I know of many people who get a head start on their summer tans by using tanning beds. They are easily accessible. Most beauty salons in my area have them. My sister and I call it fake baking.
She uses them. I don't. She tans naturally, but she likes to be one of the first with a dark tan. It's her thing. She is more dark complected than I am. My skin is very fair. I burn in the sun and I'm not convinced the tanning bed would be any kinder to me.
I'm also not crazy about the radiation. I knew someone several years ago that worked at a nuclear power plant. She brought her dosimeter (a little device that measures whole body radiation exposure) into the tanning bed with her. It was a low dose, but she got more radiation from the tanning bed than she did from work that day. Granted this was no scientific experiment, but it's always made me think twice about crawling into one. I suppose I'm a little too cautious about such things.
So, I'll be the slightly pink gal covered in sunscreen. What about you? Do you go to a tanning salon?
CW
CreativeWoman posted on May 04, 2007
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Comments
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gingersoul said on May 04, 2007....
CW.... i used some tanning salon years ago before my wedding day. I wanted be more tanned than i was.
But that's it. I dont like them, I know how dangerous they are.
I have been severely sunburned at 16 many other times i have been in the sun way too much, plus i have lots of moles and freckles....i dont really like the idea of accelerating their degeneration process....
So last year i tried Mystic Spray Tanning. You know, you go inside this booth and from several holes in the wall the tanning solution it is sprayed all over your body. It takes 5 minutes. And you are done. Only bad things are the cost and the fact that it doesn last like the normal tanning bed.
I am growing more and more afraid of the sun. I try to sunbath avoiding the more dangerous hours and i slather myslef with the highest spf lotion. My sister-in-law started to call me "Ms Little Cream" because when we were sailing i was the only one who was applying sunscreen after swimming...
So I am not getting so tanned and dark like i used to be ..but its ok....:-). I am already sorrounded by faked tanned people..here in Texas is an obsession....there are more tanning salon than gas station.....:-)
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secretlife said on May 04, 2007....
I am one of those dumb people who use tanning beds.
They had them at the gym i belonged to back in 2000, and i used the tanning as a reward for a week of working out.
I have very fair skin, and at 40, I never had a tan in my life until those beds. Slowly over the course of about 6 weeks, I got a great tan, and fell in love with the beds.
I know that the UV rays cause skin cancer and wrinkles.
I know it's no good for me.
And I'm vain enough that even last year I still went a dozen times to get a base tan before fourth of july.
I've also used them to tan for occasions like weddings....
I've actually tried the spray tans and didn't like them.
Do I plan to go this month and next? Jury is still out on that one. The older I get, the more I think it's not worth the risks.
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gingersoul said on May 04, 2007....
Secret......at least scale down a little bit?.... :-) -
secretlife said on May 04, 2007....
ginger: i'm trying to convince myself not to go this year....but i will be honest and say it's HARD. -
botoni said on May 04, 2007....
I received a gift pack of 10 visits to a tanning salon. I learned something really fast....I had no idea until then that I am claustrophobic! I was sure I was going to die before I got out of there alive! Once was it! -
gingersoul said on May 04, 2007....
Secret.....i hope you change your idea....{{{hugs}}}....i knwo how you feel though...it would be for me like being asked no to wear lipstick .....
Botcake..claustrophobic? Oh damn, you are right ....a tanning bed is the worst place to be......btw, couldn't you simply raise the top and get out?
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secretlife said on May 04, 2007....
i love those beds! i didn't know i would feel soooooo good lying in a damn coffin-like contraption!!!! Go figure that one out. i'm sure it's some kind of damn kink.
if you're really vain, you can do 3 of the tanning bed sessions and then one 15mn stand-up booth session. in the stand up...it's like a shower stall- there are straps over your head for your hands, and you can get all those hard to reach places that lying in the bed misses....
lol...too much info?
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Zayda said on May 04, 2007....
No, I don't use them. They actually pretty bad for you, and I'm nowhere near that vain. Besides, I'm not all that fair skinned and I have great skin that I don't want to ruin by making it look all leathery. -
gingersoul said on May 04, 2007....
