I want some info on this subject. I am so white, I glow in the dark! No joke!! I want to know how often you do it, the costs & the pros & cons. Any info is appreciated!!

I have trouble in the smaller lay down beds. I cant easily turn on my sides, or move my arms around. The stand up bed lets me get tan all over. I was told that there is a difference in the way these types of beds tan. The laydown beds tan from the outter layers of skin, inward. The stand up bed tans deeper layers of skin, outward. I did the laydown beds twice in the beginning, for 7 minutes each time. I looked red and felt slightly burnt. Then I started using the stand up bed. I started at the max time of 15 minutes, no redness no burning. I did itch a lot though, as I said in a previous post. Once I started putting the lotion on just before going into the bed/booth, I didn't have anymore problems with that. The stand up bed seems to give a more golden tan. The owner recommended I switch between the two beds, which I do. The laydown beds still make me look more red than the stand up ones. however, there are larger laydown beds, which use the same technique as the stand up if you prefer laying down.

I was also told that because the stand up bed tans from the deeper layers outward, its important to remember that even though you appear tan, you can still get a bad sunburn from being in the sun.. the top layers are still "virgin" if you will. *chuckles*

I hope this helps, Jess.

Thanks P-nut! It does help! I am a tanning bed/booth virgin. Hee-hee! I want all the facts before I dish out Lonnie's money. LOL!!

adding to Photonut's response ~

from what I remember, the bulbs in the stand up beds are farther away from your skin - which makes you less likely to burn. ???

I only used the stand up beds for getting the places that the bed couldnt get. The bed was my main target - but the booth happened about once a week.

And regarding how long would it take before you noticed a tan...

I would think maybe 4 (12 minutes???) sessions (gosh, I sound like one of those young girls that work at the tanning shop) and you should see a change.

Jess, youve never been to a tanning bed???? (duhh, its pretty obvious Paula)

Ok, now I've been all disapproving about the health dangers and have also admitted that I do actually do it on occasion...

I like the stand up beds but there arent many around. There's none locally to me, there's one in the salon at the shopping centre near mum's that I'd drop into if I were tanning for an event, like I said I dont do it as a regular thing.

I tan in the alltogether becuase if Doug noticed I had tan lines and found out I'd been in a solarium he'd go nuts. He'd ask me how I could endanger my health when I had kids to bring up and what sort of idiot was I that I'd do such a thing in the name of fashion? Yeah, whatever. So I dont tell him and when he says "you look brown" which he rarely would even notice, I just say I used fake tan. And then he says I stink when obviously I dont because I didnt use the stuff.

On the lie down beds, I get white boobs -because they fall under my arms when I lie down. I also get pressure spots on my bum, and I dont tan that well on my sides, but room's too tight to move around much. I also tend to burn on the side I'm lying on where I sweat. And never ever ever go into a tanning bed when you've been slogging it out in the gym, guaranteed bad burn, and dont use the tanning lotions with a "tingle". YOu come out scarlet and burning, its terrible, although it goes away after a few hours.

Never! LOL! I haven't even really "layed out in the sun" for probably 12 or 13 years. What I have gotten in the past 12-13 is from swimming in my Mom's pool. I just don't have that kind of time. To get a good tan in the pool I would have to swim at least 2-3 times a week & Mom lives 45 minutes away. Have you ever heard "distance makes the heart grow fonder"? I love my Mom, but good grief! We would drive each other crazy!

Thank God for all of you! I think I'll be a pro when I finally do go in! LOL!

I'm just now getting my "girlie urges" back! I'm even thinking of having a mani-pedi! I have only had one manicure in my lifetime too. I have always been a do-it-herselfer.

Jessiebear, I would recommend that the first 2-3 times that you go, you tan for a maximum of 5-6 minutes. The next few times, increase it to 8-9 minutes. By doing this, you decrease the risk of burning but build up a good base tan. Once you've achieved your base tan, you can increase the minutes to 12 or 15 and then tan 2-3 times per week.

