I have light skin and burn easily. Is it even worth it to go?
Tanning salons
- Thread starter Kouros
- Start date
Not to sound snarky, but the answer depends on how much you like sunburn and possible future skin cancer. I tan quite easily (mostly Italian) and have burned nearly every time I went to the "fake and bake."
I'm the guy who posted the thread wondering if the advice to wear sunscreen all the time is overblown, and I wouldn't set foot in a tanning salon.
I didn't see that thread, but imho, sunscreen all the time is not only over blown, but unhealthy. In some cases, babies and kids are now developing rickets b/c overly concerned mom's are drowing them in SPF 3 billion at all times. Adults are also being found to be vit. d. deficient (tho not having rickets), but many seem to think the USRDA on Vit. D is way too low anyhow (partly b/c of over use of sunscreens and less dairy in the adult diet). Some are recommending up to 5,000 IU, at least during the Winter, or if sunscreen is worn all the time. Others have advocated for some unprotected sun exposure on a regular basis (15 min here and there) to keep vit D levels up.
I have olive-ish skin too, and tan relatively easy.
However even though I rarely (maybe once every 2 years) get sunburned, I know that I will get skin cancer.
A lot of tanning salons here are under pressure to turn away people with extremely fair skin, but I think they should be closed down entirely.
Protect your skin, and don't subject yourself to such an extreme dose of UV rays. You can get your Vitamin D dosage by taking a walk at lunchtime (not too long - even if it's overcast, you can still get burned) and forget about tanning salons.
They are dangerous and pointless. Skin cancer is a horrible thing to cop.
Steer clear. Please.
However even though I rarely (maybe once every 2 years) get sunburned, I know that I will get skin cancer.
A lot of tanning salons here are under pressure to turn away people with extremely fair skin, but I think they should be closed down entirely.
Protect your skin, and don't subject yourself to such an extreme dose of UV rays. You can get your Vitamin D dosage by taking a walk at lunchtime (not too long - even if it's overcast, you can still get burned) and forget about tanning salons.
They are dangerous and pointless. Skin cancer is a horrible thing to cop.
Steer clear. Please.
No.
I'm pretty fair myself and grew up on the beach. I've had a fair amount of sunburns over the years. I mostly stay away from UV these days and am careful to wear covering clothing and/or sunscreen when I go out. I'm at an elevated risk of skin cancer because of my previous exposure. I think I'll be OK, but will have it treated ASAP if I notice something.
My father recently had a bunch of small cancers on his face. Some had to be burned off and then he went through a chemical peel that lasted for a few weeks. He's OK, but that was an unpleasant experience, to say the least.
Take care of your skin - stay out of the UV.
If you want to improve your appearance, lift some weights, take up running or, hell, but a few new shirts and get a different haircut. But you don't want to deal with skin cancer, not even the relatively benign ones that can be burned off. Certainly not a melanoma - I've lost a few people I've cared about to that.
I'm pretty fair myself and grew up on the beach. I've had a fair amount of sunburns over the years. I mostly stay away from UV these days and am careful to wear covering clothing and/or sunscreen when I go out. I'm at an elevated risk of skin cancer because of my previous exposure. I think I'll be OK, but will have it treated ASAP if I notice something.
My father recently had a bunch of small cancers on his face. Some had to be burned off and then he went through a chemical peel that lasted for a few weeks. He's OK, but that was an unpleasant experience, to say the least.
Take care of your skin - stay out of the UV.
If you want to improve your appearance, lift some weights, take up running or, hell, but a few new shirts and get a different haircut. But you don't want to deal with skin cancer, not even the relatively benign ones that can be burned off. Certainly not a melanoma - I've lost a few people I've cared about to that.
Last edited:
Here is the key.
Tanning beds themselves come in various intensities.
Go to a larger salon where they will have multiple beds available in each intensity.
The UV light bulbs also lose intensity with use. So ask the attendants to hook you up on a bed with older bulbs.
Most salons also charge on minutes, not visits. So only sit in the bed for 10 minutes.
Do this a few times before increasing to 12 or 14 minutes.
Keep in mind that these beds have 2 things going for them. They have consistent output the entire time you are in them and they also pump out fewer UV rays than the sun.
So 10 minutes in a bed is not like being in the sun for 10 minutes.
I too have fair skin and did not burn once when I started tanning last summer
Now let's talk skin cancer. It's bunk. Why is it bunk? Because there are just as many studies saying yes as there is saying no. Most of the studies that say UV rays cause cancer are paid for by the cosmetics industry, the very people that want to sell you sunscreen.