Secret......that what i did...the coffin...lol........it was really relaxing, you are right....and i could adjust the top too...
i never used a booth....my old gym had 3 of them ...always busy....naturally :-)..
i remember my ex husband got all frisky and curios when i went back from the first tanning..he wanted to see if i got "colored' even down there....lol......
i remember he used to aks me to keep the top of my bikini while tanning because he loved to see the line of the tan on my skin....he used to call me beach bunny........lol.......too much info?...;-0
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secretlife said on May 04, 2007....
nah, i have a thing for tan lines too :P -
gingersoul said on May 04, 2007....
Secret....i prefer no lines but for love i kept it on....i have been compensate though....*wink* -
botoni said on May 04, 2007....
ginger....would you believe i was to petrified to lift the lid?
By the way I love tongue racing on tan lines! -
CreativeWoman said on May 04, 2007....
ginger,
I have heard of the spray tans. I've never really looked into them though. I have used the self-tanning lotions a couple of times, but it was more trouble than I thought it was worth.
secret,
It's a personal choice for sure. I think I've gotten used to being the palest one in the group. :-)
Zayda,
I actually have nice skin too. I'm very fair though. I tell myself that with a little guarding it will still be pretty when I'm old. :-) I'm sure yours will be too.
bot,
Tanning beds don't look like too much fun to me either. Did you give your remaining sessions to a friend?
CW
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sweet_cookie01 said on May 04, 2007....
For me nope... i am not dark nor too light... but i would like to try those olive skin tones... its quite expensive though to have your self baked.... -
botoni said on May 04, 2007....
I sure did....as fast as I could....lol -
kingcobra said on May 04, 2007....
no! -
CreativeWoman said on May 05, 2007....
sweet,
Is there a special process for getting an olive skin tone at a tanning salon?
botoni,
Sounded like you might. :-)
KC,
I don't use them either.
CW
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gingersoul said on May 05, 2007....
CW........last summer i used Nivea Self Tanning Body Lotion....it was working........after only two days my skin was indeed darker ...problem is they give you that orangish color and the smell of the lotion is quite strong......and you have to be extra careful when applying the cream......my knees and elbow were always so dark......and there ws no way to have a nice uniform color from toes to hips...it worked better on the arms though...
never tried on my face..i am too scared to turn in a yellowish patchy carrot face....lol....
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sweet_cookie01 said on May 05, 2007....
i heard they do... they use this certain chemical lotion and put you in that oven thing and you come out shiny bronze or like greenish olive... -
CreativeWoman said on May 05, 2007....
ginger,
I got it on fairly even when I tried the Banana Boat brand of self tanning lotion. I found it funny trying to stand still and let it dry so it didn't get on anything but me. I decided I didn't need the color that bad. I was ok with me as I was was.
sweet,
Sounds like you would be a baked cookie. :-) (Couldn't resist that one!) I've never heard of that process before.
CW
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silverwhisper said on May 05, 2007....
i don't but then again, as an asian i have a head start on tans. :>
to the great consternation of my wife, who's also fair but burns very easily, i tan easily and hold color for a long time--i can spend an afternoon in the sun and keep the color for a full month.
ed -
sweet_cookie01 said on May 05, 2007....
very funny CW... i'm going to end up one toasted cookie!!! -
husbandhater said on May 05, 2007....
Baking your skin and risking skin Cancer.......Baking your skin and looking beautiful.......Baking your skin and risking skin Cancer....Baking your skin and looking beautiful...So hard to choose from! I guess it's a good thing I come with natural Melontin in my skin:~) Your smart C.W. stick to being that way. If God wanted these Women to be tanned he'd of made them darker. -
Glamourgirl said on May 05, 2007....
