Tanning before vacation?

cdahl383
cdahl383 Posts: 727 Member
edited February 11 in Chit-Chat
Wondering if any of you hit the tanning bed before you go on vacation?

I'm currently white as a ghost since its winter here in Michigan, but I'll be heading to Florida for a week in February and thought it might be a good idea to get some sort of color on me before I hit the pool down there. Does it help with avoiding sunburn or just for looks?

I've never used a tanning bed before in my life, just thought it might help avoid a sunburn down there and not look like Casper. Figure a week or two of using before a vacation can't give me skin cancer. If they suck then I'll just have fun being the whitest guy at the pool haha!

Thanks!
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Replies

  • DMZ_1
    DMZ_1 Posts: 2,889 Member
    Not a problem here. I've never white as a ghost, nor am I ever super tan.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    I've done it and see nothing wrong with it. But talked to the people there and get them to tell you how long to go at first. You CAN get burned in a bed very easily (I always burn my butt). You might need to go 2 or 3 times this week to make any difference.
  • djeffreys10
    djeffreys10 Posts: 2,312 Member
    I only have two possible color shades: ghost and lobster.
  • mmedjjon
    mmedjjon Posts: 511
    a must during winter months
  • Rage_Phish
    Rage_Phish Posts: 1,507 Member
    I only have two possible color shades: ghost and lobster.

    same, and then lobster just peels away back to ghost
  • beernpizza2
    beernpizza2 Posts: 553 Member
    I say go for it. Just a few times in the bed will be enough.

    ETA: My doctor has always suggested that I go jump in a tanning bed a few times in the winter. It helps with those winter blues.
  • loseitnow66
    loseitnow66 Posts: 56
    I'm from Mediterranean decent so I've been told I always look tanned, but before a vacation, I do visit the tanning beds. There's nothing worse than a ruined vacation because you get a burn.
  • cdahl383
    cdahl383 Posts: 727 Member
    Maybe I'll give it a shot then. Is 10 minutes too long for a super white person? I'll have to figure out how to even use the thing too haha! I think I can get a free month of tanning from my gym if I sign up for something or like them on Facebook or whatever, so I should be able to do it for free.

    Haha yes, Casper the friendly ghost is usually how I roll!
  • 1shauna1
    1shauna1 Posts: 993 Member
    If I'm going somewhere tropical in the winter, yes I will usually do it a couple of times. I find it does help with not burning....but still wear your sunscreen!
  • BigDaddyRonnie
    BigDaddyRonnie Posts: 506 Member
    Friends and I always go to a tropical island every February for a vacation.

    Yes, we are all tanning now - men and women. From experience, we have found that it helps to have a little something. The sun is strong. The base tan does not prevent burning, but it does help with some skin conditioning.

    Be sure to wear sun tan lotion, whatever you do.
  • Crimson_Fire
    Crimson_Fire Posts: 2,504 Member
    I only have two possible color shades: ghost and lobster.

    same, and then lobster just peels away back to ghost
    Story of my life...I pretty much glow in the dark. Fair skinned, redheaded probs.

    It used to bother me. I just go with it now! :wink:
  • cdahl383
    cdahl383 Posts: 727 Member
    I usually wear SPF30 to 45 when I go somewhere warm. SPF45 blocks out just about everything, whereas the SPF30 will allow some color to show up. If I don't wear any or I forget to reapply after a while, I turn into lobsterman!

    Cool I'll check into the sun tan lotion stuff. I'm a total noob to all this stuff, so thanks for the heads up!
  • Crimson_Fire
    Crimson_Fire Posts: 2,504 Member
    Oh sweetheart... SPF 45?!
    I have SPF 100 and I still fry on the beach...and that's sitting under the umbrella too.
  • smelius22
    smelius22 Posts: 334 Member
    If you're very white I suggest going no more than 5-7 minutes your first time on a level 1 bed.. after a session or two of that, you can work up a minute at a time. If your skin starts to tingle and get too hot just jump out of the bed.

