Using Sunbeds to prevent sunburn

They are so dangerous. I cannot believe they are still legal in this country.

Why would you knowingly damage your skin?

Apart from higher risk of skin cancer, it prematurely ages your skin.

Nope. Crazy idea.

Using sun beds 2 or 3 times a week is not occasional use..I am a blue eyed blond, have had skin cancer removed twice and boy do they remove a big piece,an inch either side. Lady year one on my chest incredibly painful, and a long recovery period. Permanent scaring..I have found since I got older, I can tolerate a lot less heat and direct sun..I now use a fake tan,sit in the sun a while, then in the shade. The lovely young consultant at my last hospital died of melanoma leaving 2 young children.

Someone link that pale Irish sunburn lady thread from a couple weeks ago, she ended up in hospital.

I have fair skin. I try and stay that way. Sunburn is damaged skin. As is a tan really. I work in cancer care. The statistics for melanoma are shocking. More young people are being diagnosed with it.

They should be illegal.

I never burned once and am a fabulous colour.

Tanned skin is damaged skin. Don’t delude yourself that it is any less dangerous than burning.

Posting from 1983 - Yes, ace idea, OP!😃

You can still burn, I used subbed 2 years ago for the same reason, I was going to a hot country with really high uv, I prepared by going on sunbeds around 3 months before, I still burned from the sunbeds even after a few minutes, whilst I was away I still burned, I didn’t even develop a normal tan, for me I was tanned, compared to how normal people tan, I was not tanned. I don’t think it’s even worth it to be honest. What I did learn the year after was start with sun cream factor 50 then gradually decrease the factor after a few days and that helped the most.

If you enjoy the thought of skin cancer and cataracts in your 30s go for it.

If you have very pale skin then maybe you shouldn't be sat in full sun for very long. I would day not all factor 50's are created equal and you need to apply a lot more suncream than most people think. You should also apply it 30 mins before going out side. Have you tried the ultrasun factor 50....it is significantly better than most other suncream I've used (I am blonde and will burn without suncream).

I know sunbeds are bad for you and I have never used them before, however, I always burn and thought I would see if it made a difference.
I went 5 times to the sunbeds and have just returned from Alicante yesterday. I never burned once and am a fabulous colour. I will use them again but only for a very short time.

No but I used to do the same OP!
I don’t burn as much as you, I have fair skin but I think 1 x application of factor 50 would stop me burning for week. What I have found though is that if I have fake tan on I don’t burn. I know there are no SPFs in fake tan so Christ knows how it stops me burning but could you try a bit of fake tan under the factor 50 to see if it makes any difference?

Base fan is a compete myth

If you are getting burnt even with factor 50 on, I really don’t think a sunbed is a good idea (!).

I think you just have to accept you aren’t someone who can get a tan, and sit in the shade / wear long sleeves.

I think a lot of fair skinned people just eventually come to this conclusion, and I suppose as you age your skin probably is more sensitive as it does change.

The idea of a base tan is a myth. A tan means exposure to UV rays which have caused the skin to react to the damage. It's not going to stop you burning, I've seen that the protection it offers is about the same as SPF 4.
My auntie used sunbeds like it was her religion in the 1990s and early 2000s . She never burned but she's also have 5 melanomas removed as well.

The SPF protection of a base tan and the myth is stops you burning is here

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/problem-tanning-myth-base-tan-2017041211528

Surely you sunburn easily because you’ve damaged your skin using sunbeds? Why would you increase your cancer risk even further? Wear light airy clothes and listen to your body. Have you tried different brands of sun cream to see if some work better for you than others?

No way. Can not believe that anyone would even consider doing this with all the information that's available and the warning that are given. It's shocking that you'd have to think about it.