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Sickly White, Need Some Color [tanning beds]
AlyceInWonderland
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
M'kay, so it's summer time, and it's time for me to come out of hibernation. In the last several months I've lost 40 pounds and I'm feeling pretty great about my self, but I have very very fair skin, and I look pretty sickly due to how white I am (I'm fucking PASTY). In addition to going outside, and hiking/biking/enjoying the sun, I'd like to possibly use a tanning bed. I have a membership at Planet Fitness which allows me to use their tanning beds for free. Now, I've heard their beds are pretty shitty, but I'm not looking to be a BRONZE GODDESS. I just want to tan my legs and stomach and other shit a bit.
Now, I've never used a tanning bed before. Hell, I've never even laid outside specifically to tan (burn) my self. How does someone go about doing this when they have fair skin? What should I bring to PF when I use their beds? I've heard that 15 minutes is the limit? Should I like...put on a specific cream or lotion so I don't fucking die in there?
Educate me in tanning cause I don't know what the fuck. Thanks!
Now, I've never used a tanning bed before. Hell, I've never even laid outside specifically to tan (burn) my self. How does someone go about doing this when they have fair skin? What should I bring to PF when I use their beds? I've heard that 15 minutes is the limit? Should I like...put on a specific cream or lotion so I don't fucking die in there?
Educate me in tanning cause I don't know what the fuck. Thanks!
AlyceInWonderland on
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Doesn't the place have people who run the beds? Or are they just out there for you to hop into?
As for creams, I've never been one for the them so I can't help much there.
I'm also sickly pale, I'm hoping I can get by this year without a bed though, Central Park needs less trees so I can get some sun while running.
edit: ps, hi5 on losing weight
Embrace the pale!
Not to mention how unsafe tanning beds are in their own right.
Where do you live? If you get a decent amount of sun I'd just stick with the hiking/biking/enjoying the sun idea.
Edit: I live in upstate NY, and it's been really rainy, so I haven't had much luck with natural light. Plus, I'd really like to tan my stomach/chest/upper legs more and I don't feel comfortable doing that outside. Right now it's just my arms that have gotten some color over the course of a few days, and it looks silly incomparison to the rest of my awfully white body.
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You can't use them effectively without hurting yourself. A tan is the skin's reaction to injury from the sun. To get a good deep tan from any source hurts the skin badly.
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After 2 months of going twice a week I gave up and went for the self-tanning lotion. I use Jergens twice a week for a basic not-sickly-pale look and I use neutrogena when I want to look like I actually have a tan. For me they give a natural looking color and don't streak. You might need to play around with different brands to find a color that really suits you.
I live in England, where it seems everyone wants to be tan despite being in overcast weather most of the time. I understand the embarrassment thing, but tan lines are just part of life. I personally live with a constant t-shirt tan since I'm not the type to walk around town shirtless
Then try some creams. I'm contemplating giving this a go. Some spas offer cream tans as well (in addition to spray) and it will also usually be part of a massage package. I call that a win.
But don't get in the tanning bed. Especially if you are as pale as you say. Cancer and wrinkles are not worth it. And I say this as an incredibly fair girl.
First off, look for a tanning place that really goes over everything with you. The woman who ran the place I went to spent a good long while going over all the potential health risks, protection, and so forth. Be really wary of a place that just tells you to go on in and doesn't go over proper procedure. (I was actually given some scary "This is gross stuff that can happen to your skin and eyes" pamphlets to read so I knew all about it.)
Second, I really recommend the stand up booths if you can. You're not laying in anybody's sweat (even if they wipe it down, I still think... ick), and it allows for a lot more coverage, IE, you can turn around and lift your arms so everything gets nice and even. It's also a lot more intense; they limit the time you spend in there a lot more than the beds. The beds can be super relaxing, but I did like the stand up more.
Third, you're going to need proper eye covering (most places sell them, and no, just covering them with cloth will not work) and proper tanning lotion. I can't really provide any recommendations, just go with what feels comfortable for you and isn't a bagillion dollars. The lady who ran the place I went to was very candid about the difference between the twenty dollar lotion and the sixty dollar stuff. I just went with something that wasn't greasy and smells nice.