It's a proven fact (I know this from my profession) that a tanning bed is very, verydangerous and worse than lying in the sun.If anyone has ever known someone with melanoma (skin cancer) you know this is one of the MOST deadly forms of cancer and will kill you through an agonizingly painful death. Any kind of tanning, real or artificial ages the skin. If it doesn't show up now I guarantee you it will show up later when you are older in the form of premature aging, wrinkles, cancer, etc.I know it's hard to resist, but you'll probably thank yourself in later years if you do forego that bronzed look from a tanning bed. Also, there are some terrific self-tanning products out now that DO NOT turn you orange, have no smell and look completely like a natural tan, so why take the risk of ruining your beautiful skin? -
CreativeWoman said on May 05, 2007....
ed,
You have a head start on the rest of us. Sounds like your wife and I have similar skin tones.
sweet,
Just don't get too toasted! :-)
husbandhater,
My sister keeps trying to get me to go to get a "base" as she says. But, I'm not. I'll just take all the teasing I get for being an ivory pink all summer. :-)
Glamour,
Thanks. I don't think people always consider the dangers of such a common thing. We know the sun is bad, but we may assume in error that the tanning beds are better.
CW
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pessimisticvaunt said on May 05, 2007....
Cw... I go with the natural......got the redneck to prove it...lol -
Boonsketti said on May 05, 2007....
The whole business strikes me as kind of dumb. Just step outside! -
sweetsoul said on May 05, 2007....
Nope never. Closest I ever came was as I was very young when my parents bought a home tanning contraption. We were going on a trip to Jamaica and my parents were worried that with my fair freckled skin that I'd burn to a crisp without some preparation. Of course this was when people used baby oil for tanning lotion.
I'll take the natural sun please with a SPF 30 spray applied hourly. Works for me. I just got my base for the year that way.
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DivineSunGoddess said on May 05, 2007....
no.. no tanning beds for this sunny goddess!! They (appaarently :) ) increase the possibility for skin damage and cancers long term. However, i love a little bit of sun (not too much) and I use tanning creams with no harmful chemicals in them. One particular brand is great. i buy it all the time.
love DSG
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cotteralladams2 said on May 05, 2007....
Nah, we're both too cheap. Elaine knows some great grooming tips-nothing invasive or difficult.
She suggested using a good Neutragena pre-sun scrub to exfoliate the skin and then a couple nights a week, spraying the face and upper body with a light tanning spray that is oil-free. We put towels on the pillows. I get smeared with cocoa butter as well, which is not as bad as I thought. Also, spraying clothes with room freshener or a light cologne and using a good talcum powder to reduce perspiration on top of deodorant.
She also suggested wetting hair down and spraying it with a good hairspray after picking it so that it holds its shapes and then putting a little gel just on the ends. Works well, actually. My skin looks better. She said if you use two pillows instead of one and slant them when sleeping, you will look well-rested with less noticeable circles under the eyes. All of this is true.
You know, some people look quite orange from the wrong tanning process. I am not in favour of an excessively dark look. A nice warm bronze is better on most people.
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CreativeWoman said on May 05, 2007....
pess,
Nothing wrong with that!
Boon,
I've never used them. I stay out of the direct sun at the hottest part of the day if I can. If not, then I use sunscreen.
sweetsoul,
I like the spray on sunscreens too. They are a little more expensive but I find I'm more consistent about putting it on that way.
cotter,
Thanks for sharing your tips. :-) I like a warm bronze look too, but my skin just doesn't go there. I do use a little bronzer for blush when I wear make-up.
CW
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Alyss said on May 06, 2007....
Nope, never used a tanning bed and very much doubt I ever will.
I have very fair skin and turn lobster red at even a hint of sun. I was out in the sun all day one day this week and even with factor 40 sun block on (which I reapplied through the day) I ended up with sunburn.
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botoni said on May 06, 2007....
I m one of those hateable people who go outside in the sun for an hour and get a deep tan after which people begin asking me where I went to holiday. I even tan in the winter without choice. Sunburn? What is that? Oh right I did get one once.....9 hours standing knee deep in water fishing with a blazing sun.....worked just like a rottiserie! -
botoni said on May 06, 2007....
Before anyone asks.....I dont do that anymore!....lol