should i tan?

[palered]

Hi, I am new to the site. I am a redhead with very pale skin and lots of freckles. I burn very easily. Sometimes I can get an slight tan, but it is very hard to achieve this... I have never been able to get a dark tan. I have read that people with my skin type should not tan in beds because it increases risk of skin cancer... and because if I usually burn outside, the tanning bed will burn me to... I don't like self-tanners because they look fake. Any suggestions? I am sick of being pale!
thanks!

[Anya1976]

there are quite a few redheads that do tan in tanning beds. and as long as you can get a tan you can tan in beds just make sure u DO NOT let yourself burn. but if u do not want to try the tanning beds there are the Self tanning booths like Mystic Tan that are really great. one of the girls at the salon is very pale and does this and the color looks natural you will just have to take more care in wiping yourself down after being sprayed make sure that you totally wipe off and check your knees and elbows for excess solution. and let me just say most things that u read will link ANYTHING with skin cancer. if u go to the main forum there is a link to tanningtruth.com you should check it out.

[njchica]

I'm going to move this to Ask the Pros so our owner-mods can help out...

[nitrooverride]

I would suggest using a sun-screen type lotion before you get into tanning beds. I have no idea if they work though. You know more people die from falling down their own stairs in their own house then they do getting skin Cancer period.

[TikiTan]

1) Take this skin type questionaire to make sure you are not a skin type I
http://www.naatso.org/frameset_survey.htm

2) If you determine you are at least type II... I recommend you start in moderation ... Seriously build very slowly.. I suggest your first week go something like every other day for 3-5 minutes (depending on bed you are in).

3) Your second week I recommend sticking to the 5-6 minutes as long as you are not burning.. If you burn STOP and RECOVER and START OVER.

4) I always recommend California Tan's Ambrosia for my red heads ....

Remember moderation is the key ... Your tan will never be as deep and dark as mine... but it is what you have so lets work with it.. You can try things such as Bronzers (Matahari's Lustrous and Cal Tans Suddenly Sun would give you awesome color to your face)

One key thing to remember is just because you did not burn at 5 minutes does not mean you are ready to bump your time up.. I suggest you remain at 5 minutes until you no longer see results...

[palered]

Thanks for the good advice. I was kind of interested in those spray tanning booths, but I am curious as to how much it costs. As for tanning in a bed, I took the quiz from the link you gave and it was a little ambigous. If I go into a tanning salon will the person working be able to help me out and tell me what skin type I have? Thanks again.

[Anya1976]

Quote:
On 2003-05-19 13:34, palered wrote:
Thanks for the good advice. I was kind of interested in those spray tanning booths, but I am curious as to how much it costs. As for tanning in a bed, I took the quiz from the link you gave and it was a little ambigous. If I go into a tanning salon will the person working be able to help me out and tell me what skin type I have? Thanks again.


yes your salon SHOULD skin type you. my advice is if they don't find someplace that does. I would not tan someplace that doesn't skin type. and if they do skin type you and say you can tan for the full time in the bed, i would suggest leaving since if u do the full time in the bed you will probably burn.
the spray booths at the salon i tan at run about 30 dollars per session. they might have some sort of package deal but i'd probably say do it once and see if you like the results then decide if you want to do it again. and remember the spray booths do not help with sun protection since it's not an acual tan it's a sunless tan, so if you go into the sun wear spf.