I am 10 days post-op and wondering when it would be safe to tan. Ok i will just hit the smart comments head on-lol...I know its never safe. blah But my incisions are healing, they are no longer being covered...Will tanning hurt them? Can i cover them up?

Was wondering the same thing!! I went the other day.... :biggrin: I covered my belly with a tank top && everything has been fine....And i feel much bettter :biggrin:

No judgement here as I did the same when I was your age... just sharing my thoughts and experiences!!!

I thought I would be immune to melanoma after having grown up in Michigan where we didn't see the sun for half the year. I was wrong... At the age of 40 I was diagnosed with Melanoma, a tiny black mole on my arm, who would have thought? Thank God it was caught early and I only have a 3 inch ugly scar on my arm to show for it.

Fake tanners are now awesome!!! Honestly, you can't tell the difference, they are so good right now, and your scars will heal better AND you will be happy when you're older and not wrinkled. Yeah when you're young its hard to think that far ahead.. but at 45 I now see those lines and think "darn, if I only stayed out of the sun.. I'd have beautiful skin"!!! My chest is freckled... all my friends who tanned with me, in the salon and on the beach are the same or worse. No one is immune... Other 40 somethin' ladies can surely back me up here!!! My sister never went in the sun, same coloring as me and OLDER.. BEAUTIFUL skin, not a mark, wish I followed her routine!! Damn her....

Plus, when losing weight it would be best to not hinder your skin's elasticity, the end result will be better!!

So, if not for your health do it for vanity. I wish I took it to heart when I was at the tanning salons, on the beaches in the Carribean, Mexico, and Southern California where I live now, ... people told me too.. I didn't listen, and I'm not expecting anyone to listen here. I know we all have to live our own lives.... :biggrin:

I'm stepping OFF the soapbox....

:biggrin:

Ditto. I would have done the same too. The health thing, despite being an Australian (we have more skin cancer than anywehre else in the world) wouldnt scare me, as I'd rationalise it with the chemicals in foods we eat etc, so many other health risk

But vanity, that hits where it hurts! At 42, I am now glad that I never really got into this.

I have a great routine. Moroccan minerals fake tan is fantastic, a realistic colour. Once a week with that and then daily with Olay gradual tanner. I am brown all over - not orange, its not sticky, doesnt stain, its a quick daily thing, stays even, I exfoliate lightly in the shower every day so it doesnt build up and I have not even been remotely tempted to get into a sunbed. I do this all year round.

Now, I'm appreciating having nice, young looking skin. Some of my friends are now looking seriously middle aged. My students think I'm 20 something. And honestly, there's not that much you can do to prevent loose skin with a large weight loss but constant tanning will make it worse.

Still, lest you think I'[m a pain in the bum, there's nothing that will stop my lying out in the sun and getting really brown once a year on holidays!

As long as the incisions are all closed and well on their way to healing I see no reason not to tan. If you wish to look like a worn out, used leather handbag in 10 years

go for it!

I'll do both sides of the discussion - I'm 44, two skin cancers already removed, and 6 month "inspections" for the rest of my life. I do still tan once a year when I'm in Cancun... Yet another addiction.

Now, to answer your real question - my hubby has major scarring on his shoulder from surgery several years ago. He did not properly protect it one year in Cancun - it must have hurt really badly. He now slathers it in SPF50 now as soon as he goes in the sun. Apparently, the scar will burn much worse than normal tissue. Be sure to protect your scars. An infection on top of an existing scar would really hurt I think.

Thanks for all the good advice, and just an FYI, im thinking about vanity and may just try some fake tanner. I dont need to be any more unhealthy or rugged looking.

Hey sandiegokate....I too had surgery by Dr Bhoyrul. Don't you just love love him?? Which hosptial did you have yours??

No judgement here as I did the same when I was your age... just sharing my thoughts and experiences!!! :wink2:

I thought I would be immune to melanoma after having grown up in Michigan where we didn't see the sun for half the year. I was wrong... At the age of 40 I was diagnosed with Melanoma, a tiny black mole on my arm, who would have thought? Thank God it was caught early and I only have a 3 inch ugly scar on my arm to show for it.

Fake tanners are now awesome!!! Honestly, you can't tell the difference, they are so good right now, and your scars will heal better AND you will be happy when you're older and not wrinkled. Yeah when you're young its hard to think that far ahead.. but at 45 I now see those lines and think "darn, if I only stayed out of the sun.. I'd have beautiful skin"!!! My chest is freckled... all my friends who tanned with me, in the salon and on the beach are the same or worse. No one is immune... Other 40 somethin' ladies can surely back me up here!!! My sister never went in the sun, same coloring as me and OLDER.. BEAUTIFUL skin, not a mark, wish I followed her routine!! Damn her....

Plus, when losing weight it would be best to not hinder your skin's elasticity, the end result will be better!!

So, if not for your health do it for vanity. I wish I took it to heart when I was at the tanning salons, on the beaches in the Carribean, Mexico, and Southern California where I live now, ... people told me too.. I didn't listen, and I'm not expecting anyone to listen here. I know we all have to live our own lives.... :biggrin:

I'm stepping OFF the soapbox....

:frown:

I do!! He is such a sweetheart!!!!! :biggrin: That was a big part of my decision to choose him over the other doctors in San Diego. I figured I better choose someone I like since we're going to have a long relationship together. I had my surgery at Scripps Memorial Hospital. All went well!

i have a tanning bed at my house, so it was very hard for me to resist. i waited a week after surgery and just covered up my stomach. i covered my stomach until my inscisions were healed properly. but i had no problems with it and it made me feel human again!! lol good luck!

I am 4 months out and went tanning a few times after 3 months. If I were you, I'd cover the scars while you tan. I put a small cloth over my stomach. Sure you get a white patch of skin, but I've heard that tanning can discolor your scars. Better to be safe than sorry.