How is it that 50 years ago men would work shirtless in the fields or construction sites all day, every day and never get skin cancer?
I'm not saying it isn't possible, I'm saying we don't really know the truth. Skin cancer could very well be from food borne issues or genetics. Think liver, pancreatic and bowel cancers. What causes those?
Tanning beds themselves come in various intensities.
Go to a larger salon where they will have multiple beds available in each intensity.
The UV light bulbs also lose intensity with use. So ask the attendants to hook you up on a bed with older bulbs.
Most salons also charge on minutes, not visits. So only sit in the bed for 10 minutes.
Do this a few times before increasing to 12 or 14 minutes.
Keep in mind that these beds have 2 things going for them. They have consistent output the entire time you are in them and they also pump out fewer UV rays than the sun.
So 10 minutes in a bed is not like being in the sun for 10 minutes.
I too have fair skin and did not burn once when I started tanning last summer
Now let's talk skin cancer. It's bunk. Why is it bunk? Because there are just as many studies saying yes as there is saying no. Most of the studies that say UV rays cause cancer are paid for by the cosmetics industry, the very people that want to sell you sunscreen.
How is it that 50 years ago men would work shirtless in the fields or construction sites all day, every day and never get skin cancer?
I'm not saying it isn't possible, I'm saying we don't really know the truth. Skin cancer could very well be from food borne issues or genetics. Think liver, pancreatic and bowel cancers. What causes those?
Last edited:
I get a sunburn when I open the refrigerator.
I used to do this and I definitely vote no. Nine times out of ten, I just got burnt, sometimes to the point of extreme discomfort. When I did tan, it didn't seem to last more than two days. Lying there, wrapped in a coffin lined with fluorescent bulbs was very uncomfortable, as well. I felt like I was being cremated. It was very boring and was too hot to fall asleep.
Remember, unless you use the sunless tanning stuff, there's no such thing as a safe tan. 
Are you sure that isn't freezer burn you're experiencing?
Sorry, but you don't need unprotected sun exposure to get your vitamin D. Rays are still getting through. Fewer people would be vitamin D deficient if they consumed a rational diet.
Furthermore, vitamin D can also be supplemented.
Melanoma, on the other hand, kills. Squamous cell carcinomas are dangerous. Basal cell carcinomas are common and mostly innocuous, but require excisional surgical procedures.
So, bottom line is that I disagree with pretty much everything you wrote in your post. I think the general public should be careful doling out medical advice on the internet; more often than not, the information they give out is erroneous.
Oh, and for the OP: If you really want that tan look, get a spray on. They're much better than they used to be, and many of the products produce a "tan" that actually looks more real than what you get at a tanning salon. Cheaper, too.
It really depends on what type of tanning you want to do...A "base" style bed will burn you if you don't ease into it. However they now have what they call compression beds that do not use UV lighting and the nice thing is that they can't burn you, if its a good salon they will look at your skin type and determine what is best for you.
I personally say no. I have fair skin and burn easy. I avoid the sun as if I were from Twilight. So for me, going to a tanning salon makes as much sense as simply walking in and handing them money, and leaving. In the end, that's all that's happened. I've wasted money..and as a bonus may have increased my chances with skin cancer. Not a winning combination.
I personally say no. I have fair skin and burn easy. I avoid the sun as if I were from Twilight. So for me, going to a tanning salon makes as much sense as simply walking in and handing them money, and leaving. In the end, that's all that's happened. I've wasted money..and as a bonus may have increased my chances with skin cancer. Not a winning combination.
+1 Light skin here. I had pretty much the same experience. I did this years ago right after I got out of college. I thought I was getting a tan. My friends laughed at me and suggested that I was as pale as ever.
So, I had one Summer worth of a tanning salon, and 2-3 bad burns as a kid/teen. This is the reason dermatolgists live well.
Here's an article from today's Star Tribune (Minneapolis's newspaper) on the subject of tanning salons and skin cancer.
http://www.startribune.com/lifestyl...rksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUsZ
Basically, you should avoid them.
-Dave
http://www.startribune.com/lifestyl...rksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUsZ
Basically, you should avoid them.
-Dave
I am not a fan of tanning beds. There's a whole world with a real sun out there. Go outside every chance you get.
does that apply to your post as well?
Uh.......not to be elitist, but I'm a physician in practice for 22 years, so I'm excluding myself from the "general public" term, by which I meant to say "layperson."
Similar threads
