I’ve been going to the gym regularly lately, so instead of being a big, fat, pale, white guy I decided to be a slightly less fat, tanned, white guy. I bought a block of tanning sessions and have some questions. I suppose I could ask the people at the gym, but my experience is that the people that work there use their uniquitous headphones to supply them with instructions to “breathe in, breathe out, …”.
What should my skin look like after a couple of sessions? Is it ok to have a slight pinkness? There is no pain, but if I put my hand on my skin it leaves a white mark for a second or two.
I have a very difficult time tanning, so let me try to help you.
My wife and I went to Hawaii, and I tanned on a specific program for a month just to get ready. I burned a bit anyway.
Any reputable tanning salon should help you determine your tanning ability. If they have you fill out a cursory form, then flop you on a bed, stop. Go somewhere else. There should be a way to determine your ability to tan - 3% of caucasians cannot tan at all (probably not you). Your ability to tan will determine how much time you spend in a booth, and how rapidly you inch up the time. Follow the program strictly, and you should be OK. Pink is bad, no matter what. Say it with me - PINK IS BAD.
Legal Notice - UV rays are harmful under any circumstances, and can cause skin cancer. Tan at your own risk.
Tanning vastly increases your risk of skin cancer. It also damages the skin, causing it to be thin and easily torn. It damages the structure of it, causing premature wrinkling and sagging.
Also, a word if you’re of Irish ancestry. Their skin lacks an enzyme that helps it to recover from sun damage, and that makes tanning a very bad decision for them.
Melanoma is not really caused by the sun, but basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers are. The former very, very rarely causes lethal complications, but the latter can. Both can involve extensive surgeries.
I would urge you to reconsider, and perhaps do a little research, before deciding to do something that could cause you major problems down the road. Just, please, make it an informed decision.
I’m doing this at my gym, and yes they dod have me fill out a cursory form and flop me on a bed (standup booth actually). Like you, I want to be able to go out in the sun and not burn. Maybe Mexico.
Don’t do it.
Anything that feels like a burn is a burn, and any burn is a bad plan.
I hate to say it, but either get a tan by going outdoor with some SPF15 on, or use fake tan. Tanning salons use concentrated UV rays and that is NEVER good.
trublmakr- never heard that abou the Irish lacking an enzyme, merely that Irish people tend to be Type 1 skin (i.e. pale white and never tan, only burn) and have a rather laissez faire attitude to suntan lotions- i.e. they don’t use them.
I’ve spent a rotation in dermatology in Ireland, and it was basically full of farmers who go outside shirtless in the summer, and think that an entire upper-body sunburn is an entirely normal and unavoidable part of working outdoors. It was hardly surprising these guys got skin cancer.
I’ve got lots of experience with Tanning Salons. I’m also a pasty white when I don’t tan. Tan fat is better than white fat!
Start slowly, maybe 8 minutes to begin with. Don’t do more than 15 minutes if the bulbs are new.
8 minutes
8 minutes
10 minutes
10 minutes
12 min
12 min
14-15 min for the rest of package
I love tanning and realize that it’s horrible for me. It’s so nice and warm in there, even if you’re naked you feel cozy and comfy. My salon has a bed there that is like a regular bed with lights on the top. Very nice.
Go to Mexico. Bring lotion with a decent SPF. Apply liberaly throughout the day, especially after getting wet. No need for a tanning booth and preparation.
Now, if you just dont want to arrive at the beach all pasty white - that I can understand.