Fake tan or sunbed.

Sep 7, 2014

Emm J.

I want to be brown and I'm seriously thinking about sunbeds but I've heard bad things about sunbeds that they cause cancer?
I'm not bothered about using fake tan but I just want my tan too look Matt and quite sun kissed whenever I use it it seems to go quite transparent and orangy.
What do you girls recommend?
Any fake tans you'd recommend?

Sep 7, 2014

Becky J.

I don't use fake tan personally but I've heard great things about xen tan, and James Read.

And fake tan is the best, sunbeds can increase the risk of skin cancer quite dramatically due to the strength of the you've light used.

Sep 7, 2014

Emm J.

Thank you babe x

Sep 7, 2014

Becky J.

UV light rather :P

It's also worth noting that a lot of exposure to UV light also contributes to premature ageing, if you wanted another reason to choose fake tan over sunbeds :P

Sep 7, 2014

Kendall O.

I've always tanned in a bed. It looks so much more natural.

Sep 7, 2014

Ivette H.

Jergens natural glow is great. It's a gradual self tanner. I have never had issues with it leaving me streaks or orange.

Sep 7, 2014

Kendall O.

I have psoriasis though, and tanning beds help it a lot.

Sep 7, 2014

Emm J.

Thank you girls x

Sep 7, 2014

Emily W.

Take it from someone who has had skin cancer multiple times: don't expose yourself to UV tanning.

Skin cancer doesn't sound dangerous. "Oh, they just cut it off, you have a little scar, big deal!" This couldn't be further from the truth.

When I had my first skin cancer, a basal cell carcinoma, they had to biopsy it. That involved injecting an anaesthetic then lancing the skin with a scalpel and cutting part of it off. When those results came back, I had to have more skin removed: more shots, then a thing that looks like a cookie-cutter from Hell removed a circle of flesh. Stitches pulled me together, and I was scheduled for a full body MRI.

Over three hours lying perfectly still on a cold slab inside a dark, narrow tube. Deafening noises surrounding you for the entire time. An injection part way through of contrast dye (that I ended up being allergic to). A splitting migraine when you're done.

Thankfully those results came back clear. But I wasn't out of the woods. I went back every month for six months to have a repeated scan. When those were all clean, I was downgraded to every three months.

About a year later, I got unlucky. Squamous cell carcinoma this time. Repeat everything I just said.

Later that year, another basal cell carcinoma. Entire process starts over. Do you know the anxiety of wondering if the tests are going to come back with metastasized cancer? It pervades your life. Every phone ring is gut wrenching until you finally know one way or the other.

I was lucky that time. Last year, I wasn't lucky. Another dermatologist visit, due to a suspicious mole. I had finally met my biggest enemy: melanoma. Basal and squamous cell carcinomas are no joke, but they are slow to spread. Melanoma, on the other hand, spreads quickly from the skin to other organs. I dreaded the scans.

I got EXTREMELY lucky that we caught it before it could metastasize. I am thankful every day for that. All of this ordeal was caused by sun damage. Regular sun exposure. I never tanned. I played outside as a child (who didn't?). I wear sunscreen, but it doesn't do anything about damage that has already been done.

Exposure to UV radiation changes the cells of your skin. It causes the cellular DNA to break down, and it weakens the cellular structure. This causes browning and hardening of the skin (the process of turning hides into leather is called tanning for this reason), wrinkles to form, and irregular cell replication: leading to cancer.

Lying in a tanning bed is like walking into a nuclear reactor. You are bombarding every inch of your exposed body with concentrated radiation. Why would you do this to yourself? For vanity? You would risk a long, stressful process (which I experienced four times now) or a possible death sentence (if you don't catch it early enough)?

Artificial tanners are safe, reliable, and inexpensive. Save your skin. Trust me, you don't want to go through skin cancer, especially not as a result of a decision you knowingly made.

Sep 7, 2014

Rissa G.

I'd go the safer way and fake tan. Tanning isn't worth intentionally exposing my skin to cancer

Sep 7, 2014

Brianna M.

I agree with emily. I use xen tan and it works amazingly I use the dark tan lotion they sell it at ulta.

Sep 7, 2014

Brianna M.

Oh and xen has an olive undertone so you never get orange and it is a very very great product I highly recommend it

Sep 7, 2014

Cass F.

Your body will love you more 5-10yrs down the track if you don't go the you've way.
Also, I want to add your profile says your fair skinned, that to me flags you as a high risk candidate for tanning beds.
Just imagine, you find a brown mole somewhere on your body, you get it checked out and next thing you know you have had a chuck of you meat removed and now you're carrying stitches in its place.
Look after yourself, do the fake tan x

Sep 7, 2014

Cass F.

You've =you've dark predicitive text.

Sep 7, 2014

Georgia O.

Eco tan fake tanners are organic,non-toxic and give you a healthy brown tan over night or in just 8 hours. Look it up. It's really interesting and I'm looking forward to ordering one!!😊

Sep 8, 2014

Hannah D.

Spray tans work well but don't last very long and are pretty expensive. I personally love "st tropez" and "st moriz" tanning foam (Tropez is my favorite). I use medium and dark. They look brown and have a greenish undertone which makes them not look orange! I think tanning beds are super scary and horrible for your skin but I understand the dilemma for a good tan:p haha but I just don't think it's worth it!

Sep 8, 2014

Jenna M.

Tanning beds will age you. It's like putting a firm grape in a dehydrator you will get wrinkles and become a raisin.

Sep 8, 2014

Allison S.

Sunbed. Fake tan made my friend look like a walking carrot😂