Fourth, you probably aren't going to see much of a difference after even the first several visits, unless you go to one of those places that don't care how orange you get as long as they get their money. My tanning salon had a really strict schedule to avoid damaging the skin; you had to take a few days off in between each visit, you had to have proper lotion, etc. As I mentioned, I used the stand-up booth; I think my first visit was just under a minute. They gradually increased it over subsequent visits.
If you can, try to get a place that sells packages of minutes rather than visits. Some places will sell you as little as ten or fifteen minutes, and it can help you decide if you love it and want to continue, or if it just isn't for you.
Um... I think that's all I know. Sorry I couldn't be of much help!
However, a friend of mine used a tanning cream that ended up sweating off and leaving hilarious sweat marks all over her body, thought it was probably just a super shitty product. Spray tans actually gross me out, so I won't be doing that.
Edit: DoraB-Not much help? PFFTT, that was exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!
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This is mostly relevant if you use them a lot. It's not the most horrible idea in the world to use one if you're planning on having an especially active summer and are starting out as an inactive/indoors pale person. You don't want to burn horribly on summer beach vacation. My first time out in the sun every year as a redhead results in burning, no matter what I do. If I had a really big even planned I would make sure to get that out of the way before the big event. A tanning bed might be a decent way to do this? Just don't start doing this every summer.
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if you do not tan easily
do not nuke your body with large amounts of radiation from a tanning bed
Your skin will appreciate it. Just make sure to avoid going out in the sun for the first 24 hours for extended periods of time if the sunless tanner includes DHA (dihydroxyacetone) or erythulose (most do).
Now, that is for people that are tanning a fair amount, so I guess you can evaluate yourself how much you want to expose yourself to that.
I've worked in her clinic, and some of those poor people have the most hideous skin I've ever seen, you don't want that
If you don't have the chance to naturally tan in the sun, I would say spray tans or tanning creams are the way to go. A bronzer is going to be so much healthier for you
If you don't tan easily it might take a long time or it might just never happen (and then you'll have to embrace your pastiness). Better than being a hilarious shade of orange or having someone reconstruct parts of your body from skin cancer though
I'm not saying one time is going to kill you, but there's better ways to get tans
Another option instead of tanning, find a body lotion with some shimmer in it, and use it before you go out. The shimmer will pick up on the sunlight, and get rid of the "pasty" glare of pale skin. It also keeps the eye moving, which helps hide little blemishes and veins.
PS: I had skin cancer, and I wish I had some pics from before my scar removal treatment to show you. The scar is about 4cm along my jawline, and they did the stitches in two layers because of how deep they were going. For about a year, I looked like Rurouni Kenshin.
The thing about strapping on a bikini is that...I don't have one, and there's nowhere for me to tan. I'm in a temp apartment right now that doesn't get much sun.
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Is there a beach or park nearby you could visit? A bikini won't be difficult to get your hands on, and you can always try the hotpants + skimpy top route.
Although I'm glad you're thinking about fake tan, and encourage you to just go with that. Try to get one of those sunscreen lotions with fake tan mixed in for added benefit; it'll help protect your pasty ass when it does spend time in the sun.
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they exist for everybody, buddy.
I am of fairly transparent lineage but by the end of the summer I will be looking positively ethnic thanks to being outside.
I'm thinking of picking up some fake n'bake as well, though, so my legs don't reflect all the light that hits them while I tan underneath.
They cast a shadow like a sundial in the morning light. It was half past 10.
:P
Glad you aren't going to harm your skin with a tanning bed, Alyce.
I'll just do my daily outdoors activities and hope for the best.....while also getting that bronzer. I love Lush products, and it seems pretty neat, so we'll see how that goes
Thanks guys for all your help!
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Tanning once or twice in a tanning bed isn't going to cause cancer, much like smoking one or two cigarettes won't do any lasting damage.
As for gingerism, I'm lighter than that kid if I'm not exposed to the sun for more than 15 hours a week or so.
They cast a shadow like a sundial in the morning light. It was half past 10.
kpop appreciation station i also like to tweet some
picnics with friends and outdoor cafes
good times
Just sayin'.
I went to one few times in summer during weekdays and there was barely anyone there.
Barely! Get it?
Anyone know of any good beaches around lower NY?
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