Tanning - Yay or Nay?

Nikstergirl

Back in the 80's my Mom worked for a tanning place, so I did it too! Now, she's a leathery wrinkly mess, and I'm as pale as I naturally am! I'm so glad I gave it up when I did before I got too damaged. Mom also had a cousin who died from skin cancer. For me it's SPF 50 in the summer and self-tanners if I'm jonesing for some less-pale color whenever.

kyle4jem

I don't tan... I burn very easily and have had two or three very bad burns that have had me laid up for weeks, so when the sun's out in force, I get the sun-block out on my nose, ears and neck.

The Hubster on the other hand has a natural tan and only has to be out gardening or walking and he goes as brown as a berry. The white stripes on his feet where his sandals cross over are so funny.

I'd like to have olive skin, but those are the breaks! :ohwell: I can't even use fake tan as even the body moisturiser with a hint of fake tan turn my beard and body hair orange - and that's not a good look :noway:

YouAreTheShit

I get really dark when I tan. It's the European in me. But anymore, I just don't think tanned skin is necessary to be attractive. Not for me or a girl. Sure, a little is fine, but two to five sessions per week? Nah...

Do yourself a favor and be awesome without it...

cindy4mica

I freaking love it....and although there are obvious health risks to it, for some reason it helps me want to be more active and stay within my calorie limits.

What about you?

Agreed! Just bought a package and have gone about 7 times so far. These winter months make me feel "blah", but when I'm tan, I feel soooo much better & think I look better, too! I also realize the health risks, but everything in moderation. And I also make sure to moisturize a TON so I don't look like a leather handbag. LOL

asgard825

Yep

HealthyAlison

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\\so I don't look like a leather handbag. LOL
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yet

duetwithjosh

I went occasionally (3x month or so) last winter and enjoyed it, but when I moved to a more expensive apartment and had to cut expenses, it was one of the first to go. I kind of missed it this winter, but I'm just replacing all of the time I spent in the tanning bed with gym time and I feel even better

sunnyday789

Tanning DOES actually help you lose weight! It increases your serotonin levels and gives you that feel good boost that you need to get up and get going. You feel better about yourself when you have a tan. If you don't believe it, then try it before you judge. It also promotes the production of vitamin D in your body. Most people don't get enough vitamin D which can lead to SADD, osteoporosis and breast cancer. Just sayin!

You can get Vitamin D in pill form. Cheaper than a tanning bed and no risk of cancer.

jrose74

I love it!! It has helped my psoriasis also. My dermatologist recommended it years ago. I only do it a couple of times a month. I even bought my own bed several years ago. It makes me feel fabulous also. I was always told that chubby looks better with a tan.....lol. However skinny will look better......

catherine4211

I was addicted to tanning. In the sun and tanning beds. I'm 43 and have 4 skin cancers removed. Thankfully they have been the "good" kind but still cancer. Very scary. I'll be 100% honest - I still miss being tan. Sometimes I'll do my yardwork w/o sunscreen just to get a "little" color. Very risky and dumb.

pg1girl

I used to love tanning but I've given it up. It made no sense to take care of my body by eating healthy food and exercising only to sabotage myself by tanning. Not only can it cause cancer, it causes premature aging. :noway: I do, however, enjoy spray tanning!

This! When you have seen someone suffer from cancer and die or have large chunks of skin removed due to skin cancer I can assure you all....you would change your mind about any kind of sun tanning! Get a spray tan or use the lotion.

pg1girl

I have psoriasis too but I have also had 3 surgeries on my foot and 3 on my back to remove skin cancer. I will never use a tanning bed again. The pain and toll involved with skin cancer is not worth having a tan in the winter.

This! It is the most horrible thing and deadly! Please please please think twice!

pg1girl

Yay, but in 15 or 20 minute doses each day just a few times per week. I spend too much time working indoors and need that vitamin D.

Take a vitamin d supplement and save yourself from possible melanoma.

Faye_Anderson

Please explain how it helps you stay within your calorie limit. Maybe I'm a sceptic, but this doesn't sound possible

You can't take food into the sunbeds? :laugh:

Skeemer118

My mother is a 3 time cancer survivor. Tanning didn't cause it, but I'm a firm NAY against cancer causers.

Tiffany781

I love to tan, but it is really bad for your skin. I recently saw a dermatologist and he said people need to learn how to love themselves for who they are and not need a tan to make themselves feel better or more attractive. Pretty good advise I guess.

