Tanning Bed Questions....

[lizdotcom99]

I have never had to tan in my life! I am very fair complected with lots of freckles...but my upcoming Hawaii trip has me thinking I NEED to tan. I will be leaving in about 2 months and was thinking about getting a 2 month unlimited tanning package to ready myself for the trip.

So, is that enough time to get a nice tan if I go daily? I plan on starting slow and progressing....the point of this being to avoid getting burned in Hawaii.....and also not to blind folks with my WHITE skin?

Standing boths versus laying down booths...what is the differance...other than the obvious? Are there really differances in the booths? I know the one booth is $39 a month and is the standard booth. The other option is the $49 a onth for the VIP booths, which include the standing booths? Any reccomendatons on that.....I wias thinking do a month of standard, then bump it up?

Second question....tan accelorators and lotions....do they help/work? Can anybody please help me out with what might be good to use? After seeing about a million bottles in the tanning salona nd thinking do you need tingle, no tingle, cooler, no cooler, bronzing......I was lost! Also, is there good place to get this stuff cheaper? I about fell over when I saw how much they want for tanning lotion.......$75 at the high end.....and $25 at the low end? This could cost a fortune!!!! Good thing I plan on doing this ONCE in my life!

Any help that can be offered would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.

Liz

 

[Christine]

Just Say No.

 

[DisneyMama629]

You have plenty of time to get fairly tan in 2 months. I've always done the laying down beds and they work fine. I don't use any lotions, but I know people who do and they give you a nicer looking color. I wouldn't go every day. I usually go every other day.

Start out with 10 minutes. If you don't burn, increase to 15. After a couple weeks start doing 20 minutes. That's what I do.

 

[grlpwrd]

I worry that you are "very fair complected with lots of freckles." It may spell extra trouble if you go the tanning booth route.

I am not one to condone any kind of deep tanning because "tan skin is damaged skin," but being that you will go to my island paradise (I am from Hawaii) I think you should get gradual natural sun exposure with a good sunscreen if at all. I don't think going to a tanning booth is the best way to go because of the intensity. The Hawaiian sun is much different, too, and I would think if you're going to tan at least get your skin protected and acclimated to the weather.

I have friends who have got sunburnt really badly and had bubbles when they had a salon tan and then vacationed in Hawaii and tanned out in the sun. I'm not sure that would make a very good vacation experience or memory for you.

Two months is a good time to build up, but please be careful.

 

[puffkin]

I hope this doesn't turn into a debate on tanning vs. not tanning because I can see why you would want to tan to possibly prevent burning in Hawaii.

First, every place is different. It really has nothing to do with whether the bed is laying or standing, it has to do with the power and type of bulbs used in the bed. Talk to the workers at the place you are interested in to get all the details on their product.

I tanned last year for my wedding (2 months) and this year I am tanning for my WDW trip (1 month). I think you will have plenty of time with two months. I definitely wouldn't recommend going every day. I go 3-4 times a week. Once you build up a good base tan, you will probably only need to go 1-2 times a week or you will get too dark.

I go to Hollywood Tans, and they have only stand up booths. I think that you get a more even tan in the standup booths. Also, the bulbs are more powerful so you don't have to stay in as long. I think the maximum you are allowed to stay in is 11 minutes. Also, even though they clean out the beds, I think it is disgusting to lay in someone elses sweat, so the lay-down beds don't interest me.

I recommend going to a reputable place, and starting out very slowly. I wouldn't use any products, at least to start, because they may make you tan too fast. I would probably choose the VIP package in your instance. Good luck.

 

[lizdotcom99]

Thanks for the good advice! I realize I will NEVER get a deep tan...and am perfectly fine with that. I can get some "color" ...I call it a tan while others laugh. But I just want to have some sort of base so I do not get the bubbly skin while in Hawaii. I have heard too many horror stories about ruined vacations. I totally will be wearing sunscreen and the like while in Hawaii....just working on getting a little head start on a good base. I really have NO DESIRE to lay in the sun whikle there....too much to see and do....of course the sun is a big concern.

I am getting very excited about my trip.....can't wait to see that part of the world!! I am sure this will be a once in a lifetime kind of thing...wnat to make the most of it!!!

Thanks for all the advice!!


PS.....hope this does not turn into a debate either. I just want to do this the "smart" way.....if there is such a thing......and after going to a bad place yesterday, then talking and getting a tour of a good place....I see there is a WORLD of differance. The bad place encouraged me to stay in the bed for 20 minutes...I got out after 15 and luckily I am not burned. The good place said that was WAY too long and they would never let that happen. They like to monitor your tanning progess and I am definately a 10 minuter at the max for right now....and no standing beds for a while until I build up a good base.....so I guess it really does matter about all this stuff.

 

[disneyfanatic60]

My daughter generally is very fair and has trouble tanning. She used a tanning "booth" for two weeks before her prom and she developed a beautiful tan. Even she was surprised. One day she came out a little red but she just watched her time. Since she had only two weeks, she was going every day almost. She started at 12 minutes and increased by two minutes until a max of I think 18 minutes. After a few days, she did start using Hawaiian Tropic Tan Accelator (make sure on the package it says it's safe with "indoor tanning beds) and it did seem to develop her tan quicker. I do agree--pick a reputable place to go.

 

[marybet]

A tanning bed tan will not protect you from sunburn. If you feel better with a little color fine, but you still need sunscreen and you need to use it like you don't have a tan.

Have you thought about the spray tans? I think the cost if similar and you don't have to worry about skin damage.

I just had a basil cell carcinoma removed from my face and my back, so please be very careful out in the sun.

