It's been at least 6 years since I've been to a salon. I'd like to go and get a base tan before the summer begins. Anything I should know?
Has anyone been recently?
My husband is against it and says it's very dangerous. If I'm just going for two sessions total, do I really have to worry?

By Brandy on Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 09:39 am:

well my cousin who is a doctor now = ) told my aunt that it's worse going to them than it is being out in the sun..

By Debbie on Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 10:01 am:

Ditto, Brandy. My doctor also said that it is worse then laying in the sun. Have you thought about the spray on tans that they now do at the salons? My neighbor did this last week and it looks great. I am thinking of having it done.

By Andi on Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 10:46 am:

I Just did the Spray Tan about a month ago, at the tanning salon and I think it looked great. It's fast and easy plus you can't get skin cancer. I have to admit I also tanned in the bed twice last month because it was included in the package I bought for the spray tan, but I won't be using the beds anymore. You can just feel it cooking your skin.
I say go for the Spray tan, it's called Mystic Tan. Go to www.mystictan.com and it will tell you where the closest place is for you to go if you are interested.

By Karen~moderator on Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 11:31 am:

I have using tanning beds in the past, and my advice is DON'T! You are putting yourself at risk for skin cancer, and they are now saying those are worse than the exposure you get from natural sunlight.

I'd give the Mystic Tan a shot, or the Jergens tanning lotion. Or - the Neutragena self tanning lotion. I've been using that and it doesn't look orange. The only thing I don't like about it is the odor. But many members have recently posted about the Jergens and say it doesn't have an odor, so I'm getting some this weekend.

By Amecmom on Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 01:34 pm:

I really don't want to dye my skin. I just want a little color, and with a three year old and an almost 8 month old I really don't have time to work on a real tan.
If I go for only two sessions, is the risk of skin cancer really that high?
Ame

By Tonya on Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 02:28 pm:

I say go for it. Everything we do now days is bad for us. Breathing the air, eating some foods, walking out our door can be dangerous. If you are only going 2-3 times to start a tan do it. I am going this weekend and then 4-5 more times after that just to start my tan so I don't burn the 1st time I am out in the sun Fathers day weekend at the Nascar race for the entire weekend.

By Karen~moderator on Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 03:27 pm:

Ame, the thing is, going for only 2 sessions may not even make a noticeable difference in your skin color. And even if it did, it would fade if you didn't continue going. It's just like a *real* suntan in that regard - if you don't keep tanning, it fades away. And as much as we all love how tanned skin looks, the tan is actually skin damage. Of course, if your skin tone is olive, you may look a little tanned after 2 sessions. But you'd have to keep going, or tan outdoors to keep the tan.

And many, many people who have tanned frequently at tanning salons say that even with a tanning salon tan, their skin still burned badly the first time or two out in the sun. I guess the UV's are different, yet the same.

By Feona on Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 06:23 pm:

you won't really understand untill you are forty.... the skin just is horribile after that...

You will wish you were never in the sun when you reach 40.

sun spots - age spots - red spots - vein in the skin.

By Feona on Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 06:24 pm:

veins in the nose.. --- ahhhh....

By Jann on Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 06:50 pm:

DON'T DO IT!!!!!!!! It's not safe. It's not like 'everything now a days can kill you'. Skin cancer is nothing to joke about. And Feona is right, just from a vanity standpoint, do you want to have a little color now or age spots and wrinklies before you are forty?

By Kay on Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 07:38 pm:

I would stay away from it like the plague! I was guilty of using them a few times, and my skin just didn't feel as soft as it did before, and that was way after the tan faded.

I'm 46, and was blessed with genes that have resulted in few wrinkles, but I screwed up when I was 14 by 'baking' myself in the sun. It resulted in my face peeling *twice*. I now have these lovely sun spots that are difficult to cover with makeup and next to impossible to fade!

By Colette on Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 07:44 pm:

Ditto stay away. You can always tell an older woman who went to tanning or was in the sun unprotected vs. one who took care of herself. Ask any dermatologist and they will tell you to stay away.

By Jelygu on Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 08:46 pm:

I agree.. stay away! There are so many good (safe) lotions out there, so why put yourself at risk! I have also heard good things about mystic tan.

By Tink on Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 11:30 pm:

As a skin cancer survivor I can tell you that skin cancer is nothing to tempt. Mine wasn't from the sun (my mom has also had tumors removed and was diligent about sunscreen on all us kids) but I now have a lovely scar across my arm right above the elbow. I can't imagine knowing I'd done something to cause that kind of harm to my body. You've got other options and tanning booths really are terrible for you.

By Conni on Friday, May 13, 2005 - 09:23 am:

I have to jump in and add my 2 cents here. I lived in tanning beds and the sun as a teen and in my 20's... I am 33 now and my skin is horrible. I have so many spots from sun damage. I have vowed to just use the tanning lotions and keep myself covered with sunscreen when I go out... I *love* the beach, the lake and swimming pools. I *love* to work in the yard--have been outside all day everyday this week. Already ended up with yet another sunburn on my shoulders.

A couple of tans probably wont bother you now. But it may bother when you are older. ;) My sister and a friend of mine recently did the spray on tan (Mystic Tan) and they liked it. They did say it faded splotchy tho...

