Aibu to use sunbeds instead of fake tan?

Thanks for your nice reply, @ForGreyKoala. I guess I just don't see wrinkled skin as "worse", not once you're past the mid-fifties or so. People definitely think my sister's younger than she is - and it matters to her - but I don't see the point! Neither of us is short on life experience, and I'm happy for mine to show on my face.

Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

There is nothing wrong with wrinkling as you age - but why on earth would anyone want to make it worse than it need be?

I'm almost 65 myself, and yes, of course I have wrinkles. However, I have used moisturiser with sunscreen for years (I'm not in the UK, we are at more risk of burning here) and people always think I am younger. I had a boss once who was a regular tanner - her face was like leather. If you are happy with that good for you, but I imagine most people wouldn't be, and her face wouldn't have been like that had she not been such a sun worshipper.

Don't do it.

Sunbeds only have a limited place in the medical industry for treating skin conditions that improve with uv exposure, like psoriasis. They should not be available to the general public because the general public do not, or will not, regulate their exposure.
My mother had psoriasis over 80 percent of her body, she was hospitalised many times, swathed in bandages from head to foot, every area of skin a raw bleeding mess. The uv treatment helped enormously but even then, two decades ago, it was being used with caution and highly regulated.
Now we can treat with biologic injections etc which are phenomenally successful and have been for my mother who is practically cured.
I have just had a cancer screen for a suspicious mole on my back, thankfully benign.
Just to let people on here know, that Boots do a mole check in some shops. The pharmacist photographs the lesions with a special camera called a dermatoscope and they are sent to a dermatologist, who then sends you a report. £40 BARGAIN, I got the report in 2 days from a consultant dermatologist. I would have paid the same guy £200 to have a private consultation for the same thing. I highly recommend it, probably even better than a GP as they often misdiagnose . Reading the reviews on the ScreenCancer mole check service in Boots, it's awful how many people have been told by their doctor that it's nothing to worry about when actually they are then diagnosed with malignant melanoma.
Anyway, don't use sunbeds, or accept the risk that you are massively increasing your risk of skin cancer, and definitely ageing your skin.

Also, aside from the health risks, sunbeds make you look SO OLD. Save your skin (and the Botox) use SPF, fake tan and avoid the sun

I'm allergic to fake tan so when I want a tan I use body bronzer - it's a rub-on tan but it's basically makeup. Stains the skin, lasts a couple of days and covers stretch marks COMPLETELY

Could you fake tan and then touch up the stretch marks with a rub on tan? It'd give you even more coverage/smoothing of the skin than a real tan

As others have said it’s your choice but I wouldn’t do it, I was friends with a girl years ago who is younger than me and used sun beds all the time, her face is all wrinkled and she looks much older than me now not to
mention storing up the risk of skin cancer.

I wear SPF 50 if I sit out in the sun, I only sit out after the intense afternoon sun has passed and usually mostly in the shade.

as another poster said I am also too vain in that I don’t want to age prematurely and wear spf on my face every day. I find the in shower fake tan to be brill think st tropez do one

@PinotPony I was tempted to put my ulcerated metastases on here but I’d get banned

There is the possibility that any sun damage could lead to cancer at some point. Protecting yourself from sun damage is the primary point of sun protection,but it has the side effect of minimising wrinkling as well.

Phototherapy is UV-B or UV-A with a chemical and there are strict limits on how much it can be used.

https://www.psoriasis-association.org.uk/news/uv-light-therapy-tanning-beds-psoriasis#:~:text=Hospital%2Dbased%20UV%20treatment%20uses,of%20a%20chemical%20called%20psoralen.

It's also far less commonly used now because of the risk of cancer.

DP had it as a kid. He hasn't deliberately exposed his skin to the sun since and still watches every bump or mole like a hawk.

He says he'd rather be pale and occasionally scaly than look like he's been in a fight with a shark.

I wasn't offered it at all, as they said the risk was far too great due to my colouring.

