Sunless Tanning

[EZ_Luute Sixstring]

Hey Mates,

Just to preface this, yes I am male, yes I am heterosexual, and yes I know that im too vain for my own good.

Situation : Due to school and other responsibilities I am unable to get nearly anytime in the sun, and I usually end up holding less then healthy sleeping patterns. Those two problems contribute to me being very pale and having faint black lines under my eyes (yes, im German, its a problem). Last year when I actually got to spend some time outside and develop a healthy tan (which is possible, being that im brown haired and I dont have very fair skin), the black lines dissapeared/were unnoticeable.

Question : Is there any healthy, inexpensive way to develop not a dark tan so much as just a healthy non-pale appearance. I am not doing this to impress anyone, being that im happily in a relationship and I dont think she could care less if im tan or not; I am just truthfully doing this for the fact that I hate looking like a zombie because of school constraints.

Thanks in advance for the help

[EZ_Vindicor]

I was in the same boat as you (still am, but without the mean of which I will speak). I got a gym membership that came with free tanning booth time. After a couple of weeks, five days a week, 20 minutes a day, I had a heathy glow.

I know in town here they have some places that are solely tanning booth operations (usually tacked onto video rental places, oddly). I've you've anything like that, might want to look into it.

[Dorla]

The tanning booth places around here offer monthly memberships... the place I used to go to is about 18.00 a month for unlimited tanning. I imagine that's different depending on where you live in the US. If you just want a non-translucent appearance, it might be more cost-efficient just buy minutes or tans and use them once or twice a week. You don't have to go very often to keep it up.

They have 60-second spray-on tan places too (Mystic Tan)... I have never done it, but I've heard it looks as good as going to a tanning booth without the health concerns. Not sure on price, and I believe it lasts a week or so before you have to do it again.

Laying in a tanning bed is so relaxing... there's nothing better after having a hectic day at work to go and lay naked in a hot bed for 20 minutes.

[EZ_Filan Fyretracker]

while your skin cells are microwaved by floresenct UV lamps.

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Theres something on theWing....

[EZ_Gyorg]

I've heard, (from the news and my GF), that the business done chemical tans can look pretty good.

[EZ_Hindraak]

Quote:Luute Wrote: a healthy tan
Aren't tans really unhealthy for ones skin?

[Meddik]

Quite dangerous.

But then, seeing what my dad has had to do with skin cancer over the last 5 years, I'm a bit paranoid about that sort of stuff. He's had to have regular treatments where they either freeze spots off with Liquid Nitrogen, or Use an acid treatment on affected areas.

Did you know that your skin can get so oversensitive after repeated burns, that the sunn will give a sunburn through a T-Shirt? Scary @#%$. Trojan Horseshoes
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[EZ_Morek the rogue]

Honestly, if you have enough time to drive to a tanning booth, go in and lay for 15 mins, and drive home.. Why not just spend that time outside? Doesnt look near as "fake" (you know youve seen those people that are so dark from tanning beds, they dont look normal), its free, and you can do something that would be a helluva lot more fun than just laying in a bed.

What I would do. If you are worried about getting skin cancer and stuff, then dont worry about it at all.

Sorry to hear about your father meddik, hope they get everything under control and he stays healthy. (Is skin cancer like other cancers, I mean can it go into remission? Im ignorant on the subject.)

[EZ_Vindicor]

The idiots who lay in the bed too long are the ones who look "fake." No more than 20 minutes, ever. Also, for people like me with horrible allergies, laying outside isn't really an option. And given that if you've got a decent bed, you're getting much less of the harmful UV rays than you would be outside, not to mention being able to regulate it with much more precision to avoid burning, yet still get a good, solid tan.

[EZ_Yrion]

recently discovered UV culprit possible cause for skin cancer

I just heard this story on the news last week. Seems that the UVA rays used in tanning salons etc are the type that primarily cause skin cancer. Tanning beds were thought of as safer than regular sunshine because they do not use UVB, UVB was until recently considered the main cause of skincancer.
bah I cant explain it well enough, all i'm trying to say is be carefull with tanning. once maybe twice a week for 5-10 minutes should keep you from looking translucent and all zombie like. same goes for sunshine ;p

[EZ_Vagabond]

Urrrrrr. Braiiiinnnsssss. Urrrrr.

No really, without the cave fish appearance, how will other geeks know that you're one of them and can be trusted, on sight?

Stupid Native American blood in me means that while I can keep a tan all summer after I get one, it takes like 10 hrs of exposer to get that first one. Ninen of Saryrn
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[EZ_Urusai]

My Native American blood makes me look tanned all the time. Only gotten sunburn twice as well. Once was when I was in Hawaii though.

[EZ_Jasminne]

they have skincare products called "bronzers" that are supposed to help make you look not-so-pale. it's liquid and you rub it on your skin.

i don't know where you'd find them though - at a salon-type place i'm guessing since i heard about them from hbo's queer eye for the straight guy.

[Trolo]

I remember a girl being carrot orange for 2 weeks after using a rub-on tan cream. Haha.