tanning bed--talk me through it!

 So I read Samarro's post about tanning beds and vit. D, and I think I need to try it. My D perpetually sux, plus I get very bad SAD at times, and as we are hurtling toward the shortest days of the year, I'm worried I'm going to fall into one of those black holes of mood. So, the tanning bed sounds like a great idea . . . except I've never been to one and I'm skeered!!

I realized that some of this phobia is the fat girl talking. I have no idea what to expect, cause lord knows I was never going to go to a tanning bed while fat, which basically means since my mid-20s. What happens? Where do you get nekkid? Do you sit or stand? Are there mirrors? Do you need to bring eye thingies with you? How much does it cost for 2x a week for 10 mins? Am I going to become vain and insufferable? Well, nix that I'm already insufferable.

Anyway, help a chicken-hearted, low D-level DSer out. 

I haven't tanned in a couple years, but basically there are several small rooms, each with a bed inside.  No mirror that I remember.  Everyone gets their own room, with a lock.  haha

Beds could be either standing-style or laying-style.  You undress in your own private room, by yourself.  You don't necessarily have to get naked if you don't want to.

You'll either need to bring the eye guard thing, but they'll likely have one you can buy.  They always give you a small hand towel as well, and many people just place it over their whole face to protect their eyes.

When you're done, you get dressed again, they wash the towel and sanitize the bed after you leave for the next person.

cost will vary.  often places have like a membership type thing, where you pay monthly and then just come as much as you want. Or I think you can also buy small packages of like 10 sessions or something.  Depends on the place.

I took the liberty of looking at a few journals, and I did see that it can improve vitamin D levels as long as the bed you use emits UVB rays and not UVA rays.  Apparently UVA rays are not very useful for stimulating vit D synthesis.

I love doing my tanning thing. I do 8 minutes once a week but I could do 6 minutes twice a week and be ok. I pay $49 once a month for unlimited tanning. There are little rooms with a tanning bed and you get undressed in there. They probably sell the eye thingies at the front and you just bring them with you when you come back. You want to specifically ask for the beds that let UVB light through. Some of the more modern beds filter a lot of it out. You WANT the UVB. Rule of thumb is 6-8 minutes once or twice a week for the most vite D benefit.

--gina
 
ETA: I also put the towel over my face rather than have the lights dry my skin there.

Okay, here's the mustard seed about tanning that I know from experience.  I bought my eye thingies, I think they were $1.99, from the tanner place.  You can get them with elastic, so you can use them while standing in the "hex" (the upright tanning booth).  My motto is "why stand when you can sit", so I use a tanning bed and just lay the eye thingie on my eyes.  Depending on which position you are in, you'll get lines where your skin folds.  If you stand, you'll get horizontal lines.  If you lay, you'll get different ones.  You can tan in your underwear or go commando.  Most women tan naked, the light can rot the elastic on your undies and bra.  Don't know (and don't wanna know) how the guys tan.  I don't know how they walk around with those things.......I digress.

I use a "bronzer" on my legs because they don't tan as dark as fast.  I really liked the results I got this past spring with some cheap stuff I bought.  You don't have to spend $70 on the brands at the tanner.  You can get cheap stuff at Walmart or Meijer that works just as well.  If not, use a lotion of some type to moisturize. 

Start out slow, with only 5-6 minutes a day for the first week.  I went every day until I was getting the results I wanted.  Then I went 2 times a week to maintain.  If you burn, don't go until 3 days later, or until the burn is gone.  It might hurt when you do go back.  Listen to your body and get out early if you need to.

I notice that my deodorant poops out early on the days I tan.  I started carrying an extra one in my tanning bag. 

Maybe someone will invent an appliance to hold our boobs together on top of our chests when we use a tanning bed.  Right now I alternate hands and squish mine together, or else I get tan lines that are funky.  But that leaves hand prints.  Oh well.  At least they're MY handprints. 

Oh, and lock the door.  And dry off the bed when you're done.  Enjoy!

OMG Sheanie, you crack me up.    I also tan commando, so the lights will hit me on more "virgin" skin - you're supposed to be able to absorb more D that way.    Once, I tanned with lace panties on, and I had an incredible lace patterned sunburn on my ass.   

Okay well first of all there are negatives associated with tanning and you should probably look into those before you decide to step into a tanning bed.

Now, assuming you are going to a tanning salon its really no big deal, fat or thin. Its completely private. There are beds that you lie down in and beds that you stand in. Ideally its best to alternate between the 2 types so you don't get streaks and tan evenly. I recommend you start with a bed that you lie down it, its far more relaxing. The tanning salon is probably going to have a few different packages but I suggest you try it once and see how you like it.

There are different strength beds and you probably want to start with the weakest one and depending on how well you normally tan and your skin tone you probably don't want to go over 10 minutes during your first session and possibly as few as 6 minutes to start.