I completely stay out the sun. Like you, I'm pale and in my twenties I sunbathed and used sun beds to get a bit of colour and feel good about myself.

Last year I had a big chunk of my arm cut out to remove a melanoma. I'm very self-conscious about my scar.

If you want to increase your risk of skin cancer go right ahead. You might as well take up smoking too.

OK, but why not? I don't really see what's so bad about wrinkling as you age. I posted upthread about my sister who, unlike me, has never had a suntan. Her skin's infinitely softer and smoother than mine and she does look younger. I just don't get why it matters, though. If you're 65, you're 65. What's the advantage to being 65 with smoother skin?

No, As someone who used them in my 20's who now in my early 40's ( and in better shape now) i am more limited now on what clothes i can wear due to multiple scars on my back and stomach from having to have moles dug out. I have been lucky so far, but have had one recently turn horrid and crusty so am waiting to have that investigated.

It really is not worth it

Mousse (darn spellchecker)

@WaWantachangefor2024 Try this if you haven't already. This works for me. The link is to the tan moose and the other to the glove

St.Tropez Self Tan Classic Bronzer Mousse Foam, Original Fake Tan, Streak-Free Finish, Develops in 4-8 hours, Vegan, Natural & Cruelty Free, 240 ml amzn.eu/d/7XpZF9U

St.Tropez Double Sided Luxe Tanning Mitt, Tanning Applicator Mitt for Streak-Free Finish, Reusable & Washable, Use With Any St.Tropez Product amzn.eu/d/6ESy0VQ

I can understand it’s easy to stick your head in the sand about skin cancer. But I cant understand not caring about skin aging. I do as much as I can to avoid the sun as I don’t want to be wrinkly or leathery.

I have a condition called ehlers danlos

Oh ... that's a nope to UV-induced tanning, then 😢 You have extremely weak collagen. The sun (real or electric) damages the skin's collagen infrastructure, which is why it causes wrinkles. You really can't afford to damage your collagen. As you know, it already struggles to hold your skin in place; the effects of weakening it still further would likely be horrible and probably dangerous.

Your stretch marks won't be a consideration when you have a scar from melanoma removal. Don't do it it's not worth it.

I enjoy holidays in the sun but never actually sunbathe. I overheat and get bored really quickly. I did do a few beach holidays with a friend in my 20s but the only time I ever actually got a slight tan was when I used a tan accelerator and lay on a sun bed for two weeks. I was bored stiff most of the time. These days have factor 50 all over, wear my Aussie bush hat in the sun and sit in the shade as much as possible. I have very good skin for my age!

Your OP didn't ask about fake tan recommendations. You asked if you are unreasonable to use sun beds as you prefer the (current) results you get. That's what everyone has responded to. Then you got peeved about people telling you not to risk your health and indeed life by using the things.

I had my first spray tan recently and I was quite impressed with it. I struggle to fake tan at home - my legs stay white, and it’s such a faff. Why don’t you try it OP and see if it works for you? Make sure you go somewhere good, do all the prep, and follow instructions afterwards!

I used sunbeds at uni for a bit and really regret it now as I have sun damage to face and arms.

First focus on getting healthy and into the shape you want to be.

You might find that being pale and brunette isn't the problem here. Btw it's a beautiful combination - I wish I was porcelain and brunette. (I'm ruddy and blonde)

Skin cancer isn't worth it.

Hydrate your skin - invest in skincare and your face will glow. Also blonde will dry out your hair - you will just look dry and rugged with the whole blonde and tan look.

Embrace your natural self.

Get yourself some St Tropez daily self tanner - you’ll get some colour and the daily moisturizing and rubbing will improve skin tone. I voted yanbu as I don’t think you are BU to want to have a bit of a makeover but don’t use a sunbed or you’re going to need to add Botox to the list of treatments (not to mention risk of skin cancer).

Basically, yes to things that make you feel good - teeth, tits, tan (but make the tan fake!) and well done on the weight loss!