Indoor Tanning Tips

No matter how hard you try you just can’t get that great indoor tan in a tanning bed? I have the answer. First of all your indoor tanning lotion makes all the difference, there are a few different types of indoor tanning lotions. There are accelerators and there are bronzers. Most likely if you have tried a tingler you got a beet red color and could actually feel your skin burning. They have been shown to work very well though. Personally I can’t stand the feeling of my skin burning away from tinglers,although I still use that type of indoor tanning lotion(what does that say?). For light skinned people they will probably give your skin a reddish look, try testing it out on a small portion of skin.

In the shower on the morning you wish to go tanning, specifically indoor tanning, you must use an exfoliant. Exfoliation is extremely important to the overall effectiveness of tanning in a tanning bed. By exfoliating the skin we are able to wash away dry, dead skin cells that accumulate on the surface. Shaving is also an excellent way to “exfoliate” because the razor gets rid of excess dry skin cells as well. Exfoliation is important because it rids dry skin, which can interfere with the tanning process, and also prevents flaking of the skin.

If you have an exercise routine it is a good idea to work out before going tanning. Something with the blood flow and increased circulation, it helps your skin with producing the melanin.

After your shower and exfoliation it is important to moisturize. At this stage, most any moisturizer will work. Moisturizers are most effective on moist, still wet skin, which is why you should immediately apply lotion after stepping out of the shower. This way, it will absorb better into the skin and your skin will retain moisture for longer. This is an important step before tanning because moist skin gets the most effective tanning results. I would like to recommend something with dead sea salts in it, that is my preference.

When you first start tanning you have to start out with a mild tanning lotion such as a bronzer, I like Black Night, Cafe Bronzer and Paint it Black but there are many more out there. Check out my others articles about choosing different types of tanning lotion.

After you develop a base tan you can start my special technique of using a good bronzer of your choice and just applying a little bit of a tingle lotion on your arms and legs and other trouble spots that don’t get as tan as the rest of your body.

Finally the last step is to use, not a sunless tanner but more specifically Jergens Natural Glow. It works wonders in trouble areas that don’t tan as well, such as under the neck and shoulders and under your arms and arm pits. It also tops off your perfect tan with a beautiful brown glow but don’t worry it isn’t even that noticeable just as long as you don’t go overboard with it.

Good Luck with everything and please feel free to leave me a comment about your experiences or about my blog.

Add to Technorati Favorites Lifestyle Blogs - Blog Rankings Blog Directory & Search engine

Tanning Bed Rash

There are risks that are associated with indoor tanning beds, one being a tanning bed rash. There are certain symptoms of a tanning bed rash that you may notice and this may include small, red pimples and blisters that appear on the skin, typically a few days after using the tanning bed.

You can develop a tanning bed rash which is similar to heat rash when you are in a tanning bed because your body gets very warm and irritated. A tanning bed rash can develop when using a tanning bed because of the intense heat generated from the strong tanning bed bulbs, often times within a small tanning room.

Treatment:

The most important thing to do is avoid getting a tanning bed rash to begin with, but since this is not always possible, you will want to be aware of the options that you have in terms of treatment for the tanning bed rash.

There are medicated creams on the market that you can use, and which will help to moisturize the skin and relieve the irritation of the tanning bed rash. If the rash is particularly bad, your doctor may suggest that you use prescription medication for a certain amount of time or that you go to a dermatologist for more severe treatment.

Keep in mind that your tanning bed rash actually may be caused from you taking a medication, so you will want to speak to your doctor and as well to the tanning salon owner to make sure that your medication is not going to cause any problems. Reactions that may occur include blistering or a painful skin rash and so if this does happen you should stop using tanning beds immediately until you have spoken to a doctor or at least until you are done taking your medicine. If it is a medicine that you are permanently taking you will have to find another option.but it is important that you do not continue to go tanning because you will only be making the tanning bed rash worse and this can end up causing you serious problems. Make sure that if you are going to go tanning you take all the necessary precautions and be aware of the dangers and risks associated with it.

Add to Technorati Favorites Lifestyle Blogs - Blog Rankings Blog Directory & Search engine

Certain Medication And Tanning

An important factor to be aware of if you are planning on tanning in a tanning bed or outdoors is that some types of medications increase photosensitivity in our body. This means that our skin develops a tendency to show increased sensitivity when exposed to sun or tanning beds. Some types of medicines can cause a serious sun burn.

Drug-induced photosensitivity manifests itself mostly in the form of prominently visible sunburn. Important point is that not always are we aware that our body has developed this photosensitivity until later when it’s too late and we’re sun burnt.

The main reason for this condition is the intentional or unintentional application or consumption of skin-affecting products and medication. The visible signs of such a reaction emerge when the skin comes in contact with ultraviolet radiation in the form of an indoor tanning bed. The severity of sunburns is another sign of our skin becoming photosensitive. At this stage, people develop rashes in areas that were exposed to the sun.

Care should be taken if you plan to go in an indoor tanning bed. In that case you should definetly tell the tanning salon administrator about your skin’s photosensitivity. A suitable solution would then be found out for you.

If you are those who like the color of your skin tanned but find yourself at a stage where you need to take medication or topical products, then it is better to consult your physician about the photosensitive reaction of these medications and indoor tanning beds. He/she is the best person to tell you more about both prescription and non-prescription drugs, cosmetics, shampoos, herbal and other similar products. Sometimes your prescription can be changed or altered. Unfortunately in some cases you might have to stop or limit your indoor tanning.

