Has anyone been tanning post lap-band? I am curious does tanning (bed or spray) make your incisions stand out or hurt? I want to go tanning. Everyone knows tanned fat looks better than pale fat. I am losing weight but still not to goal quite yet. I am going on a vacation in March and want to have a nice glow. Any feedback is appreciated. :bounce:

I would go for the spray, myself. UV rays can actually damage the elasticity in your skin. I'd avoid that like the plague until getting down to a smaller size...you'd be more likely to avoid loose skin. But I haven't done any tanning...I live in the mountains of Colorado. If I showed up with a nice glow, people would think I'm a fruitcake.

i did tan with my band, and everything went fine. the scars were no more noticable and i had a better appearance.

Thanks for asking this - I am going to Cabo and Maui over the next two months and I wondered the same thing. I am planning on hitting the beds next week.

I tanned quite a bit this summer. I put heart stickers over my scars since I didn't want them to turn purple. My Dr. gets a kick out of seeing 6 hearts on my belly when I go in for a fill. I've not been tanning lately but when I start back I probably will just let them go w/ no stickers. Who the heck am I going to let see my saggy belly skin anyway !lol ! Next month will be a year for me , so I figure my scars aren't going to change much now. Have a great day everyone !

Tanning, in a bed or the sun, will hurt the healing process of the scars, especially in the first 18 months post-op. It will "set" the scars in place, and dramatically reduce their ability to heal further. Is that worth it to you?

I love tanning beds too. If you want to go, why not drape a towel over your belly so the rest of you--the visible parts--are nice and golden. Unless you plan on being in a bikini, and if that's the case, then read the first sentence again.