediate risk of burning is minimized. However, the drawback to this system is that an immense amount of power is needed to achieve a tan from UVA only, as UVB is not present to help make the tanning process efficient. Units like these from the 1980s can only tan one side at a time, requiring the client to flip in the middle of the session and lengthening the exposure time.

In 1990, VHO (Very High Output) low-pressure units began to appear. These low-pressure florescent lamps decreased the UVB percentage to around 5%, and reduced exposure time to less than 20 minutes, an important advance since exposing skin for extended periods can be drying and damaging in the long term. Some units used high-pressure facial lamps, ensuring that delicate facial tissue not be exposed to too much UVB.

In 1994, a breakthrough came from Dr. Mueller with the invention of VHR (Very High Reflector) Technology and the Orbit. These bulbs have a built in reflector, allowing them to yield over 40% more output than the earlier VHO Technology. In addition, Dr. Mueller managed to reduce the UVB ratio down to 2.8%, a far cry from the 15% found in natural sunlight and in older beds, and certainly superior to the beds being used as recently as the early 90s. The exposure times were reduced to 12-15 minutes, still yielding superior color due to the small amount of UVB present to stimulate melanin production.

In 2000, Dr. Mueller introduced VHP (Very High Performance) Filter Technology for high-pressure facial lamps with 1.2%UVB.