My first ever tanning bed session! WEeeird!

[b fold the truth]

You are probably ok. Lots of people take the notion of "getting the burn out" before they tan. They burn every day for a week or two to get their tan. They don't tan...they just add burn on top of burn on top of burn.

Your skin burns because it did not have enough moisturizer in it...not yet anyway. As you tan...your skin moisturizes. Drink lots of water and keep lotion on your skin all of the time. 2-3x a day with a good soft moisturizing lotion should be good. Drink lots of water too...especially if you burn.

Pretty tans come from going in shorter sessions more often. That is when a pretty tan develops...and it lasts longer and is safer.

B True

 

[Cheetarah]

You are probably ok. Lots of people take the notion of "getting the burn out" before they tan. They burn every day for a week or two to get their tan. They don't tan...they just add burn on top of burn on top of burn.

Your skin burns because it did not have enough moisturizer in it...not yet anyway. As you tan...your skin moisturizes. Drink lots of water and keep lotion on your skin all of the time. 2-3x a day with a good soft moisturizing lotion should be good. Drink lots of water too...especially if you burn.

Pretty tans come from going in shorter sessions more often. That is when a pretty tan develops...and it lasts longer and is safer.

B True

Great info, thanks! Yeah, I've been piling on the lotion (fortified with aloe and vitamin E) once a day (after showers) and twice a day on the days I tan. I've also been taking extra vitamin E and using an aloe/vitamin E shower gel. I always drink a lot of water, usually a gallon a day. So it sounds like I should be okay. I told my step mom I was tanning and she about freaked out, telling me not to or I'll get skin cancer. Guess I'll tell her my risk is minimal since I'm not burning.

 

[SteelWeaver]

Wow, this has turned into a great thread! Thanks everyone.

I found a proper salon right next to my station - I'm going to investigate tonight, and will probably try them out tomorrow. They had pictures and prices and so on outside the building - they have several different types of machines, apparently all very cutting edge by the looks of them - these people mean BUSINESS. They even had a space-age looking huge armchair type machine.

Guess how much I will have to pay for 20 minutes ...

$20.

and that's on the cheap machine. There's a super special machine for hard-core tanners - 10 minutes, $20.

Maybe I'll take a good walk around my neighbourhood on the weekend ... Although I get the feeling I'll get what I pay for - this spot really looks SERIOUS about tanning.

 

[KBgrl]

and that's on the cheap machine. There's a super special machine for hard-core tanners - 10 minutes, $20.

B]

thats the bed I use...good stuff! once you work your way up hit that bed!

you have to cover your eyes with something. I never did and today my eye site is SHOT! most people dont wear the protective goggles and their eyes are fine but for some ;...like meeeee... it seriously made my vision all messed up. I most CERTAINLY need glasses or contacts now! your eyelids are very thin and will not fully protect your eyes so be safe sexy thang

 

[b fold the truth]

I feel that the high pressure tanning systems...go once a month type of deals...is really bad for your skin. It goes layers deep. I will see if I can find some old research that I had on these systems when I get back into town.

B True

 

[angel_eyes]

What's the deal with the little white spots you get on your skin from tanning??

One person told me it was a type of skin fungas, another just said it was sun damage?

I have rarely used tanning beds, occasionally if I have a trip planned somewhere hot and beachy, then I will go. I use self tanner and sunscreen all the time.

My neighbor is only 32, she goes all year long. In the summer she gets so dark is sick looking. In the winter she goes enough to be darker than me with a tan. I have noticed on her chest and shoulders she is getting those nasty looking sploches of freckles. I told her it was sun damage, she does not seem to care.

Another time we went on a cruise to Mexico, I warned her to move out of the sun on the deck and get into some shade. She said she was fine, that she was so tan that she would not burn. I tried to warn her that the sun rays are much stronger and you don't notice the heat with the breeze from the deck. I kept telling her she was getting burnt and she refused to listen. Later that night we went to dinner, she had developed a blister that covered her whole bottom lip and could not eat. Plus she burnt her scalp as well.

Finanally, she bought a hat, kept it on, and stayed off the sun deck!! Still, what a waste to pay all that money and burn yourself to a crisp on the 1st day and not be able to enjoy the food, drinks, snorkeling, swimming, etc.

 

[starfish]

I never tan anymore.. Not worth it.. If you want a tan, buy self tanners. Why compromise your skin??

My Aunt in Florida tans and she looks so much older than her age now. Even my cousin, who is Beautiful looks older than me ( I am older) because of tanning beds.

I would much rather be without a tan and have GREAT skin. You can always add a little color with blush or self tanners.

 

[SteelWeaver]

Thank you starfish, but somehow I doubt self-tanners alone will show up much on stage, and in my particular case, the venue that is being used doesn't allow pro-tan, dream-tan, etc. so I don't have any choice ...

 

[b fold the truth]

Don't forget...people assume that if you tan on a regular basis that you are going to be one of those people who are extremely dark and you are pretty sure that their skin "creeks" when they move...lol.

It is just like female bodybuilding...everyone fears that they will get "too big" so they don't lift weights at all. People fear that they will get "too dark" so they don't tan at all.

B True

 

[Sapphire]

I don't think the beds will make you any darker than you normally would be....trust me my deep dark tan is most peoples normal coloring Always start out slow and definately use an spf for my face, afterall certainly don't want to deal with wrinkles at an early age...

About the white spots...no matter how hard I try I cannot tan the very bottom of my back right at the tail bone? always a white spot there, but no where else....what's up with that?