Once you decide what bed you are going to use, you should probably use some tanning lotion. They help prevent your skin from drying out and you get a better tan. I buy tanning lotion from amazon.com the price is really good but your salon will probably have a single packet of something you can buy. You may be able to buy a packet of tanning lotion at CVS or somwhere else since tanning salon lotion prices are waaaaay overpriced! Just make sure the tanning lotion you select is suitable for indoor tanning.

Now that you have your lotion with you, you will go to a room, it will be completely private and you can lock the door. You get undressed, slather yourself with the tanning lotion and get in the bed. The salon will probably also provide goggles for you to use to protect your eyes. Lie down in the bed, it will be pretty roomy. It was roomy for me at 300+ pounds. There will usually be a button you push or a switch to turn it on.

You will feel bright lights all over you, sometimes they have music playing, you will also hear the fans blowing. Usually you have the option to turn the fans off or on and move them around you. You don't get really hot but it can get a bit warm and there is always an off swit*****ase you feel uncomfortable.

Its pretty relaxing and can be very addictive. Once done you just get out and put your clothes on. Some salons offer a body spray so you don't smell like a tanning bed. I can't describe it but indoor tanning leaves you with a weird smell.

Its totally private, no one sees you and its just an in and out thing. The whole process will take you less than 20 minutes.

Oh.  I forgot to say get your D levels checked more often if you tan.  Mine spiked very high within 6 months' time when I tanned.

On pricing.  If you're going to go every day at first to build your time up to 10-12 minutes, it makes sense to buy a month first.  From there on, you'll be maintaining and probably only going once or twice a week.  Depending on the per-visit price, you might save by paying the daily rate instead.  My place is $40 a month or $4 per visit.  So at first I get a whole month, then I pay by the visit after that month expires.  Price it out for yourself at different places near you.  You'll see the differences in cleanliness, newer beds, friendlier employees, better hours/days.  Check out a couple different places first before buying a membership.  You can just pay the daily rate while you shop.

I just have 1 tip. If you burn easily, like me, use some kind of lotion. I decided to go into a tanning bed a while back without lotion and ended up burning really bad. It could of been the bed, but I'm going to go with the no lotion thing. I was too cheap to spend money on their lotion. I wish I would of!!

 Just tell them that it is your first time and they'll be nice to you to walk you through options.  Just make sure that you get the protective eye stuff.  I didn't know about it and the kid who waited on me the first time didn't mention it.  The next time that I went in, I didn't know if I was supposed to get the same kind of bed or what when asked so I explained that I was still a newbie and that's when the next kid asked if I had eye protection.  I told her I didn't realize that I needed it.  Kind of felt foolish about it.  The eye things were about 3 bucks.  A friend of mine just puts a towel over her face because she's scared of wrinkling.  

I did the lay down kind because I figured I might have better tan lines laying down than standing because my arm flaps are pretty large.  Either way, if you have any hanging skin, you'll end up with some white areas probably.  

The lotion in the store probably cost a lot more than months worth of tanning so if you can find some sort of lotion made for the tanning booth elsewhere, get it.  

I can't remember what I paid for my membership but I think you should be able to find a deal.  I haven't been in months and only went a few times.  But I think I might go this weekend and get a little "sun".  

I love going to the tanning bed. All tanning beds are different so if they don't offer (which they should) when you go in for your first session ask them to show you how to work the bed. Again don't feel silly for asking this because although tanning beds are pretty similiar, they are going to be different at every place. Even me who likes to go tanning, if i started at a new one i'd ask the lady to show me how the bed works too.

So anyway usually the best way to go is to get a package. It's really going to vary on how much it costs. Sorry to be so generic, but it is. The place I go to offers a deal a few times a year buy a pakage and get the same for free. So if I buy the 12 session package I will actually get 24 sessions for the same cost. They also usually offer an unlimited tanning monthly deal -- which can usually be a really good deal. i liked to go 2 times a week and when I went in the normal beds this was the best deal. I now like to go less time in the more powerful beds - and the packages are the best way to go .. but again I try to be stregic about when I buy.

As far as the when and where --- I've been to three different places in my lifetime and the process has been the same for all of them. You sign in at the front, they ask you name, they ask how long you want to tan, then they give you a bed number to go to. Then you find your bed, take your clothes off, lotion up and turn the fan on (if the bed doesnt have a built in fan). Some tanning beds have the button outside the bed - in which case you pu**** and then jump in real quick and pull the lid down. Some have the button inside the bed - so you'd get in, pull the lid down and then hit the button.

Also don't worry about it being closed in. I'm kinda claustrophobic so I didn't tan for a long time thinking it would feel like a coffin. The head and foot of the bed are totally open and the lid has some light in between it as well - so not even a big deal for someone like me.