Tanning beds

So, I was chatting with my coworker on Saturday about hitting up a tanning salon since we’re both basically pale as ghosts.

She just texted me saying we’re all set for five o'clock today—so, quick question... do you think people will actually notice if I go for just one session?

(I've got this wedding coming up this weekend and I'm planning on wearing this dress with a crazy high slit—total genius move, right?!) 😵 )

You definitely won't see any real difference after just one session.

After two, three, or maybe four—it really depends on how stubborn your pigment is—you'll start seeing results.

For me, it’s always taken about three or four sessions before I finally started looking significantly darker.🙂

I actually just started my first round today.😎

The New York Times said:So, some doctor told me she was at this medical symposium recently where they were discussing tanning beds. Apparently, it’s been proven that they cause skin cancer. But, they aren't allowed to talk about it publicly yet because the entire tanning industry lobby would collapse and people would freak out. But very soon, they'll be going public with the news.

That’s what she claims, anyway! She's lying—and honestly, I’m probably lying too! 😁

Everything is bad if you overdo it, I guess.

I highly doubt a tanning bed is going to do much damage to someone who just goes for maybe three or four sessions once a year...

If you ask me, my friend is in way more trouble—she got so badly sunburned at the beach that she ended up covered in blisters.

So I went in for my laser session yesterday. I opted for the standing position, and since the technician mentioned my skin isn't super sensitive, she suggested we could jump straight to a slightly higher setting. We settled on 10-minute standing sessions, three times this week. Basically, I did it yesterday (and just to be safe, I want to make sure the results show up—maybe one or two sessions won't be enough?), so I'm heading back Wednesday and Friday, then dropping down to once a week after that.

Hopefully, everything turns out fine. My skin under my eyes is looking a tiny bit red right now—is that normal? It’s a pretty delicate area, so I guess that’s probably why. Everything else feels okay, though.

Also, this place is brand new—super clean, modern vibe, and really cozy. The staff is super sweet, too. For those with sensitive skin, the entry-level price is about $0.67/min, I paid $1.25/min for the medium setting, and apparently there's an even stronger one for $1.25/min. It’s not crowded at all, so you don't even need an appointment—you can just pop in whenever.👍

I head to a quick 15-minute tanning session once a week... the color actually stays put, so I’m pretty happy with it.

So, I finally treated myself to a tanning session yesterday... my first time ever trying out one of those standing booths, and let me tell you, it was definitely "turbo" 😲—which honestly feels like a pretty accurate description because I was sweating bullets in there!
Since my skin is super sensitive, I only stayed in for about 5 minutes (paid $8.25)... but I’m actually heading back again tomorrow. I think I might just stick to 5-minute increments for a while, though—I’m honestly not sure if I could even handle being in there for a full 10 minutes 😉

I am seriously counting down the days until summer and just lounging out on the beach! 👏

So, has anyone else caught wind of that whole spray paint thing? 😕

Brenda Nelson5 said:I'm counting down the days until summer and finally getting some beach time.

I'm looking forward to summer and the beach as much as anyone, but honestly, I don't think I'll see any of it this year. 😢

Just wanted to report my experience today: I hit up a session over in downtown Chicago—went to one of those green light ones, I think. It was at least 11 minutes, which is the weakest setting, and it cost $15. Once the tanning wraps up, there’s a 3-minute cooling phase. Honestly, nobody told me half of this stuff beforehand, so I ended up being 😎
... I’m not sure if anyone mentioned you absolutely have to strip off your makeup. They do have cotton pads, wipes, and some Nivea cleanser in the booth, though.
Did anyone else deal with itching at the start? I can tell you, I was practically fighting the urge to scratch because of that intense stinging sensation, but it eventually died down by the end.

