The reason I am asking this is because I do like to get in tanning beds. I just wonder if it is alright with my port and stuff. The heat and all.

I'll be interested in responses. I haven't tanned since surgery, but I know my sister in law who has the band has tanned and not had any troubles with it.

Don't really have an anwer for you. I would however think the standing tanning booths would be better since you are 6-8 inches away from the bulbs.

Ever tried a spray tan? Maybe that might be a viable alternative.

I have been tanning for the past two years (only for 1 month before our annual Disney trip) without any issues. I do the stand up booth once a week and lay down twice a week mainly because I enjoy the rest!

I don't think it would effect the band, but it's awful for your skin. Spray tans can look really nice!

I tanned last summer for a month before going to Hilton Head and Disney. I was 7 months post op at the time. I used to tan all the time but gave it up because I didn't have time or money and as much as I LOVE tanning, started to wonder about my skin.... But I tanned 4-5 days a week for the month I had the unlimited package. I did the lay down beds because I like the rest. I was nice and dark and it didn't bother the scars, port site, etc one bit. In fact, I had a fill in the middle of the month I was tanning. Certainly if this were a concern, it would have been mentioned somewhere along the way.

I used to tan a couple of times a week, for about two years . . . and then I got malignant melanoma once, twice, and a third time. Since I didn't spend much time in the sun, and two of the melanomas were areas that would have been covered by a swimsuit, I came to the conclusion that the tanning bed was the culprit. I have three nice long scars to remind me to stay away from them. Now it's spray tans only for me!!

I don't think it would do anything at all to the band or the port. When I was younger I used to lay out in the sun and was pretty tan every summer. Then I switched to tanning beds for a few years.

I am now paying the price for all that tanning. After the weightloss I think I have more wrinkles than I would have if my skin didn't have all that damage. I also have some age spots on my face from it.

I think lotions and spray tanning would be a better option.

"do any bandsters get in tanning beds"?

Yes, some of the dumber ones do indeed venture inside a tanning booth or bed.

I think it will be great for you to get, along with your new, slim body, some wonderful prematurely aged Skin and wrinkles, along with a nice dose of Skin Cancer.

Isn't life wonderful, where we get to make all of these really lousy decisions for ourselves?

S.