Aibu to use sunbeds instead of fake tan?

[Wantachangefor2024]

As a way of focusing on myself, I’m losing weight and making myself a better version of me. Due to getting so large I have bad stretchmarks. Am I unreasonable to use sunbeds as they actually blend the stretch marks more. I find fake tan doesn’t stain the skin the same and makes them stand out more! Really trying to make an effort. Get a colour. Lose weight. Dye my hair. I’m on a mission to regain my confidence through my appearance I’m thinking once I’ve lost the weight in a year to reward myself with veneers and a breast uplift with implants. So yes to fake boobs, tanned and blonde or no stay natural, brunette and pale

Actually, I used to work with someone who was prescribed UV treatments for psoriasis. How does that square up? I mean, I assume he wasn’t going to the sunbed shop but was still prescribed the treatment by his doctor.

It does age the skin, obviously. I smoke and had a perma-tan from the age of 25 to 50. My face is a hundred times more wrinkly than my sun-shunning sister's, who stopped smoking in her twenties.

I'm nearly 70. I don't give a shit about 'youthful' skin, what's the point?

No, Australia is leading the world in melanoma research. THAT’S the reason.

I don't sunbathe - used to use sunbeds as a naive idiot on my 20s.

I now wear a broad brimmed hat in summer, and my face and neck and chest have factor 50 on every single day - even in winter.

I use everyday tan in summer.

Luckily so far no skin cancer and good skin (47) but I still kick myself for being an idiot in my 20s.

I am very fair with freckles, blue eyes, pinky undertones skin that burns before any ( light ) tan . I'm simply not designed for the sun .

Does the increased risk of cancer make you feel a lot better though?

I've no idea why they are even permitted anymore, let alone,one why people would choose to use them.

I do use factor 30-50, stay in the shade, have a light cover up and try to be inside for when the sun is at its strongest.

Yes, I have tanned naturally even with sun screen. However, getting a tan is in no way my aim when on holiday. I am not in the sun purposefully to tan.

I still wouldn't purposefully lay under a sunbed, with its known risks, just to get a tan.

Please don’t use sunbeds. They aren’t safe for anyone. I had a melanoma because of sunbed use and have to go for check ups for the rest of my life. My use wasn’t heavy either, just top ups to look “healthy”

Don't do it.
I used sunbeds years ago to get a tan before my wedding. Now have a basal cell carcinoma (BCC) to deal with, who knows if the sunbed played a part but it certainly raises the risk.

In answer to the previous poster, I would never sunbathe on holiday or in the U.K. after having had melanoma. My cancer nurse told me sunbathing isn’t really safe for anyone. I always wear sunscreen on my face and arms in the summer and tend to cover up my shoulders. Very helpful for avoiding wrinkles too!

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!

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.

Actually I’m not trying to justify it I was looking for great fake tan recommendations that will give me the same level of confidence boost. No need to be nasty

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.

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 was not peeved, I am an adult and can be told if what I am doing is wrong and accept it. It was more of a probing question as I am genuinely interested in how safe other products we use are. But if I wasn’t clear initially I would love for people who struggle with stretch marks to recommend good fake tans to cover them. I have a condition called ehlers danlos which means I have a variety of health issues, but they call it the zebra disease as we don’t just have a few but covered from stretch marks. PE was torture for me at 13 being covered in them and a healthy weight and height and no other girls had them

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 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 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.

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.

@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

Mousse (darn spellchecker)

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

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?

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.

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.