Tanning before going?

[Allikat]

Okay... I'm not the tanning bed type or the laying in the backyard tanning type. I'm pretty fair skinned, and I was wondering about sunscreen, or if anyone suggests tanning before you go on vacation. When my husband and I went on our honeymoon (Negril), I don't remember getting burned (though I plan to spend more time naked on this trip), but I wore sunscreen all the time.

And then there is that spray tanning I've heard of. I don't want to waste $$$ on tanning (that $$$ could go to other *fun* items for the trip), but I don't want to get burned or blind anyone. LOL!

Thanks for any advice!

~a~

[Chris]

Tanning is not just for looks.

Tanning tells your skin to create melanin which protects it from radiation/burning. It is a protective process.

Fake spray on tan does none of that, will not prevent burning or other skin damage.

I remember hearing once how the guy who invented viagra was actually working on a way to artificially tell the body to create melanin, so you could take a pill and get a real tan. Not only for aesthetics but for protective reasons. But he ended up with viagra instead, a happy accident.

Anyways, I would recommend tanning before hand. Also, be sure to bring adequate head protection. Your scalp can easily burn where your hair parts after just a few hours in the Jamaican sun.

[treecpl40]

Absolutely tan before you go but don't expect that it will be the cure all. We have been to hedo 9 times and I always burn my forehead and top of my head every time. It does not seem to matter how dark I get from the tanning bed before hand, the sun is just so different there. Not only that but usually my whole body is peeling by the time we leave.

[AJP]

I will be visiting the local tanning facility regularly.
GOOD advice get a TAN or sunblock spf 53.

[PlayTime]

Although neither of us is that fair skinned... we always tan a few times before going to the Caribbean. It does, as suggested above, give your skin the heads up that it needs to protect itself from the sun. You can still burn and should always wear sunscreen, but we find that we rarely burn if we go prepared.

The second benefit, although it sounds too funny to be true... if you have a tan, the pushy vendors seem to think you have been down there for a few days and are onto their "games" for a lack of a better word. I've always found it way easier to barter to a more fair price looking like you're at the end of your vacation. We always get a chuckle at the "different tactics" used to try and sell something for as much as they can to the "fresh off the plane" looking tourists. Believe it our not, it was a street vendor in Cancun that opened our eyes up to this, lol.

[Desert Dwellers]

Though I'm not militant about it, I try to protect myself from getting a tan. I love the sun and being outdoors but I don't intentionally tan, and studies indicate this is actually damage, not protection. I've seen far too many veteran "30 something" skiers who have skin like an old baseball glove - no thanks! Anyway, I arrived last year white as a ghost, and after 7 days on the nude side, left the same way thanks to SPF 50 sunscreen. That said, I'm going to try for "a little" color this time just so I have something to show for a week of Hedonism.

[AJP]

DD, I read your reply and you are right about your skin and any kind of tanning but I am over 45 and my skin is already like leather so what is a little more TAN. LOL

[PlayTime]

Those studies can make you go blind DD!!! LOL Joking

Like anything, if you practice moderation the sun does have many benefits such as helping your body to produce Vitamin D naturally (artifically produced stuff still can't compare). There are also a number of recent studies indicating that Vitamin D actually improves your life and may even help your body to combat cancer. Is that ironic or what!

But again, like everything else (besides sex)... you have to practice moderation! LOL

[Sunset Bill]

Okay... I'm not the tanning bed type or the laying in the backyard tanning type. I'm pretty fair skinned, and I was wondering about sunscreen, or if anyone suggests tanning before you go on vacation. When my husband and I went on our honeymoon (Negril), I don't remember getting burned (though I plan to spend more time naked on this trip), but I wore sunscreen all the time.

And then there is that spray tanning I've heard of. I don't want to waste $$$ on tanning (that $$$ could go to other *fun* items for the trip), but I don't want to get burned or blind anyone. LOL!

Thanks for any advice!

~a~

Like you, I am really too impatient to lay on a tanning bed. I also have fair skin and blue eyes, and the "part" in my hair style is several inches across. I've found a salon that has a "stand-up" tanning booth with a maximum allowed exposure time of only 8 minutes per session. I hit this every other day for a month and never suffer a burn while at Hedo (this will be trip #16?). Start slow and only do 4 minutes for a couple of days, then 6 and then 8.

Bill of....................

[kandh]

Okay... I'm not the tanning bed type or the laying in the backyard tanning type. I'm pretty fair skinned, and I was wondering about sunscreen, or if anyone suggests tanning before you go on vacation. When my husband and I went on our honeymoon (Negril), I don't remember getting burned (though I plan to spend more time naked on this trip), but I wore sunscreen all the time.