Drug-induced photosensitivity can occur in anyone. However, some have a higher risk, those are people who have a fair complexion, have light brown, red, or blonde hair, have green or blue eyes, and who do not tan because of quick sunburns. If one has a history of severe sunburn(s), then too the risk of developing photosensitivity is increased.

The medications that you need to watch out for, include drug types like antihistamines, contraceptives (oral & estrogens), coal tar and derivatives, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, psoralens, phenothiazines, sulfonylureas, sulfonamides, thiazide diuretics, tetracyclines, and tricyclic antidepressants.

Don’t get alarmed if your taking a medication that I just mentioned. Just talk to your docter or pharmacist about it. Remember everyones body is different and reacts to things differently. If you are using an indoor tanning bed and are on a medication use precaution. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Add to Technorati Favorites Lifestyle Blogs - Blog Rankings Blog Directory & Search engine

How Does Your Skin Tan?

Whether you tan outdoors under the sun or tan indoors in a professional tanning salon, the tanning process is the same. This natural process takes place when your skin is exposed to ultraviolet light. Here is an overview.

Light is composed of energy waves that travel from the sun to the Earth. Light can be broken into three general categories: infrared, visible and invisible. Ultraviolet light is in the invisible light spectrum.

There are three kinds of ultraviolet light: UVA, UVB and UVC. Two of those categories, UVA and UVB, are used in indoor tanning equipment.

Indoor tanning equipment is designed to replicate UVA and UVB produced by the sun, but tanning lamps emit the light in carefully controlled and government-regulated combination’s. As a result, the user has control over their exposure. That’s why people face greater risk of overexposure tanning outdoors than they do by using indoor tanning equipment.

Tanning itself takes place in the skin’s outermost layer, the epidermis. There are three major types of skin cells in your epidermis: basal cells, keratinocytes and melanocytes. All play different roles in the tanning process.

Everyone has roughly the same number of melanocytes in their bodies—about 5 million. Your heredity determines how much pigment your melanocytes can produce. Melanocytes release extra melanosomes whenever ultraviolet light waves touch them. This produces a tan in your skin.

The tanning process is your skin’s natural way of protecting itself from sunburn and overexposure. Calling a tan “damage to the skin” isn’t telling the whole story. Your skin is designed to tan to protect itself.

Add to Technorati Favorites Lifestyle Blogs - Blog Rankings Blog Directory & Search engine

Use Eye Protection While Tanning

One of the biggest mistakes that people make, myself included, is not protecting their eyes when tanning in a tanning bed, or even outside for that matter. I have to admit, that I am guilty of this myself. When I was younger, I didn’t like the way I got white circles around my eyes from wearing tanning goggles in the tanning beds, so I just thought closing my eyes was good enough. Then other times I would wear them for half the time of my session and keep them off for the other half of my session.

Now that I am older and a little wiser, I always wear eye protection in the tanning bed. They even have super skinny tanning goggles, to cover the least amount of your eye, while still protecting your eyes from the harmful UV light. Also, some tanning salons offer stickers, I believe these are called “Wink-ease”, that are specially made for your eyes. They kind of fold into a cone type shape and stick to your eyes, they work absolutely wonderful for showing no signs of white,”raccoon eyes”, they are sometimes called. If all fails and you still feel like you have white circles around your eyes, use some sort of bronzer or make up, even a face moisturizer with a touch of sunless tanner in it.

Over exposure to UV light can cause great damage to your eyes if not protected,and believe it or not, just closing your eyes is not enough.

Here are eight facts about using eye protection in a tanning bed, that you must read.

1. Your eyes can get sun burnt! Tanning with no eye protection can cause red, itchy or watery eyes. These symptoms are all indications of short-term eye damage.
2. You can damage your eyes in just one tanning session! Even just one tanning session, without protecting your eyes, can be enough exposure to cause you short-term eye damage.
3. Two common forms of sunburned eyes
- Photokeratitis (a temporary corneal burn which causes tearing, pain
and blurring for several days).
- Basal Cell Carcinoma (delicate eye tissue becomes damaged causing swelling and redness in and around the eye)
4. Closing your eyes is not protecting them! Your eyelids naturally block less than 25% of harmful UV rays from your eyes, and this will not protect you well enough.
5. You may also be at risk from eye disease. Sharing eye protection is one of the main ways that eye infections such as conjunctivitis are spread. Eye protection that isn’t disposable is less hygienic and runs the risk of becoming contaminated.
6. Repeated exposure to UV light without eye protection can also cause long-term and even permanent eye problems.
7. Some damage caused to your eyes is irreversible! Long-term damage caused to your eyes include Diminished Color Perception (your sight will be dulled) and Reduced Night Vision. There is no cure for these.
8. Long-term exposure to UV light without eye protection seriously increases your probability of developing a cataract. This causes severe pain and even blindness. Surgery is the only cure for cataracts.

Wearing eye protection when you tan is one of the most important indoor tanning tips that there are. I hope this article convinces some of you to cover up those eyes. I know that when we’re young we don’t feel like we need to worry about things like this, but believe me, in a few short years you’ll be wishing you had done a few things differently, don’t make “wearing eye protection while tanning” one of them.

Add to Technorati Favorites Lifestyle Blogs - Blog Rankings Blog Directory & Search engine