Tanning?

Does anyone here ever go to a tanning salon for a tan? I never have, I usually just lay out. Im asking cause I have fair skin and in order to get any kind of color I have to lay out everyday for almost 2 hours, its really hard for me to tan and it just takes up way to much of my day. So I thought I might give a tanning salon a try. I wanted to know other peoples experiances with them and what kind of tanning they used, the bed, spray,etc...?

My roomies friend used to work at this one place, and she still goes there and my roomie says her tan looks really good. She doesnt lay in the bed but stands up, its not the spray one she uses, but i guess they have ones you can stand up in for like 15 minutes or however long u need. Since she used to work there and looks good, I thought about going there. I am a little nervous since I have never done it before.



What do you guys think about them? thanks

Hmmmm, I have never done it before. I was thinking about doing it for my wedding but my husband has fair skin so I firgured he would look like a ghost in our wedding pictures! But I know a couple of people who are addicted to it and now their tans look fake. But I guess if you only did it a little bit maybe it would be okay?

I tan every year! I dont get real dark but enough to look nice I really like tanning, it is relaxing too

I'll never tan in a salon again. I have fair skin and my grandmother died of skin cancer.

IMO skin cancer is not worth "looking tanned". (Some people just look orange too )

I made the mistake of going to the tanning salon last summer due to my embarassment of my extremely pale skin.

Now I embrace my skin, and am praying that I never get cancer because of the damage I could have avoided.

If I feel very self conscious, I just use those lotions now. No more tanning booths for me.

My friend died from Tanning. She got Cancer from the Tanning. My Husbands Exwife has Skin Cancer from it too. I will never go to one after seeing what it does.

I don't believe in any kind of tanning - none of its good for you in the long run. You are just as likely to get skin cancer from a tanning bed then the sun - maybe more so since its more concentrated.

Be proud to be pale - you'll look a heck of a lot younger And just think - your friends skin will look aged, wrinkled, etc. then your pale skin. I tell people - "I'd rather have pale skin then to look like an alligator".

Have you really looked at those people in their 40's/50's in Florida and Arizona - they look at least 20 yrs OLDER cause of the "tanning" they are doing.

What about spray tan? I agree, tanning is not worth it. The last time I went to a tanning booth after a vacation to prolong what eensy bit of color I managed to get, I ended up with welts on my back. Never again!

Originally Posted by clixpix

What about spray tan? I agree, tanning is not worth it.

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I'm extremely fair skinned. When I was a kid it was considered "terrible" if I didn't have a tan. By the age of 21, I began to have moles removed from my body and tested for melanoma.

I look at my sister who has been tanning since she was 17 (she is now 38). She could pass for 45+ with the amount of wrinkles and such...she basically looks "leathered". This is from both sun tanning and tanning salon.

On the other hand, my friend who is 42 never tanned in her whole life and took care of her skin. She could pass for 25 (seriously, she picks up men 1/2 her age)

If I feel I need color I would do the sunless tanning. The Mystic tan is pretty good from people I've spoken with.

If you feel you need to cook your skin (cause that's what tanning is), avoid the tanning salon with your fair skin, ESPECIALLY if they claim they just cleaned the bulbs. You'll come out like a lobster.

I have with mixed results. When I was in high school I got a really good looking tan, now I can't get color if my life depended on it. I did like the Mystic tan worked really well for me.
I would shop around, talk to your friends, and try to find the best places. You said you have fair skin. I do to. I would start with 8 mins or less in the beds then gradually go up from there. Or go with Mystic or other spray on tans.

Spray it on, rub it on, sponge it on, but do NOT get it from a bed or the sun. It is healthy to be in the sun for a small amount of time each day, in order to get your vitamins. But purposely tanning can cause melanomas. You have to constantly check the moles on your body (this includes your face and between your toes) to make sure they don't enlarge, become hard, change shape or colour.

I know it's 'uncool' to be white, but i'd rather be white than end up having a big lump cut out of my skin, or worse, needing treatment or dying.

I suggest a fake tan, much better for your health.

IMO skin cancer is not worth "looking tanned".

Skin cancer aside, the act of tanning damages the skin. The reason the skin turns colour is because it's trying to protect itself.

Also, with long term tanning, the skin becomes tough and rough and resembles shoe leather.

Why would anyone want to do that to their bodies?

Actually studies have shown that SOME sun is good for you and can help a lot.