I am anal about sunscreen on the kids. lol

By Palmbchprincess on Friday, May 13, 2005 - 11:40 am:

I used to take the "Oh, it's just a couple times a year" approach, but after becoming friends with Cori, and realizing how young she was when she had skin cancer, I've changed my mind. I haven't been tanning since the kids were less than a year old, I only do sunless now. Also, my mom, who is olive skinned like me (but darker) LIVED in tanning beds and frequently goes on Carribean vacations, not using sunscreen. She's 42, and while her skin looks ok for the most part, her face is unnaturally red. She sent us a Christmas photo taken while in FL, and she looked like a tomato face. I'm worried that it's too late, and she'll develop cancer.

By Breann on Wednesday, May 18, 2005 - 06:59 pm:

It takes a good 4-5 sessions to get a good tan.

If you don't put your baby in a carseat just a couple of times is the risk of her/him getting badly hurt really as high as it would be if you did it all the time? Why take the chance?

If you know that something is potentially harmful to you, why do it on purpose?

By Amecmom on Wednesday, May 18, 2005 - 07:14 pm:

I really don't think that's a fair analogy, Breann. All it takes is one accident - that can happen anytime, anywhere, so you do your best to minimize the risk by always using a carseat.
This is a question not of taking a chance, but wondering if there is a safe level of exposure. If I drank all the time, it would be harmful, but a moderate amount is okay. Same principal.
I have not had a minute to make an appt., let alone go!.
My friend went for two sessions and looks amazing!

Ame

By Andi on Wednesday, May 18, 2005 - 07:24 pm:

Well it sounds like you have made up your mind and you are going to make an appointment.

One of your questions was "Do I really have to worry?" And I think most of the people that posted said Yes, you do have to worry. Yes, you can harm your skin is just a few sessions.

By Cocoabutter on Wednesday, May 18, 2005 - 07:35 pm:

I always burned in the sun as a teen. I tanned in a salon one summer about 10 years ago, and decided it was too much trouble.

My aunt, who is 60, spent a lot of time as a kid in the sun at a lake and then in her 20's moved to Florida. She has the skin of an 80-year old.

In general these days, it is amazing what some women go through just to look good, what with the high number of plastic surgeries performed, which include the risk of complications. Why risk health problems just for vanity's sake?

Depending on who you ask, you will get different answers. If you ask someone who runs a tanning salon, they will tell you "Of course the tanning here is safe!" But you know they have an underlying motivation to get you to believe them.

Ask a doctor and get an honest answer.

By Kay on Wednesday, May 18, 2005 - 09:36 pm:

Just remember that it has never been proven at *what point* it becomes lethal. Everyone's skin is different, and one person could receive a dangerous exposure after 10 times, whereas another could receive damage the first time. Another thing to consider is whether or not the salon may be using beds which are older or sub-standard.

I guess these comments are also the risks you take when asking the opinion of a bunch of moms.

By Reds9298 on Wednesday, May 18, 2005 - 10:03 pm:

Ame- go for it. I think continual use of the tanning bed is bad for you, but going a few times a year isn't a big deal in my opinion. I tend to agree with Tonya...you can't drink a cup of coffee without a warning label. Long term effects are not good, but going a few times isn't going to hurt you. Enjoy! It's a great place to take a nap!!!
(I'm a redhead and white as a ghost and get nothing in the tanning bed. I used to go all the time several years ago but it was all for naught. Now I use the self-tanners mentioned above but they do STINK!)
All this is JMHO.

By Trina~moderator on Wednesday, May 18, 2005 - 10:39 pm:

Just to add another perspective... I'm leery of sunless lotions and things like mystic tan. Supposedly they are "safe" but how can we really be sure? They're chemicals and who knows what effect they'll have on our skin after repeated use years down the road?

By Amy~moderator on Thursday, May 19, 2005 - 01:05 am:

I'm with Trina - I wonder the same thing. I've been debating hard with myself lately about going to tan in a tanning bed. After reading this post, I will not EVER do this. Thanks everyone!

By Amecmom on Thursday, May 19, 2005 - 09:34 am:

I have really bad spider veins and my legs look just awful. If I had some color, I'd feel better about wearing shorts this summer. I've worked real hard to get my body back in shape after having my children. I'm not there yet, but I'm close and I don't want to hide in capris all summer.

When I was in my teens and 20's I tanned regularly. I went to Sicily and was lying on an air mattress in the ocean with olive oil on my skin to get an even deeper tan. I was so dark.
I went to Cancun the summer after and stayed in the pool all day my first day and got a burn that was horrible - blisters and all.
If that didn't kill my skin (which is still soft and wrinkle free)I doubt a few sessions in a tanning salon will. If I've already done the damage, I don't think stopping now will make a huge difference.
I don't have time to apply self tanners nor do I have the time to deal with leg make up.

I found a place that has stand up tanning booths, which I used years ago and liked. I will put sunscreen on my face so I don't get all red and blotchy.

I'm glad this post was helpful in one way or another for everyone.

If I can find the time to even make an appt. I am going to go. It really is a question of the lesser of two evils for me. Do I feel self conscious all summer, or do I tan a bit and feel good about the way I look?

I really appreciate everyone's opinions and experiences.

Ame