Tanning

**gYmgIrL** · May 12th, 2008, 08:45 PM

If you want to keep a non-competition tan for a long period of time, how often should you tan and for how long?

Can once a week be enough? Or is it the sort of thing where you get as tanned as you want by going a lot, and then maintain it by going just once a week?

sonny4753 · May 12th, 2008, 10:11 PM

Well, being that I just went to the dermatologist for a check up recently (I'm 32 and have been safe about the sun, but do go tanning) they ended up removing a piece of my back and running a biopsy on it.

Needless to say, I think my tanning days are over. If you have ever taken a physics course in college (I had to since I'm an EE) you will quickly know that ALL WAVELENGTHS are dangerous regardless of what the idiots tell you at the tanning salon.

I went and tanned and knew the dangers, and well got a piece of my back removed.

I'd stick with Mystic tan, stuff works but you have to go about every two weeks and have it reapplied.

Good Luck

**tooncesthecat** · May 12th, 2008, 10:28 PM

I'd have to agree with sonny. I have been guilty of doing the tanning bed thing, but no more. Just too much evidence about the dangers of using them

**gYmgIrL** · May 14th, 2008, 08:42 AM

Hmm, this is a toughie! I have to stay tanned but i dont want to look like a lizard in the future... or get skin cancer of course :P but getting sprayed every so often would be retardedly expensive....

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

**chuckg** · May 14th, 2008, 10:57 AM

Depending on how strong the bulbs are in the bed where you go, for the first 3-4 weeks go twice in a row. Then after that you should be able to go once a week with a bed that's listed as a high level to maintain what you have. It's also going to depend on the lotion that you use. Use something with a bronzer in it. Tingle factors are optional now, but you're going to have to see which lotion works best for you.

Hope this helps!

Oh, and you do realize that I'm going to ..... I mean WE'RE going to need to see pics of said tan for further evaluation.

**Insex** · May 14th, 2008, 11:42 PM

You might as well go tan in the sun with high SPF sunscreen if you're going to use tanning beds. Despite what they tell you in the tanning parlors, they can still be dangerous if overused. Not only that, but tanning beds tend to leave your skin a different color than under the sun; more like an orange-tanned color instead of a regular brown-tanned color.

At the last show I competed in, I used Mystic Tan. I liked it, and the tan looked real nice. The only negative things about it is that the tan only lasts about two weeks. Afterwards, the color sort of "peels" off, which makes your skin look awful for a couple more weeks. Also, the Mystic Tan sprays on your toenails and fingernails, which leaves them looking orange. But other than that, it serves its purpose: to give you a nice-looking tan without being under the sun.

**falconfootball** · May 15th, 2008, 10:13 AM

Melanotan II works well, but I believe it is illegal in the US.

It turns a pale irish guy into a brazilian beach bum

**gunshowbabe** · May 15th, 2008, 10:30 AM

it has to do alot with your complection too so it varies on different people. some people can't take being in the bed for more than 5-10 minutes or they peel so it really just depends... I tend to tan very easily and can get away with 2 tans the first week and 1 tan each week after to maintain it (if I only used the tanning bed)... it does depend on the type of bed and bulbs that are used like chuck stated... tans from the sun tend to last longer for me though so I only really tan every once in a while.. I'm also trying to avoid the wrinkles

so I try not to tan as often..

**wildstang** · May 15th, 2008, 04:22 PM

me ive spent so much of my lifetime out in the sun i take advantage of every opportunity i get in the shaded areas!.....lol but then again i dont like to tan because im naturally tan as it is and dont like getting much darker.

**Italianangel** · June 2nd, 2008, 05:16 PM

I only do it closer to contest now, but as a kid all summer I was out in the sun, now I have no time.......I would do once per month myself but I tan easy and keep it easy....depends on you, much safer to use the spray on which is good, my client used it and it was so natural and stayed for 2 weeks.........but 40 bucks.......

**D-boi** · June 2nd, 2008, 06:15 PM

Tanning is cool as long as you don't do it on the Rails! Train trusses are bad for tanning.

**tooncesthecat** · June 29th, 2008, 11:11 PM

GG, I saved my 1500 post for you! Thought I'd bump this thread since it's summer. I used to tan all the time but I'm increasingly worried about the ill effects of it. I thought I'd try a sunless lotion to see if I turned orange or any other weird colors. This Neutorgena sunless tanning lotion actually works. I put it on every morning after my shower and I have acquired a decent tan which actually fooled everyone at work ("how are you getting so tan???")

Don't know if you can get it in Australia but here's the official site...

Neutrogena Build-a-Tan™ Gradual Sunless Tanning Lotion

Since I was so sweet to inform you about this porduct, I'll expect some hawt pics of that tan tummy! LOL!

**gYmgIrL** · June 30th, 2008, 04:43 AM

Hey Toonces, it's just turned winter

hhehe

it was 16 degreeeesss celcius today! frikken freeezing.

I decided that I'd try the solarium, if i only did it for 6 months then I wont turn into a snake-skinned purse.

so I went into 5 minutes. It was SO scary. I had these sticky eye goggle things on, and I could hardly see, and i closed the door and put my arms up on the thing, and waited... hmmm isnt it supposed to start by itself?

BWOOOM!

I may have yelped

anyway, after i finished deciding I was not going to burst out of the thing, I started to wonder what I was going to do for 5 whole minutes of doing nothing. It was too loud to entertain myself singing.. and then BWOOOM it finished. This time I did burst out of the thing. I was shaking for about the next 3 hours :P

So the next time I went in, I was hell brave. Two tokens = 10 minutes. It's ok! I'm dark skinned.. right?

I even had better tanning cream!

So i went in, and went .... 10 minutes now ey, and before I could finish that sentance, 10 minutes was up. I stepped out and had instantly dark skin, with the greatest tan lines ever. I was so totally in love with this thing at this point.

So off to work I trotted.

Come three o clock I got this strange hot flush and my face went red and I was sweating.

Come 6 o clock, I realised, I was burnt to a crisp and could hardly move.

EEeyoooowww

"How did you get burnt in WINTER?" everyone asked

and I said in my best fake confident bellow "Well you see, sometimes you just get burnt in winter randomly, and I wasnt such a massive fool to go in there for too long cause I'm impatient and silly"

*GG runs off*

Anyway, that was Friday, after a weekend of not being able to move, I am fine back at work today (hooraah) all except the places that never see sun. (i was doing in a kini, just a small one) under my arms is doom painful.

However, I am now turning brown instead of lobster red and my tan lines are still doom and I dont seem to be peeling... but i think considering this is captain ultra-power solarium, perhaps even I should only do 5 minutes at a time.

hahaha

:P

oh deeeer

**wil** · June 30th, 2008, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gYmgIrL

it's just turned winter

it was 16 degreeeesss celcius today! frikken freeezing.

That sounds like heaven to me.
I am not a fan of hot weather.