Charloo1990

Nay! I used to hammer the sunbeds but i've been sunbed free for over a year now cause i just don't feel its worth getting skin cancer not to mention premature ageing. For me its fake tan all the way. I'l never use a sunbed again.

tbresina

Obviously if you are trying to have a healthy lifestyle the answer is a big fat NAY.......hate to pee on anyones parade but we all already know the answer to this. No, this does not help with seasonal affective dissorder. I have a "happy lamp" that does that without harmful rays! If you want skin cancer and to look like a prune and much older than you really are I say go for it but it you truly want a healthy lifestyle inside and out stay far far away!

JanetLM73

Nay....I'm a natural redhead, I don't tan. I wear a hat in the sun and sunscreen, I have OCD when it come to sunscreen....my kids will always be pasty white like me.

I also think they should ban tanning beds for anyone under the age of 18, that's just my opinion.

hollyeverhart

Nay! I love being pale. You will never catch me roasting myself in a tanning bed

wickedcricket

I don't do tanning beds but am naturally dark and tan easily outdoors. I spend a LOT of time outdoors in summer- I love swimming and swim every day when weather permits so I get tanned. And yes, I have age spots etc. I don't care. Any man who is turned off by age spots and wrinkles isn't the man for me anyway so who cares? I'm NOT staying indoors and avoiding the sun like some kind of spook. Freaky & unnatural.
I use sunscreen and take normal precautions but I was born in summer- I was born to worship the sun.

harrietlg

I like to keep my tan in a bottle, but only because theres skin cancer in my family and i don't want to go there!

pg1girl

For peopl that suffer from SAD, tanning is a "godsend". I personally don't...anymore, but my *kitten* has found its way into a tanning bed plenty in the past.

Get a SAD light for therapy and take vitamin d. Living in a place where we only have 4 hours of daylight in the winter....I can assure you that you don't need to tan to get rid of the symptoms of SAD.

Laces_0ut

very few things i enjoy more then spending the day at the beach getting a tan and reading/sleeping/swimming. i dont do it regularly anymore due to cancer fears but i still do it on real vacations like Hawaii.

fiberartist219

I vote a huge NAY on tanning, but I do get why people do it.

I am losing weight so I can be healthy, and UV rays are not healthy, so I wouldn't ever even consider a tanning bed. (I am also a pasty white natural red head with a family member who's had skin cancer, so there's a thousand reasons why I wouldn't do it.)

However, I do find myself primping more often. I have more makeup than I have ever owned, I have used the fake tanners and I have recently started straightening my hair. None of these things will help me achieve my health goals, but somehow, when you start eating better and working out, you pay more attention to yourself in general, and usually that goes along with a desire to look good.

hollyeverhart

I prefer to be ghastly and glow in the dark, i love being pale. it used to get me teased alot in high school,but most of those girls that gave me hell look like they are 10 years older than me now

^This!

hollyeverhart

I don't do tanning beds but am naturally dark and tan easily outdoors. I spend a LOT of time outdoors in summer- I love swimming and swim every day when weather permits so I get tanned. And yes, I have age spots etc. I don't care. Any man who is turned off by age spots and wrinkles isn't the man for me anyway so who cares? I'm NOT staying indoors and avoiding the sun like some kind of spook. Freaky & unnatural.
I use sunscreen and take normal precautions but I was born in summer- I was born to worship the sun.

" I'm NOT staying indoors and avoiding the sun like some kind of spook. Freaky & unnatural"

I think missing chunks of flesh due to skin cancer is going to be worse looking then, GOD FORBID, being pale. Some of us prefer soft skin, not leathery aged skin.

kylesmommy89

I love tanning! I don't really go overboard with the tanning beds though. I'm white in the fall/winter. I always get a 1 month membership at the salon around this time so I won't be scarily pasty in the warm weather. But man when summer time comes around, I'm definitely outside soaking up the sun. Having a tan hides flaws and just makes you look good! And the sunshine makes you feel good! I have had 2 very close relatives die from cancer (one pancreatic and one a brain tumor) and they never did anything to raise their cancer risks. Never drank, smoked, weren't overweight, nothing. I'm not gonna live my life scared of getting cancer because if I'm gonna get it, I'm gonna get it. In the meantime I'm gonna enjoy my life and do what makes me happy!

brittanyjeanxo

IMO, you may as well ask "skin cancer: yay or nay?" There are plenty of natural looking spray tanning or lotions to try.

vettle

Watch The Big C, you'll never tan unnecessarily ever again.