    If you get burnt, it sucks. tanning bed burns are itchier than sun burns. MOISTURIZE MOISTURIZE MOISTURIZE

    Oh and I suggest putting a sock over your man parts, as they'll be the first to burn.

    Good luck!
  • JONZ64
    JONZ64 Posts: 1,280 Member
    I am like you, WHITE! I could do Quality Control at a porcelin Factory

    I started using tanning beds before going to the beach or vacation because it prevented burning. I could slowly go from
    White-pink-red-deeper RED:mad: - Then eventually Brownish.

    Tanning booths helped me because I would go to the beach get burnt (even with Sunblock) then hate life for the rest of my vacation. This way, I would barely burn and enjoy it
  • LaurenEileen74
    LaurenEileen74 Posts: 142 Member
    I always tan before a vacation
  • Leannek74
    Leannek74 Posts: 374 Member
    get a spray tan, that last good 1.5 week.
    Or just paint yourself with a spray paint :)

    I do this (I used to use the tanning beds but no longer want to risk cancer or worse - wrinkles!)... but don't forget to use sunscreen while you're in the sun!
  • _Danno_
    _Danno_ Posts: 165
    Maybe I'll give it a shot then. Is 10 minutes too long for a super white person? I'll have to figure out how to even use the thing too haha! I think I can get a free month of tanning from my gym if I sign up for something or like them on Facebook or whatever, so I should be able to do it for free.

    Haha yes, Casper the friendly ghost is usually how I roll!

    I normally do 6 mins to start but ask the staff as they all vary in power.

    I don't know if you can get it in the states but I use P20 suntan lotion, I'm very pale (Irish blood) and I used it in Tunisia last year 44 degree Celsius heat and didn't burn once! Might be worth a look
  • Lindaspencer
    Lindaspencer Posts: 226 Member
    I know its so bad for you - but I am a sun goddess - i love the sun - and sometimes in the winter - Im also up north (MN) there is nothing better than that feeling of the warmth of a tanning bed - its like vitamin d - just got soaked in my bones and it puts me in a better mood :) If i was going somewhere i would definately tan before going - however - do it gradually - and since you never have gone before - i would recomment using a stand up bed - so that u dont burn your butt -or special parts lol - also a stand up bed - lets u go less time as it is more powerful - the bed i use has a max time of 12 minutes verses some of the standard beds up to 30 minutes - so its like your in and out faster :) - start at 6 minutes - and work your way up - you will not get tan in 1 or 2 weeks if you are completely white - you will need longer - or combine the two with spray tan - again - from experience i would go to a place that has a person spray you - verses something like mystic tan - :) enjoy your trip:)
  • lysslax
    lysslax Posts: 64
    Maybe I'll give it a shot then. Is 10 minutes too long for a super white person? I'll have to figure out how to even use the thing too haha! I think I can get a free month of tanning from my gym if I sign up for something or like them on Facebook or whatever, so I should be able to do it for free.

    Haha yes, Casper the friendly ghost is usually how I roll!

    YES 10 Minutes is too long!!! I'm also going on vacation in 2 weeks and decided to tan a few times in advance....I went last night and the guy recommended 10 minutes for me (as my skin isn't too fair to begin with) and my chest and stomach are burned!! I'd recommend 6-7 minutes the first few times and then maybe up it to 10 max the last couple times!!

    Good luck!!
  • lysslax
    lysslax Posts: 64
    Also I'll add that I was at a SunTan City (idk if you have those around you), but there are 3 levels of beds and I was in the lowest power bed.
  • MissSarahAllison315
    MissSarahAllison315 Posts: 263 Member
    As a lovely ghost myself...I always start at 6-7 minutes on the lowest bed and work my way up over the next two weeks!!
  • bmqbonnie
    bmqbonnie Posts: 836 Member
    Yep you only want to start at 5 or 6 minutes. I don't burn easily but I still only start at 8 or so if I haven't done it in a long time and it's winter (like now... also in north MN... what's this sun you speak of???)