Oh yeah, try not to tan every day. You should skip at least 1 day to let the prior session "set" in.

Jessie, what's your goal? Do you want to prepare your skin for the sun or get brown? If you just want to get brown you want a UVB bed (though all beds have both UVA and UVB), or a cosmetic bed and ALWAYS use a tanning lotion. I use this stuff called CT Seven by California Tan and there is a HUGE difference the next day if I use that versus a cheap tanning lotion. It was about $70, but it was worth it! I like to lay down, buck naked, because of the whole relaxation thing. I get in the bed and fall right asleep.

I guess both. I would ultimately like to achieve a even tan that is just healthy looking. I don't want to bake. When I tan with the sun, I look kind of mottled. It seems to me like the people I know that use the beds have beautiful even tans. Does that make sense?

That totally makes sense. That's what I wanted, too, in addition to preparing my skin for this summer. I tan in a Wolf bed and use that CT Seven tanning lotion. It's the best of both worlds. Everyone compliments me on how "glowing" I look. It's the tan, I tell you! Someone even asked me if I was in love! Now I just go to the tanning salon once a week to maintain and if I want a little extra tan I use a little cocktail of a good fake tanner and one minute extra in the tanning bed.

Thanks Puddin! Sounds exactly like what I want!

I wouldn't tan if someone paid me to do it lol. I apply sunscreen every day even in the winter, even if I stay indoors all day long. Hopefully I'll never have to fance skin cancer, or wrinkles. I'm still pretty young but I have really good young looking skin and I'm hoping that will never change.

Tanning is a really bad idea but I too enjoy a nice glow from time to time. I get mine from a bottle. It's so much safer.

Every time I hear from someone who suffered from cancer they always say 'It wasnt worth it'.

Good luck to you whatever you decide.

Mags

I t has been a while since I tanned, but I use to work ina tanning salon, so I got to tan for free...good for buisness. ANyway here is what I know wabout tanning. There are 2 kinds of ray UV-A and UV-b rays. THe UV-A is typically what causes you to burn, and gives you the "reddish" tan, where Uv-B rays give you the "brown" tan. Most beds now days are mostly UV-B rays, and so when they are tanning to go on vacation so thay don't burn, guess what they still burn because there skin is sensitive to the Uv-A rays becuase thay have'nt exposed themselves.

I have noticed that people who frequent tanning salons (I'm talking 4-5 times/week) have a distinct smell as well as an interesting "color". I use to use the tan enhancing lotion, some had what was called "tingle", but now i much prefer spending a couple of hours in the sun and enhancing my tan with either a spray tan or the lotion. Many tanning salons now do airbrush tanning, and it looks great! If you go in and are professionally airbrushed and then follow up with a good lotion your tan should last a while.

There are some things you should keep in mind before you airbrush tan...don't have just gotten waxed (the wax could make it splotchy) and make sure not to waer clothes that you really care about beauuse some of it could transfer and stain your clothes. Also follow the reccomendations for showering and don't go to bed right after having this done.

I'll share a funny story with you all:

I had airbrush tanning done the night before I was in my friends wedding (after the rehersal dinner). I went home did some things and then went to bed. I fell asleep on my back with my hands on my stomache, woke up the next morning and I had stain all over my palms, AHHHHHH!! I was picking up the bride in 2 hours!! Well I scrubbed and scrubbed with lemon juice and finally got it to fade, not to mention that I now had an "tanline" of my hands on my stomache, not to mention the stains on my sheets. It gives me a good chuckle now, live and learn I guess.

Outdoorgrl,

To be banded May 30th

Dr. Ortiz, Tijuana Mexico

I think it is a personal choice based on your skin type, your desire to be tan. Tanning beds have to be used with some sence of moderation. I love the way it makes me feel and a nice tan always looks great. I have "good skin" other then the strech marks and I Tan evenly and burn rarely. I go to the tanning bed once a week for a little just scare the white off session. Like most things moderation is the key.