 

[SC Minnie]

If you are very fair skinned you may want to start with only 8 minutes and you can stop if you start to feel like you are getting burned. The salons recommend only tanning every other day. The one I go to only has beds so I have to experience with the stand up ones. You should start to see results after a couple of sessions and 2 months is plenty of time to get a good base tan.

I use the lotions. Wal Mart sells them too. Look where they sell regular suntan lotion and they will have the tanning bed lotions there too. I use the bronzer ones. They do seem to work better than the plain. The lotions help keep your skin moisturized. It is important to moistuize every day.

 

[BethanyF]

a good place will recommend you start out slow in the lowest wattage bed they have available. Dont go every day, every other day or even every 3rd day should be sufficient.
I usually go a couple times a week in February / March when my summer color is faded, winter is depressing, and I need to feel better about myself. I tan fairly easily, so I dont really need the super beds. Just enough to take the glare off of me.
I am well aware it is not a good thing to do, but it does clear up some of the body acne I get in the late winter, plus I just feel better about myself.

 

[ZachnElli]

There are different beds now. They use to have the beds that you would just burn on, but now they have beds without UVB rays at all. The beds with just UVA or mostly UVA rays will give color, but won't help you build a tolerance to the sun. But let's face it, the sun in Hawaii is going to burn no matter what! And no matter how much you tan now, when you get there, the Hawaiians will make you feel ghostly white anyway! We are tanning for our trip too, but will still use SPF 15 or higher when we get there.

 

[lizdotcom99]

... but will still use SPF 15 or higher when we get there.

I am thinking I am going to need at least SPF 45 or better!!!

 

[ChrisnSteph]

Having a base tan will not prevent you from burning, but it will keep you from burning as fast. I usually tan before I go on our cruises because if I don't I'll burn, and that would ruin my vacation. I always use sunblock when I'm in the actual sun, even with a base tan. Two months is plenty of time. I wouldn't go every day, maybe every other day. And while the lotions aren't necessary, they do help you develop a nice color and keep it longer. I've used almost every type of bed. My least favorite are the stand ups. I know a lot of people love them, but they didn't work for me. The bulbs were too strong, and my tan wasn't even. I would actually get a bit of a burn on top and hardly any color on my legs. Could have been because I'm short, I don't know, but they weren't worth the extra money to me. My favorite beds are the high pressure ones. The bulbs are different, they don't burn you, you tan in as little as four sessions, and your tan lasts longer. Unfortunatly they are the most expensive and can be as much as 25.00 a session. Another thing I like to do is get a base tan (nothing darker) and then right before I leave for vacation, top it off with a Mystic tan. It looks great, the base tan hides any "streaking" you might get from the spray tan, and you get that deeply tanned look.

With all that said, tanning is not safe, period. I prefer the beds because at least it's controlled and if done properly you won't burn. I'm not a sun worshipper, and I tan maybe every couple of years. I know people that have had skin cancer, one who was an avid sunworshipper and the other who never laid out in the sun a day in her life. I would just be very careful.

 

[jennyl772003]

I am also very fair skinned, and for my wedding cruise I wanted to look good, and not be burned. I got married on day 5 of the cruise.

I started out at 8 minutes in a lay down bed. I went every other day. I gradually increased (VERY gradually, even 2 minutes can make a big difference) to 20 minutes at the end of 2 months. I wouldn't increase the time every session. Maybe every other or ever third.

When I got married I did have a nice golden tan, and I didn't get burned at all on vacation, so it was worth it to me, but I don't know that I would do it again. It took me the full 2 months to have the same level of tan it takes my DS and DH one day to get.

 

[shep]

Wear less clothing when you go on your walks to expose more skin... (Just keep your distance from the strange men)

 

[lizdotcom99]

Wear less clothing when you go on your walks to expose more skin... (Just keep your distance from the strange men)

And now that I am walking at work on my lunch hour, I am sure that will be GREATLY appreciated!!!!

 

[SillyMe]

I'm a redhead, what does that tell ya? I used to burn even with sunscreen on and it never ever turned tan. I would burn, then it would peel and go away.

About 13 years ago I started tanning in the tanning salon. They started me out very, very slowly, about 5 minutes at first if I remember correctly. It seemed to have taken forever, but they wanted to make sure I wouldn't burn. Eventually I got tan and continued tanning for about a year or two, then I stopped. I did find that after I stopped tanning in the salon, of course I would still burn outside, but nowhere near as bad and it would then turn tan, not peel and disappear.

I started going again last year (first time in about 11 years) before our Disney trip just to get a base so I wouldn't burn bad in Florida. I only went for two months and had a pretty decent tan by the time our trip rolled around.

If you choose a good salon, they will tell you how long to stay in the bed. If you are that fair-skinned, there is no way you should be in there for 15-20 minutes when you first start. Make sure you tell them if you experience any burning or itching.

 

[caitycaity]

the point of this being to avoid getting burned in Hawaii

a tan won't prevent you from burning.

i was in jamaica for a week in july last year and didn't burn - i used spectra 3 sunscreen by coppertone. i'm also very fair.

please think about what you are doing.

(not meant to start a debate, but i'm a skin cancer survivor and this kind of thing just bothers me).

 

[poohqueen]

My suggestion to you is not to tan everyday. Your skin only tan so much then it needs time to rejuvinate. I wouldn't tan any more than 3 times a week. If you did this for 2 months that will give you a decent tan, so that you don't burn. You don't have to use lotion, but I would recommend it, it just helps keep your skin moisturized and I find it helps in the tanning process. I have tanned with and with out, so I would recommend with lotion. If you chose not to use lotion make sure you have a really good moisturizer and apply it when you get out of the bed.

Hope you have great trip!!!!