Tanning to combat vitamin D deficiency?

melissat888250

alright... so I'm attending a wedding 5/23. Current whiteness level: ghost. I'm in MA and at risk for a vitamin D deficiency (never heard of that until my first winter up here). Is that a good reason to do some level one tanning for the next few weeks? Or is tanning (in a UV bed) still as unhealthy as I believe it to be?? Will a month of tanning give me skin cancer?? Just considering it because it's $25 for a month of level one tanning or $40 for a spray tan (that, let's face it, will look good for three days tops).

PinkyPan1

I started 3 weeks ago on my summer tan. My family has asked if I use a tanning bed and I do not. My secret is Jergens Natural Glow. You apply it as a moisturizer and after about 3 days a base tan appears. After applying the lotion I follow up with coconut oil to help make sure the lotion has been rubbed in well and the oil leaves a "just tanned glow" too. After 3 days I apply it every other day. If you are interested in trying it remember to wash your hands well and apply very lightly to elbow,knees and ankles. Oh and it is safer and a lot cheaper than a tanning bed.

afortunatedragon

Hello.

The problem with Vitamine D is, your body needs sun to produce it.
Secondly: without Vitamine D, the body can't absorbe the calcium to your bones which can lead to structure problems of your bones and they break more easely. - Worst case scenario is osteoporosis.
But it is not necessary to grill in the sun or in a tanning bed for this.
Unless you are diagnosed with a Vitamine D deficiancy you also do not need to take drugs (an overdose in Vitamine D can lead to kidney problems - worst case scenario is kidney failure)
So if you are not diagnosed, go out in the sun for a walk. (not covered armes and face to start with, depending on the temperature)
If you think you have a deficiancy, see your doctor for a blood check.

Colour wise - if you are not getting any tan, don't try too hard, as you already mentioned, can lead to skin cancer (and looking old later in your life as you could get more wrinkles)

SharonNehring

Use the self tanner or spray tan and buy a bottle of vitamin d capsules. I have proven vit d deficit (by blood work) and now take 1000mg every day.

laurie04427

I started 3 weeks ago on my summer tan. My family has asked if I use a tanning bed and I do not. My secret is Jergens Natural Glow. You apply it as a moisturizer and after about 3 days a base tan appears. After applying the lotion I follow up with coconut oil to help make sure the lotion has been rubbed in well and the oil leaves a "just tanned glow" too. After 3 days I apply it every other day. If you are interested in trying it remember to wash your hands well and apply very lightly to elbow,knees and ankles. Oh and it is safer and a lot cheaper than a tanning bed.

I'm at tan level ghost too (this made me laugh) so I'll be trying this!

melissat888250

I started 3 weeks ago on my summer tan. My family has asked if I use a tanning bed and I do not. My secret is Jergens Natural Glow. You apply it as a moisturizer and after about 3 days a base tan appears. After applying the lotion I follow up with coconut oil to help make sure the lotion has been rubbed in well and the oil leaves a "just tanned glow" too. After 3 days I apply it every other day. If you are interested in trying it remember to wash your hands well and apply very lightly to elbow,knees and ankles. Oh and it is safer and a lot cheaper than a tanning bed.

I did this in high school for prom and, while my legs & arms looked great, I needed my sisters to get my back well (open backed dress) and I had weird tan marks on my upper legs/stomach where no one was seeing at the time. Now I'm living with my soon to be fiancee (!) and I definitely don't want any weird orange marks appearing in the next five weeks to make me self conscious when the day comes (and it will, so soon!!!). Sorry I didn't mention that part sooner. I'll probably pick up some Jergens after work today and try it out, I'm pretty sure I'm not getting engaged until sometime Memorial day weekend, so I have a few weeks yet.

leggup

I am also a ghost lady. Right now I am "tan" for me, which is like, slightly pink ghost. If Vitamin D is your concern, you can get enough just getting outside a little more. In general, Vitamin D deficiency is pretty rare. I have a friend in medical school who was prescribed Vitamin D because she really was in the library from 6 am until 9 pm and did not get any sunlight. You do not need to get full-body sun in order to get enough Vitamin D. Dietary vitamin D can also get you up to the recommended minimum. Vitamin D is found in in egg yolks, fatty fish, and vitamin d fortified dairy products (Butter, now with added vitamins C and D! on the label). Be careful with supplements. If you overdose (very easy to do-- a lot of things have vitamin d in them), you will barf your guts up.

If you want to tan because you think you'll be too pale for the wedding, I say embrace the pale. Wear an outfit that looks amazing on porcelain skin, like jewel tone blues and purples, or a rich brown. If you are determined to hate your ghostiness, Jergins makes some amazing products. I used their Body BB Cream for Light Skin Tones because it came in my Birchbox. It made my legs so soft and didn't look streaky or orange.

Please don't hop in the tanning bed! Some of my friends are seasonal tanners (only lightly tanning at the beginning of the summer) and I can already see more age spots and lines on them than any of my other friends, and they're only 26-28!

bridgew24

On the fake tan note (if you choose that option) buy a tanning mitt rather than using gloves! It blends it much more nicely and you shouldn't get those orange marks. Take that from someone who is 'ghost' level all year round.

Capt_Apollo

If you want to be tan for someone else's wedding, that's vanity, not combating vitamin D deficiency.

I've lived in the north east my whole life, never had issues with a lack of vitamin D. Just get outside more often.

lisaabenjamin

You only really need to be out in the sun for a few minutes a day (like 5-10 mins depending on the ambient light levels in your area.). As others have said, it's rare to be diagnosed with a vitamin D deficiency unless you have a genetic condition, or *never* go out in the sun.

Vitamin D supplements are not that useful for most people as the body doesn't absorb vitamin D well; you only really need these if you are severely deficient and have been told to do so by a doctor.