I mean, yeah, obviously you have to wipe off your makeup, otherwise how are you even supposed to tan?.. 🙂

Anyway, I’ve already got a pretty decent glow going—I did three sessions, about 10 or 15 minutes each. I think I might hit up a tanning salon in Scottsdale one more time and then I'll be all set 👍

You really have to make sure you strip everything off first—it’s honestly best to just go in right before you hop in the shower—and definitely don't go applying any lotions or oils beforehand. Once you're done with the tanning bed, just slather on a really nourishing moisturizer and you're good to go.
Yesterday, this girl ahead of me in the high-speed vertical bed actually felt faint... she was on the very first day of her period and decided that was the perfect time to hit the tanning salon😲... I mean, I could hardly believe it!
But seriously, it gets so incredibly hot in there. I'm honestly not sure if I'll be able to power through a full 10 minutes next time... though, at the end of the day, I know I can always just jump out whenever I need to.😉

I noticed something today—my skin feels incredibly parched. I’ve already applied moisturizer twice... I actually forgot my face cream yesterday, so I was wandering around feeling completely dehydrated. Do you guys carry creams with you? And do you moisturize immediately after leaving a tanning salon?

Exactly—if body lotion is literally marketed for sun exposure, why on earth is it supposedly bad to wear in a tanning bed?

Lisa Ortiz17 said:I noticed something today—my skin feels incredibly parched. I’ve already applied moisturizer twice. Honestly, I forgot my face cream yesterday and ended up trekking all the way back home just to get it. Do you guys carry cream with you? Do you moisturize right after leaving the tanning salon?

I never used anything before tanning—just applied lotion once I wiped off. My skin never really gets itchy.

Those standing spray tan booths are actually pretty big in Germany right now. It's perfect for people who want the glow without the UV exposure, especially if they can't manage to rub the lotion in evenly themselves.

Lisa Ortiz17 said:I’m not sure if anyone else mentioned the mandatory makeup removal. They have cotton pads, wipes, and Neutrogena cleanser available right in the changing stalls.

I usually head there first thing in the morning, straight out of bed, so I’m never actually wearing any makeup... though my skin definitely shows it.👍 😁

I went to that super weak one three times this winter—just five minutes each session—and every single time I ended up with an allergic reaction. After the third time, I took a look at that little sticker on the machine, the one that looks like a vintage car decal listing years like "19xx, 2000, 2001, 2002..." and still nothing! Seriously... damn! That thing is ancient! And the real issue is... (honestly, I don't even know when this started. Was it gradual or did it just pop up out of nowhere? It’s stupid that I can’t tell, but I guess I'm just totally overwhelmed right now...) I noticed a new tiny, smallish mole—it has a darker speck in the middle near the edge of my nipple... yeah, moles!!! Is this dangerous? I'm only 20... oh my god, oh my god...
I really shouldn't have gone... I usually can't stand these kinds of gimmicks. I didn't go there to get a tan or anything, it was more like... well, I know plenty of people who went specifically because of allergies and complained about their skin feeling "kind of toughened up"... damn. I always try to be so careful.

So?

Brenda Nelson5 said:You really have to wash everything off your skin first... best to just do it right before you hop in the shower. Don't go slathering on lotions or anything like that. Once you're done tanning, just hit it with a good nourishing cream and call it a day.
Yesterday, some girl in the high-speed vertical bed ahead of me actually fainted... turns out it was her first day of her period and she decided *that* was the perfect day to hit the tanning salon😲 ...I honestly couldn't believe my eyes!
It gets seriously hot in there, though... I'm not even sure if I can handle 10 minutes next time... at least I know I can just bail whenever I want.😉

I don't get why it's so hot for you guys. I just crank up the fans and it's fine.

Alright, looks like I haven't gotten any replies regarding my "growth" 🙂 yet, so I'm moving on to the next thing (I haven't caught up on every single thread, so apologies if this has already been asked): are tanning products actually harmful? - side note, when I was just a little kid, I once slathered some on before bed and forgot to wash my hands... by morning, my palms looked like I’d spent all day peeling carrots and potatoes for a massive army. Honestly, talk about an accidental DIY peel...

I went twice yesterday—once a week is usually my limit—for about 10 minutes in the tanning bed.
My face is looking way darker than the rest of my body, so I’m thinking of just covering my entire head next time... 😁
Has anyone else dealt with this kind of unevenness?

Lisa Ortiz17 said:I went twice yesterday (I usually go once a week) for 10 minutes in the turbo booth.
My face ended up much darker than my body, so I’m thinking about covering my whole head next time. 😁
Has anyone else run into this issue?

I just turn off the light for my face because it gives me freckles. If you're standing up, you can always throw a towel over your head or something. 🙂