And then there is that spray tanning I've heard of. I don't want to waste $$$ on tanning (that $$$ could go to other *fun* items for the trip), but I don't want to get burned or blind anyone. LOL!

Thanks for any advice!

~a~

A good suntan lotion is a must - and if you take us with you, we'll be sure to apply it liberally, as many times / day as you need. And we won't miss any spots either!

[Allikat]

Thanks for all the responses!

I'm still on the fence on the tanning thing. I'm going to research it a little more. I don't want to be orange (though that's my fav color) or have leather skin. I don't think a few rounds of the tanning bed will make me leathery, right?

A girl I work with used the tanning lotion and was VERY orange for quite a while. I definitely won't go that route! YIKES!

[DeDe]

Thanks for all the responses!

I'm still on the fence on the tanning thing. I'm going to research it a little more. I don't want to be orange (though that's my fav color) or have leather skin. I don't think a few rounds of the tanning bed will make me leathery, right?

A girl I work with used the tanning lotion and was VERY orange for quite a while. I definitely won't go that route! YIKES!

We are also from Texas. We always tan before we go anywhere tropical. But we still use plenty of sunscreen when we get there. I'm guessing since your favorite color is orange, you are from Austin? Too bad, we bleed a very dark marroon at our house. It's a good thing that HEDO really doesn't give a sh** what color we like as long as we are wearing a smile! 3/28 - 4/7
ARE WE THERE YET???

[Desert Dwellers]

Certainly an occasional tan is not going to hurt you much, but the fact is, it is not required (in my experience anyway). Sunscreen IS required however! So to answer your question, tanning works for some, but sunscreen works for everybody. If you decide to try tan, still bring sunscreen.

Like I said earlier, for a week I only wore sunscreen, a military style "jungle hat" ('cause I'm essentially bald) - and a smile. I remained lilly white.

[basstrackermd]

Where do I start? Now days what doesn't hurt you? I am at the point that what ever makes me happy is the right thing as long as its done in moderation. A little tanning DOES help your skin. Like Playtime said, Vit, D is the biggest benefit among others. Now, to much tanning is harmful and will kill your skin. Sunburn is more harmful to your skin than an occasionally tan not to mention will totally ruin a vacation. Spray tan- now that's a joke. Your body gets nothing at all from having your body spray painted. For all of us that love to tan and think that you dont have to wear suntan lotion, thats a good way to loose the color that you have worked so hard to get. I always tan before I go to the island and still wear a lotion of like spf 15. Tip for all, one way to help prevent leather skin is to use an after sun lotion. Use this after you go tanning or out in the sun. Getting "tan" dries out the skin which leads to leather. After sun lotion helps to replace what is lost in the process.
Tanning beds, always use a indoor lotion. California Tan and JA I recommend.
Lotions 1. Bronzer's will turn you skin different colors but will wash off in the shower. 2. Tingle factor or Tfactor, not for the wus or inexperienced. They do get hot, really hot depends of what you get. My favorit is the JA Platinum Zero. When using these your skin will turn red, splotchy and have aburning feel but goes away with a little time. 3. There are three different stages of lotions use accordingly. First is bast tan, second tan booster's and third is the tan extenders(after sun lotion's).
Buld's, they give off different ray's which you will get different results from. Most beds give off uva and uvb. Beds with more uva you will get more of a red color. Beds with more uvb rays you will get more of a browner color.
Well I feel like I am rambling and loosing my train of thought. I will leave with that and feel free to ask more question's if needed.
Tan before you go, wear suntan lotion and have a good time

[TXGrrl]

I am very fair skinned - and due to some very bad, blistering sunburns when I young...suffer from bouts of skin cancer. Luckily it is the basal cell kind, not the melanomin type. Mine is not fatal, just disfiguring. I have had it 3 times on my face, and 1 time on my back - all had to be surgically removed. Thankfully, I have a great plastic surgeon and my face looks fine. SO - I was really worried about my first trip to Hedo where I really wanted to be naked! I ended up getting an air-brush tan the day before we left, which actually looked really good. I also wore SPF 60 everyday. (no problem getting help putting it on!) BUT - after 3 days in the pool and 3 nights in the hot tub, my spray on tan was gone.
Since any kind of real tanning is not an option for me - this time I am going to try some different kinds of tanning lotions. I've got over 2 months to experiment. If I find something I like, then I will use that both before and during my trip - hopefully it won't fade this time. If they all turn out to be crap...just call me whitey!