    I know it's bad but it's the only thing that keeps me sane around here. I start in the dead of winter and go about every 1-2 weeks just to cheer up and rise above pasty status, and then stop. It's about that time.
  • cdahl383
    cdahl383 Posts: 727 Member
    Ok I'll start with 5 min then at first, don't want to toast myself right off the bat!

    I like the spray paint idea, sounds healthy! Haha!

    Thanks for all the ideas!
  • cdahl383
    cdahl383 Posts: 727 Member
    I know its so bad for you - but I am a sun goddess - i love the sun - and sometimes in the winter - Im also up north (MN) there is nothing better than that feeling of the warmth of a tanning bed - its like vitamin d - just got soaked in my bones and it puts me in a better mood :) If i was going somewhere i would definately tan before going - however - do it gradually - and since you never have gone before - i would recomment using a stand up bed - so that u dont burn your butt -or special parts lol - also a stand up bed - lets u go less time as it is more powerful - the bed i use has a max time of 12 minutes verses some of the standard beds up to 30 minutes - so its like your in and out faster :) - start at 6 minutes - and work your way up - you will not get tan in 1 or 2 weeks if you are completely white - you will need longer - or combine the two with spray tan - again - from experience i would go to a place that has a person spray you - verses something like mystic tan - :) enjoy your trip:)

    Do people seriously go into those tanning beds with their junk exposed? I was planning on wearing underwear or something, I don't really need to tan my junk. Haha!

    My gym just has tanning beds that you lay in. I'll just have to make due with that for now I guess.

    I'll just try 3-4 minutes to start and see how it turns out and go from there, just to play it safe. You're probably right about not getting a tan in just a few weeks. I'm totally white right now, just a slight tan color on my arms/face/neck (i.e. farmers tan from summer), so it'd probably take a while.

    Thanks, looking forward to a nice vacation this winter!
  • rauchd
    rauchd Posts: 2
    DONT DO IT!!! To answer to another, yes, each time you go in a tanning booth your chance of Malignant Melanoma
    Increases EACH time. I'm in dermatology nursing and people in their 20s and 30s are dying from this. Most from indoor
    And outdoor tanning. If you don't want to be white(which if that's your background, I say Embrace Your Race) Get a spray tan
    And if course use a lot of sunscreen!! Please people, it's not worth your precious life!!
  • BarbellBlondieRuns
    BarbellBlondieRuns Posts: 511 Member
    Yes! Vegas in a week. My white Michigan winter buns are also hitting the tanner.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    ehh I am gonna be one of the only naysayers I guess. I am very pale, but my mom's part Italian and I have never had a true sunburn...I tend to get a bit pink and then nicely tan. So back in 2000-2001 I went to tanning beds in the springtime for like 10 visits. Twenty visits in a tanning bed over 2 years' time, and after that second Spring of tanning I started getting a weird thick mole on my calf that had to be biopsied and though it was noncancerous, I'll have to watch it for the rest of my life.

    So I'd say no thank you.
  • rauchd
    rauchd Posts: 2
    Oh and btw, especially if you're in the northern half of our country, you're not getting substantial
    Vitamin D from the sun. We're too far north in the hemisphere. The safe way is to supplement with vitamins.
    If you suffer from winter blues, prescription sun lamps emit safe light and help tremendously. I know of a 20 something
    Woman before she got melanoma who used to say I'd rather die tan that ghostly white. She unfortunately died
    from Melanoma before her 30th birthday regretting those words. Don't think it can't happen to you!
  • CassandraBurgos83
    CassandraBurgos83 Posts: 544 Member
    To each there own. I personally wont and when I am in the sun I wear 40+ spf( and I still manage to have a golden tan in the summer). My sister and aunts have all had skin cancer and previously baked in the bed and or in the sun. Plus I am white, and from what I have seen from many people I know who do bake whom are my age, haven't aged well at all, but then again maybe they don't have the money to correct the damage they have created.
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