I start going to the tanning salon around late April and go 2 - 3X a month until we go to the Beach in June and then maybe once every week or 2 until we go to Atlanta for NOPI in Sept. If I dont start laying in the sun a bit I get horribly burnt at the beach. And I am not about to go to the beach and hide in the condo for the entire time!

When I first start going I lay for 5 minutes and just slowly work my way up.
If you do go just dont forget to wear something with a bit of an SPF on your face!

And please dont give me flack for my choice!

My grandfather died of skin cancer. My father has had several cancerous spots removed. My sis is 15 & has had very suspricious "spots" show up from tanning. Biopsied & negative.

I'm not willing to risk my life for a tan.

You can do the spray tan, works fine. You might need a couple of sessions. But it won't hurt your skin like traditional tanning.

Originally Posted by capt_jordi

Actually studies have shown that SOME sun is good for you and can help a lot.

I start going to the tanning salon around late April and go 2 - 3X a month until we go to the Beach in June and then maybe once every week or 2 until we go to Atlanta for NOPI in Sept. If I dont start laying in the sun a bit I get horribly burnt at the beach. And I am not about to go to the beach and hide in the condo for the entire time!

When I first start going I lay for 5 minutes and just slowly work my way up.
If you do go just dont forget to wear something with a bit of an SPF on your face!

And please dont give me flack for my choice!

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No flack. I also think sun is good for humans, for moral, feels good, and is good for our skin in the right doses, we weren't made to hide indoors or live in caves. But I think frequent trips to tanning beds and too much exposure to the sun without proper protection (sunscreen, hats for some, and things like that) and risking getting sunburns is not a wise choice if you aren't interested in skin cancer. To each their own.

I am one of those people who loves to have a tan but not from the sun. You can try Mystic Tan if you have it in your area. I do it regularly. Its safe and if you if you do the light spray it gradually fades over a week and then you just go again. (They have light, medium and dark colors)

There is also airbrush tanning, that I want to try one day, but I havent yet, so I couldnt recommend it.

The Mystic Tan link .....

http://mystictan.com/experience/howworks.asp

No judgment or anything, my sister tans regularly, but even though some sun is good for you, tanning 3 times a month is really bad for you...
My dad had his bottom lip entirely cut off because of skin cancer, and my mum goes to get some cut off every month or so because of tanning when she was a teenager/young adult.

And with what you said about if you don't tan then when you go to the beach you get burnt, why don't you wear SPF cream when you go to the beach? That stops sunburn! I'm really pale, and get sunburnt so easily, but I can go to the beach all day and not get burnt as long as I wear enough SPF cream... You can get matte stuff that doesn't make you look all icky and greasy.

I think mystic tans are totally worth it, my mum has so many friends who look so gross and leathery because of tanning.

I'm not judging you though, I say that to all my friends who do the same thing

I would not lie out in the sun or use a salon, the risks just aren't worth it.

I get some colour from being outdoors (with sunscreen on) but don't deliberately tan.

There are a few body lotions on the market over here that you apply each day like a regular body cream and it darkens over several days, I know some people find that easier than regular fake tan cream, seems to be more even.

I use one over the winter when it's dark all the time - simply because I suffer from severe SAD and it's a good way of avoiding too much of the winter blues. But I have quite sallow skin, so I can take up to 20 minutes in a tanning bed on it's highest setting. For yourself, if you've never done it before, do not take any longer than about 8 minutes - and take it on a low setting, because you WILL burn and burn fast. Don't expect to come out with any colour other than red - to get a colour in a tanning bed you really need to do it slowly and for short periods. Over the winter, I go once or twice a month, for 20 minutes. That's it. Any more than that and I would look lobster pink! I have burned in one before now, and it hurts.

I also never use them during the summer. That way my body has a chance to recover and regain moisture. I know the risks are high - but my sun lamp ath ome really doesn't make any differenceon the depression (I can't take anti-depressants either, because I'm allergic to their active ingredients and st. Johns Wort just isn't helpful for me). So, even though people have preached at me, this is the best solution for me, personally.... though it may not be for you. BUT if you have decided that this is what you want to do, I will suggest a couple of things:


1. short periods of time on low settings - once or twice a month, no more.
2. use a good moisturizer afterwards
3. don't try and go brown all in one go - it's just not going to happen!
4. don't use a tanning bed after 8pm during the winter - you can actually find yourself having problems sleeping (because you get a dose of daylight when it's supposed to be dark, it can screw up the internal body-clock!)