Tanning Booth

[lild]

I've never been in a tanning booth before.. Just wondering if anybody has any experience (good or bad) with it. I found this place close to my home that has it for $5 per 20 minute session... I wanna try it out. Is it just as bad for the skin as the sun is?

[pammy]

I know there will be a lot of knockers, so I'm putting in a positive.

I love being tan. Bought a tanning bed to put in my house for my personal use. I know there is bad things about too much exposure, but everything in moderation, right? There are also benefits, you can find them on a search engine.

You know those days where it's so cloudy? And it's been like that for a few days? It's days like that I get really depressed, I'm the type of person that has to have sun, it's a mood lifter for me. A tanning bed gives me that lift. I kid you not! LOL if you'll notice the pics in my photo album, it's sitting right behind me, hehe... I don't abuse it and I'm not leathery. When summer rolls around I'm the last one to get sunburned mostly because I have a good base tan already. In a controlled setting I think they are beneficial.

Okay, off my soapbox now

[mommabean]

There is no such thing as a safe tan. Pammy isn't old enough to be leathery but one day she will be. Her day will come. All the rays are harmful, not just the burning rays. How many people tan in moderation. None, they all get hooked on the temporary high of looking good in a tan. A tan fades. Cancer risk is still there.

I've had melanoma. I loved to be tan - in moderation of course - when I was young.

I have brown hair and brown eyes.

My melanoma showed up AFTER age 40. The dark age spots that are a side effect of too much sun in my younger age also showed up after age 40. Only bleaching cream and sun avoidance keep my face from having those spots that women also get from BC pills - melasma I think it's called.

No one knows who will be the one that ends up with cancer. The only way to give yourself the best chance of it not being YOU is to avoid a tan. Anyone can get enough sun for health purposes without getting a tan. It doesn't take that much sun to be healthy. Certainly not as much as it takes to be tan.

The health info you will find that tells you that tanning in moderation is safe is propaganda put out by the tanning booth industry. And that's a fact. People can CONvince themselves to believe they tanning in moderation hype because it puts their mind at ease. They will be sorry when they are old - Pammy included.

Of course there is always a face lift to get rid of the wrinkles. And surgery to cut out the melanoma - like I had. I have a nice 3 inch scar on the side of my waist to prove it.

I did look on the bright side. I asked my surgeon if he wouldn't mind taking a chunk of skin out of the other side of my waist in order to give me a little roll over reduction. He said "no way". I don't think I'm any slimmer on the right side anyway.

By the way, people have told me how great my skin on my face looks lately. "What have you been doing". They think my face is incredibly clear and smooth looking. What do I tell them? I gave up tanning.

[mommabean]

Still on my soapbox - ;D - do you really want to PAY someone to increase your cancer risk? That IS what you will be doing. That's a fact.

[Drewsgirl41]

Hi Ladies,

I just read on interesting article on this very subject. It is in this month's Self Magazine (November 2003 issue page 52) The Author was addicted to tanning in those tanning booths and ended up with Malignant Melanoma. The article had a name for people who feel they must always be tan. They called them "Tanorexics". I personally have pretty much always avoided the sun. Except when a teen. But even then I didn't over do it. I am now 41 years young and my friends at work always tell me they can't believe I am "that old" (they are in their 20's and 30's) I guess I look pretty good for an old fart. ;D Anyway, I wouldn't do it. I don't think it is worth the risk of ruining your skin or worse getting cancer. Just my two cents.

Colleen

[fawnmarie]

I used to do the booths when I was in my early 20's, but don't anymore. I'd LIKE to get rid of the tan I've got. Living in Florida, I can't avoid getting tan from the ambient light - even with 15 sunscreen.

However, I'm part Amerind, and I've got the skin for it, so I don't think about it much.

The right kind of diet, with adequate saturated and monosaturated fats can help (butter, olive oil, coconut oil, seed and nut oils, etc), since the body needs those fats to repair skin. DHEA is necessary for skin health, and of course, the old anti-oxidants like A, C, E, selenium, melatonin and alpha lipoic acid.

And of course, if you are highly sensitive to light, you're better off just avoiding it altogether and using a fake tan. If you've got red hair and freckles, just skip the whole process!

If you can tan, and DO tan, do it slowly and let your body bring up the melanin gradually. That's what it's for - to protect you from damage. And do use plenty of those fats in your diet and anti-oxidants, and slather on the aloe vera gel and coconut oil afterwards.

Tans and burns before puberty are far more likely to increase cancer risk than those afterwards. However, it will prematurely age your skin. You can use a towel over your face and just tan your body, and then use a bronzing gel or self-tanner on your face to match, which will reduce the wrinkling affect of tanning.

As for the positive effects of sunlight - it is necessary for creating seratonin and melatonin - so it's good to get some during the winter. It's especially important to get it hitting the inside of the lower eyelid.

Sunlight is also necessary for Vitamin D production. The stuff they put in milk isn't really bioavailable (and humans probably shouldn't drink cows milk anyway, if there are other sources of protein).

15-20 minutes a day of morning light is very, very good for you.

I'm not for or against tanning - just cautioning - like I do with any other lifestyle choice that may cause future problems (smoking, drinking, BE) to do what you can to minimize or repair the damage.

Just living is a risk.

[lild]

Wow.. thanks for all your input! I was wondering if going to the tanning bed once or twice a month would be okay for the skin. But I guess that I will try out the self-tanning lotions first and see if I like them. Which brands are good?

[fawnmarie]

Sorry - don't know - I don't use them.

I'm trying to get RID of my farmer's tan. I tan very easily and here I can pick up a browning just driving back and forth to work.

I'm thinking about trying some of the bleaching/lightening creams put out for women of color to see if I can get rid of it. It's very uneven (arms and face only).

Anyone have any experience with those?

[fawnmarie]

Did I miss a post or something?

(Momi - it's MELANIN - not melatonin (silly). Melanin is what makes your skin brown, melatonin is what puts you to sleep!)

And like I said - I don't condone or condemn tanning.

However, for every bad habit, there are things you can do to try and help prevent or undo the damage.

Cancer is caused by mutations of the cellular DNA - so that when the cell replicates, it replicates WRONGLY. This DNA damage is caused by toxins, pollutants, chemicals, UV exposure, etc. These carcinogens cause DNA damage or increase free radicals that damage DNA. Therefore - ANYTHING you can do that will reduce free radicals, protect DNA structure, or reduce your exposure to carcinogens, will HELP.

There is more to it than exposure, too - there is genetic predisposition and nutrition as well.

[mominator]

I am pleading "fenugreek flashback" even if it is 3 mos later! tomato...tomato... All the same difference! j/k

[lild]

Fawnmarie.. there are some skin brighteners by Shiseido, Elizabeth Arden, and Avon... I think they're for the face, though. My friend's tried the Shiseido one before and she seems happy with it. I tried one from Oil of Olay a long time ago and it didn't do anything. Just smelled like sunblock with white pigment.