My first ever tanning bed session! WEeeird!

[SteelWeaver]

Went for my first tanning session last night - wow! I had no idea how weird and freaky those machines are! I felt like I was in a rocket when it fired up - it was kind of SCARY! Those fans and whirring and other unidentifiable noises. LOL!

So I put my music on and pretended I was going to the MOON! What a trip!

Is it supposed to be so cold when it first starts?

Do you really have to wear the goggles - they have the eye-pieces from swimming goggles there - do they work to do whatever they're supposed to do? (What are they supposed to do?)

Someone mentioned quarters in my last thread on this topic, but - heh heh - we don't have quarters here! Are coins really an option?

I think I prefer the beach ...

 

[Bigsatan13]

My OL tans everyday. She does not use the goggles because they leave white marks on her eyes. There are no tan lines which is how I like it.

 

[Gladiola]

So I put my music on and pretended I was going to the MOON! What a trip!

Good idea!

It's so cold when you start cuz the fans are blowing on you, but the bed's not hot yet - that's normal.

How long did you go for? Did you burn?

The goggles are to protect your eyes from the ultraviolet light - & we all know how damaging that is. I think they do work, I would wear them - I don't want to risk damaging my eyes. I bought my own pair for about $10 - but you can also use the stickers (they should provide them, they're called 'winkies').

I don't tan my face at all - I know it causes wrinkles & I don't want to speed the aging process! Besides, the only reason I tan my body is to help accentuate muscle definition - I don't want a tan face.

 

[Temple]

I use the best sunblock I can buy on myt face and neck. Then use a good tan in a bottle for these areas. A few years back I tanned my face for one summer and it is now costing me an average of $1000 per year to undo the damage - it gave me wrinkles, uneven skin tone and sun damage on my cheeks that have to be lasered every 6 months. I have a bed and tan my body but don't go extremely dark. And I do use the goggles as I don't want the damage to my eyes.

 

[oicu812 - chargeback]

definitely cover your eyes!!! it is extremely dangerous!!! i go everyday... it's very relaxing... i use a kitchen towel, double it over and cover my neck and face... then to make up for the difference in color- i use sunless tanning products for my face and neck... it works great... also... if i really want to get a "quick" tan for the night, i use the sunless tanning lotion all over and get in the bed.. it really makes you dark for the night...

 

[MS]

I won't touch those goggles because I've never seen the staff clean them between clients Yuck. I also get more than enough (too much) sun on my face already, so I just cover my face and neck with a T-shirt and go to sleep.

 

[ladymacbeth]

hehe, I haven't been tanning since I was in high school, but I remember the first time I went, I was afraid I would fall through the plastic I was lying on, and I didn't relax the WHOLE time. I also stripped off everything, and sunburned my ass to a bloody crisp. Oh, those were the days...

Maybe buy your own goggles? They sell little individual ones, I believe, and they're not too expensive...plus, they're cootie free...

 

[_mo23]

I tan several times a week,and always cover my face. They make these little seperated goggles that cover each eye,but don't leave noticeable lines. I just use make up to even my face/body. There are also beds that you can stand in,and aren't such "closed quarters!"

 

[angel_eyes]

Self tanner and sun block are my best friends. Lots of products on the market that don't leave streaks and a nice even tan. If you are worried about using them on your face, mix some self tanner with lotion, that will keep it nice and even.

 

[SteelWeaver]

Thanks for the replies. So the goggles are for ultraviolet light ... surely just closing one's eyes, should take care of that? And if you use a towel, then you don't need the goggles?

I went for 30 mins, with step 1 accelerator - and hardly notice any difference at all - I definitely didn't burn. The machine is a 6000 watt (?) machine - is that average, or low?

I have self-tanners for face and body - I'll use them later on, once I have the base tan. There is a stand-up booth, too, so I'll use that one sometimes.

With fair Caucasian (is that word still used?) skin that tans golden reasonably easily, how long should it take to get a dark tan? I have 10.5 weeks ...

And, just for interest, how much do you pay on average in America for 30 mins in a bed?