As for tanning beds, I personally choose to stay away from them altogether - I don't want skin cancer thanks very much!!

I'm naturally pretty pale - I look *totes ridic* with a fake tan!!

melissat888250

I'm pretty sure I'm just hating my ghost/picket fence white-ness because I'm seeing my sister (who lives in South Carolina) every weekend and she's got a great tan just from being outdoors all the time. I've been outside probably 8 hours every weekend for the last month, but I'm still in jeans and a sweatshirt, so the tan just isn't coming yet. I'll survive!! My SO is vampire white, so I definitely can't get too tan.

SezxyStef

If you want to be tan for someone else's wedding, that's vanity, not vitamin D deficiency.

I've lived in the north east my whole life, never had issues with a lack of vitamin D. Just get outside more often.

This...

tanning beds can still cause skin cancer. I personally have never been in one due to that.

They do just as much damage as well...

If you are scared of vitamin D deficiency get a supplement...

jennifries227

15 minutes outside without sunscreen is enough for most people to get the daily requirement for vitamin D naturally.
You might be able to use a sun lamp to simulate the same production in the winter when you don't want to be outside. I would ask your doctor about that, though.

You CAN take vitamin D supplements, but again, ask your doctor and have some blood work done first. You might not need it at all.

I'm a big fan of just being pasty, but if you must be tan, definitely use a fake tanner. Tanning beds are just (often MORE) as dangerous as sunlight and should be used with extreme caution. 15 minutes in a tanning bed is the same as spending the whole day at the beach.

fbmandy55

I'm also tanning for vanity but also because I have a painful condition.. I have cystic acne and though medication helps a bit, tanning has always been a tremendous help in clearing it up, making my skin tone more even and the cysts/red spots less noticable. When I don't tan, I look like a Leper covered in sores... Which is pretty much all winter.

melissat888250

If you want to be tan for someone else's wedding, that's vanity, not vitamin D deficiency.

I've lived in the north east my whole life, never had issues with a lack of vitamin D. Just get outside more often.

Yea, my doctor hasn't said anything about vitamin D deficiency, but my co-workers make a big deal out of it and insist I have it due to my paleness. I'm outside a lot, but usually layered up because it's windy or rainy. I've been doing a lot better about getting outside since I'm home with my brother on the weekends and take him out for basketball, tennis, soccer, etc. I'm definitely not taking any sort of supplements to increase vitamin D because I've always been told a 15 minute walk in the sun gets you your vitamin D for the day.

Really, I just wanted to know if tanning for a month on the lowest level tanning bed would give me skin cancer, because I'd like to lay in a warm bed by myself for 5 minutes 3 days a week. I guess I'll have to just get back over to the pool and start swimming again so that I can get in the hot tub instead

micheleb15

If you want to be tan for someone else's wedding, that's vanity, not vitamin D deficiency.

I've lived in the north east my whole life, never had issues with a lack of vitamin D. Just get outside more often.

Yea, my doctor hasn't said anything about vitamin D deficiency, but my co-workers make a big deal out of it and insist I have it due to my paleness.

I would read this again. Are your coworkers also doctors?

laureneliset

Just considering it because it's $25 for a month of level one tanning or $40 for a spray tan (that, let's face it, will look good for three days tops).

Pay the extra $15 for the spray tan now because you'll save a small fortune in future on anti-ageing treatments by avoiding the sun bed.

If the tan is for a wedding does it even need to look good for more than 3 days?

melissat888250

Just considering it because it's $25 for a month of level one tanning or $40 for a spray tan (that, let's face it, will look good for three days tops).

Pay the extra $15 for the spray tan now because you'll save a small fortune in future on anti-ageing treatments by avoiding the sun bed.

If the tan is for a wedding does it even need to look good for more than 3 days?

Tan is for a few things- I'm probably getting engaged the weekend after the wedding and then my birthday is the following Wednesday. So while I don't necessarily want to be tan for the following few days, I really don't want to have tan splotches as the spray tan fades off.

I'm pretty set on giving Jergens a try before anything else.

jennifer_417

Meh. All things in moderation. If you want to tan, then go for it. Also, I have heard tanning prescribed as a legit treatment for Vit D deficiency.

micheleb15

Just considering it because it's $25 for a month of level one tanning or $40 for a spray tan (that, let's face it, will look good for three days tops).

Pay the extra $15 for the spray tan now because you'll save a small fortune in future on anti-ageing treatments by avoiding the sun bed.

If the tan is for a wedding does it even need to look good for more than 3 days?

Tan is for a few things- I'm probably getting engaged the weekend after the wedding and then my birthday is the following Wednesday. So while I don't necessarily want to be tan for the following few days, I really don't want to have tan splotches as the spray tan fades off.

I'm pretty set on giving Jergens a try before anything else.

Sounds like this took a turn from a deficiency to vanity and there's nothing wrong with that. Just use what you want.

madhatter2013

Okay, I speak from personal experience. I had a vitamin D deficiancy once. I came home from work one day and slept for 15 hours. I woke up the next morning still tired so I went to the doc who said I was severely low. Anyway, he perscribed vitiamin D pills and I was right as rain. To add on to this little fiasco, I have had psoriasis all my life. When I was a teenager, my doctor actually perscribed me to a tanning bed at the local beauty salon. Somehow my parents insurance covered it. Anywho, what I found with tanning beds is you really have to be careful how you lay in it. Even though I tanned naked, I would always get a tan line just under my armpit so I couldn't wear strappy or strapless shirts for a few days after tanning. I found that laying out in the sun did a better job for my tan and my skin condition. A tanning bed will not get you the vitamin D you need and created unwanted tan lines, IMO. Just my 2 cents worth. Get into the sun and stay away from the tanning bed.