Sunbed users help please

[Twattyzombiebollocks]

probably not many sunbed users on here, but I thought I'd give it a try.
I hired a sunbed in desperation 2 weeks ago as the lousy weather and me being busy working has meant I am still pale. I have blonde hair but tan easily, can't remember the last time I burned, I only wear sun team on holiday.
2 weeks after hiring sunbed and me going on daily for 5 mins (recommended time is 5-7 mins for my skin type) and I don't look any more tanned.
I'm starting to wonder if the tubes need replacing on this sunbed as I've used sunbeds before and normally after a week of every other day at the salon I'm a nice golden colour.
How do I check if they need replacing?
I was told by someone last week that I should put a plaster on my bum cheek to check if I'm actually tanning or not as the change is gradual so often you can't see it yourself. I took the plaster off last night, you can faintly see a difference but only if you look.
Usually I have an obvious "white bikini" by day 2 of a holiday and I don't even sunbathe.
Really really fed up.

Or you could embrace your whiteness, avoid any wrinkles and limit your chances of skin cancer all in one fell swoop?

Your right you wont get many sunbed users on here. Send it back, and get some fake tan.

I know you are looking for other users but please don't carry on !! Keep telling my daughter who is obsessed with a tan but she won't listen ! Do you want leathery wrinkled skin in your 40 s ? I did a fair bit of sunbeds in the 90s and wish I hadnt !!' My skin might be a bit better than it is now !! A tan isn't worth the risk ! Il take my judgey hat off now x

Er, I am 40 and I don't have wrinkly leather skin :)
Probably because I don't use sunbeds very often (maybe 20 times total in my entire life)
I just don't like going on holiday looking deathly white.
I know the risks. I've read the Internet.

Sunbeds are so dangerous.
Go for a spray tan if you must, or just love your skin the way it is.

And spraying shit loads of unknown chemicals on your skin is fine?
All things in life carry a risk. I was just asking for advice about whether the tubes need changing, not on whether to use a sunbed at all.
Never mind, I'll go join a sunbed forum and ask there :)

It's not shit loads of chemicals in a spray tan. DHA is made from sugar.
If you have an at home sunbed it won't be anywhere near as powerful as ones in salons so will have less of an affect.

Spraying "shit loads" of chemicals on your skin is still far safer than risking skin cancer and wrinkles.

I used to work in a sunbed salon and I would've been sacked if I allowed a customer to use a sunbed more than once in 48 hours.

Its careless use that increases risks.
So use the bed every other day, your skin cells will need that break.
Using a cream is also extremely important, use a cream before and after, if your skin isnt moistured the cells will just break away.
Exfoliate regularly to get rid of dead skin that would break away.
And it might be a good idea to switch the bed on for a good 10/20 mins before you use it, to warm the bulbs up.
Hope that helps.

Although I do agree with the previous comments, fake tan is safer and will give you that pre holiday glow just the same.

And if you increase to 6 mins for a few sessions then go up to 7 mins you should be getting a tan

Maybe just me but I can't see why people want to look tanned. It suits very few if it is not their natural summer colouring. An open-air tan can look good on people who tan naturally, but on others it just looks false and orange and (sorry) tacky. Today I am visiting Glasgow and passed several salons with signs equating tanned with glamorous. And this in a city where a number of young Scottish/Irish heritage lassies have naturally translucent skin of great delicacy. .... Why the heck would they want to spoil that and risk their lives on sunbeds into the bargain??? A friend of mine who had naturally pretty and delicate colouring - light brown hair, light blue eyes, fine pink-and white skin - was encouraged to be out in the sun a lot as a child. As an adult, she died of melanoma.

I do tan naturally, I look great with a tan, not tacky or orange.
I don't like spray tans because I'm in the throes of hot sweats and tend to look like the Incredible Hulk rather than nicely golden. Also, fake tan tends to fade badly the second you get in the pool, and with a 2yo in tow, I'll be getting in the pool an awful lot.
Thank you Sharon, I'll try that, I have the tanning cream stuff and also use coconut oil in the shower to moisturise

After two weeks of 5 minutes every day you should certainly see a difference! Sounds like a lot, so I cannot imagine it is working correctly.

I tan very easily too, and use a sunbed once in a while before a holiday or for the vitamin D mood effects. I use the SunAngel at The Tanning Shop and I see a difference after just one session.

No judgement from me...my doctor knows I use them sporadically but I don't smoke, don't do drugs, drink minimally, exercise a lot, and get my moles and freckles checked regularly...so this is one health vice on a fairly short list.

Totally respect that most people hate sunbeds though. I don't tend to tell people I use them in RL so it could never be seen as something I am recommending.

I'm not rabidly anti-sunbed, but you really shouldn't use one every day. Government guidelines for safe use are a maximum of 20 sessions per year. So a couple of sessions a week building up to a holiday - not the end of the world, but week in week out to keep a permanent tan- you're building up a big risk. Fake it instead.

I'm not planning on doing daily sunbeds, after reading some of the replies above about frequency etc, ill be doing one every other day for the next 2 weeks until I go on holiday. And once I'm back I likely won't go on one until the next time I'm going on holiday and haven't had chance to get out in the sunshine so maybe another 2/3 years.

Florascotia I thought the high number of sunbed salons in Glasgow was due to money laundering? I have always thought I am more Pictish than Celt with dark hair, eyes and skin that tans very easily. I however don't use sunbeds as my mum ( same skin type) had a home one in the 80's and got a rodent ulcer. Luckily it's the easiest skin cancer to treat but she developed it early 30's. It was a real wake up call as then it really only developed in older people who worked outdoors all their lives. I imagine it's very common now in younger people.

Have to also mention my brother got sunbed treatment on NHS for his psoriasis. During his worst outbreak he would go into hospital for a lie under a sunbed. His doctor said it was just a bog standard sunbed so maybe infrequent use isn't so bad?

UV is a treatment for psoriasis, under strict supervision.

morphine is a painkiller, under strict supervision.

both are very dangerous when incorrectly used.

inability to judge the relative risk of excessive UV and 'chemicals' (FFS...) in fake tan from someone who presumably got 15 years of education is quite concerning.

anyway, go ahead, OP - there are two things that are dangerous when used according to the instructions and yet are fully legal in the UK. Cigarettes are the other one.

And alcohol specialsubject. So that makes three.

I wouldn't expect they need retubing, I would increase the time to 8 mins three times a week and warm up beforehand like a pp

daftyburd Really interesting point re crime. Don't live in Glasgow so don't know. But am of Scottish ancestry - really pale skin, bright green eyes, very dark brown hair now bright white - and know that the sun really, really does not suit me. I come out in a red rash. Nor does it suit many others of similar colouring - I only wish I could warn them. What worries me is that something (fake sunbed tan) inappropriate and potentially dangerous is being sold to people from disadvantaged backgrounds who have totally admirable ambitions to make the best of themselves - their youthful good looks - and their families.

As a child I had suspected TB and lots of sunlamp treatment (not now favoured now) - with pretty worrying consequences. But agree with earlier poster: specialised sunben treatment for psoriasis is entirely different and fine under medical guidance.

Glasgow is a really great place but, in places, a bit Wild West - full of both opportunities and dangers. But so unafraid! So friendly! So humane in the very best sense of the word. I really don't wish to sound patronising, but I always enjoy my visits there.