Below is a list of our help sections, click on the section that your question relates to for a list of our most frequently asked questions.  If you can’t find what you are looking for or have any questions please Contact Us

Plug the unit in to the mains voltage.  When the switch is in the 0 position a signal light on the handle will illuminate to show that the unit is receiving power.  If it does not illuminate then it indicates that there is a problem with the mains supply.

Activate the unit by pressing the switch on the handle to position 1 – there is no need to wait for the unit to “warm-up”.  When the switch is in position 1 the signal light on the handle will extinguish and the UVB bulb will illuminate.  The unit is now ready for use.

We test each unit before it is dispatched.  Unfortunately, there are occasions where the UVB bulb becomes dislodged in transit.  If the signal light indicates that there is mains power then you should check that the UVB bulb is not loose.

Remove the clear bulb cover by pushing the two locking clips in on either side of the handle.  Whilst holding the clips in with one hand simultaneously pull the bulb cover off.  With the bulb cover off you can now check that the UVB bulb is not loose.  Sometimes it needs gently pushing into place until it clicks back into position. You can now re-attach the bulb cover by pushing it on until the clips lock it in place.

Hold the unit in a vertical position, with the handle at the bottom and the gap in the clear bulb cover facing you.  Attach the comb by inserting the bottom lip into the lower edge of the bulb cover and pushing it down as far as it will go.  Now slide the comb up slightly so that the top lip of the comb is under the upper edge of the gap in the bulb cover.

See the video below which shows how to attach the comb.

The life expectancy of the tubes is over 1000 hours usage.  They won’t suddenly stop working, but slowly lose their efficiency by about 20% after 1000 hours usage.  As the tubes are only used for a short time each session this equates to between 10 and 12 years before the tubes need to be replaced.

Both types of tube are designed by Philips and they produce light within the same spectrum (mainly UVB at 311nm).  The difference in the tube naming conventions is due to their size.  The TL01 lamps are long tubes that are used in the Canopies and Cabinets.  They are 100 watts each. TL stands for linear lamp i.e. a straight lamp.  The PL01 lamps offer the same benefits as the TL01 but are smaller.  Our Mini Unit uses two PL01 36 watt tubes.  The Hand Held unit uses one PL01 9 watt tube. Due to their smaller size, the light produced by the PL01 tubes is less intense, and they are designed for treating small localised areas such as arms/legs/hands/scalp.  For larger areas and full body coverage you need to use a unit containing TL01 tubes.

RUVA tubes are a cheaper tube than a Philips TL01 tube.  They are less efficient at treating skin conditions and vitamin d deficiency.  TL01 tubes produce much more of the beneficial light needed for therapeutic treatment.  A TL01 tube emits 78% of it’s total UV output as UVB light.  By contrast, a RUVA tube emits 4% of it’s total UV output as UVB light.

However, by choosing a unit with a mixture of TL01 and RUVA tubes you can tailor the unit to match the severity of your skin condition and your budget. The more Philips tubes there are in a unit the more intense the UVB light treatment will be.

The units are NOT sunbeds and should not be used for tanning purposes.  They use Philips TL01 or PL01 tubes which are designed for medical use only.  78% of the ultra violet light emitted by these tubes is of UVB and will not give you a tan.  Sunbeds by comparison, produce the majority of their light at UVA.  

You need to measure your existing sunbed tubes. If they are just less than 6ft in length and have 2 pins on the end then you should be able to replace the existing tubes with Philips TL01 Narrowband tubes.  Ideally, the existing tubes should be 100 watts as this means that the internal chokes / ballasts are rated for 100 watts (the ideal rating for the TL01 tubes).   If the internal ballasts are not 100w you can still fit the tubes but their life expectancy may be affected.

Another point you need to consider is accurate timings – the timer on a normal sunbed is not accurate enough to measure your Narrowband dosage.  We therefore recommend that you buy a digital timer that goes into your plug socket so that you can turn the unit off after the required session time (usually between 30 secs and 3 mins).

Canopies and Cabinets are delivered and installed free of charge within Mainland Britain.

Mini Units and Hand Held Units are sent by courier free of charge within Mainland Britain.

Tube only orders are sent by courier.  Due to the cost of packing and insuring, an additional shipping charge will be applied at checkout for tube orders.  The charge for TL01 tubes is £48, for PL01 36 watt tubes it is £45, and for PL01 9 watt tubes it is £8.99.  This is a fixed one-off cost for delivering tubes within Mainland Britain, no matter how many tubes you order. 

We deliver all our units overseas, but the canopy and cabinet units need to be crated and placed on a pallet before they can be shipped – this costs extra, and may increase the delivery schedule timescale.  Deliveries to the following postcodes (TR, IV, PH, KW), and any location within Britain that requires sea transport may also incur additional charges.

If you require any of our units or tubes to be delivered overseas or outside of Mainland Britain then please contact us first and request a quotation. 

Any prices quoted for delivering a crated unit are for kerbside delivery only.  Local delivery charges may be imposed by the delivering courier if the property is not easily accessible (a crated unit weighs circa 75 Kgs).

Within Mainland Britain, the canopy and cabinet units will be delivered and installed by our own team within approximately 10 working days of the order being received and processed. The delivery team will contact you to let you know the delivery date. We will try and deliver sooner than 10 working days where possible, but cannot guarantee this.

Mini Units, Hand held Units and Tube only orders are dispatched by courier within 2 working days of receiving the order.

We deliver all our units overseas, but the canopy and cabinet units need to be crated and placed on a pallet before they can be shipped – this costs extra, and may increase the delivery schedule timescale.  Deliveries to the following postcodes (TR, IV, PH, KW), and any location within Britain that requires sea transport may also incur additional charges and timescales.

If you require any of our units or tubes to be delivered overseas or outside of Mainland Britain then please contact us first and request a quotation. 

If you order a unit on finance then the delivery timescale only starts once you have returned your completed application form and it has been approved. 

Do not use the equipment if you are in an advanced state of pregnancy. 

If you are taking tranquillisers, anti-depressants or antibiotics; suffer from high or low blood pressure, heart or circulation disorders, epilepsy, diabetes, or any other condition which may result in sensitivity to ultra violet light or heat then you might be ok to have the treatment.  If you are in any doubt then consult your doctor / dermatologist before use.

Also, we recommend that anyone under the age of 18 should consult with their doctor before using the unit.

If you wish to use the light treatment in conjunction with creams or moisturisers then only apply the creams after the light therapy, and not before.  This is because they may increase your sensitivity to UV light.

MBS have gained VAT exemption under Notice 701/7 for Narrowband units containing Philips Narrowband tubes. The products shown here are VAT exempt (exempt price shown) for customers suffering from “chronic” medical conditions (The definition of “chronic” is that the condition is constant, or recurs frequently) e.g. most psoriasis/ vitiligo sufferers and in some cases eczema, scleroderma and atopic dermatitis etc.  If you suffer from a chronic disorder (or are purchasing on behalf of someone that does), and the unit is for domestic or personal use then the price is VAT exempt.  If you disagree with this statement then you must contact us, as VAT may apply.

We only sell brand new units.  This ensures that we can guarantee the quality and provide a warranty.