Tanning Question

[JasonR]

Ok...so I have sort of a farmer's tan going on...and my head / neck could be tanner (I usually wear hats outside). I'm going in for minor surgery on my scalp next week, and I want to get some sort of tan before I do. Reason being is I have to take REALLY good care of the scars (2 small scars) for them to heal properly and for them to not be noticeable. Obviously I can't be out in the sun after that.

So should I hit a tanning booth for a week and a half? I don't want to damage my skin...and i've tanned before. But some people say it won't hurt and some say it will.

I think my only other options are Jurgen's Natural Glow...and I don't know how well that works. I'm not super white, and I get pretty dark when I've been out in the sun. I'd like to avoid all that skin cancer stuff, and I don't like crazy sun dots on my head. LOL. Suggestions?

And if I go the Jurgen's route how in the HELL do I get in on my back?

[marty22]

glad to see youre back

[JasonR]

How goes it Marty?

[marty22]

all quiet; golf game sux, Yanks are winning, etc. Sorry bout u and the gf.

[JasonR]

Plenty of fish in the sea..and I'm young. It's probably a good thing. 

[JasonR]

Anyone? Tired of being white...but don't want to damage my skin / get skin cancer.

[baldguynextdoor]

Hey Jason,

I know the farmer's tan is a pain, but I can tell you for sure that tanning beds will damage your skin and increase your chance of getting skin cancer.  Buckle up, 'cause I'm probably gonna overshare here. 

I stayed out of the sun as a kid, and have no family history of skin cancer, but I did use tanning beds sometimes while I was in college and for a few years afterwards.  At this point, I've lost track of how many times I've had basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers, but it's somewhere between 15 and 20 (and that's just in the 10 years between my 30th and 40th birthdays).  According to my dermatologist, the tanning beds are probably the culprit.  I also wound up with so much pre-cancerous tissue in my face that I had to have expensive, painful treatment (which required 10 days of recovery) to get rid of it before it became malignant. 

I've spent many thousands of dollars, I'm covered in scars of various sizes, and my risk of developing malignant melanoma at some point in my life is now WAY higher than average.  I don't want to get all preachy on you, and I realize my experience is probably a lot worse than the average person's - but man, stay out of the tanning beds and make friends with your sunscreen (especially important for bald guys).   I know getting some color can be appealing in the short term, but I can tell you it wasn't worth the money, the discomfort, the risk of death or disfigurement, or the premature aging. 

You gotta protect that excellent noggin, and the rest of your Sly self.  Good luck with the surgery, man. 

[DaDi]

Good luck with the surgery Jason. 

[jamesh75]

Definitely stay away from the tanning beds.  I use the Jergens Natural Glow and it works great.  After only a couple days of using it twice a day and you'll see a big difference.  The nice thing too, is I just bought some more, and they reformulated it to include sunscreen.

[Nonick]

I second what James said about the Natural Glow.  It's good stuff and it doesn't turn my skin to an unnatural shade.   I've actually gotten compliments about my "tan"! 

[Tyler]

guynxtdr, thanks for posting up to share you story!

[Junglerot]

When going thru the forums I like it when different people just throw in there 2 cents in even when they just are agreeing with previous posts (not offering any different point of view); it strengthens or helps me make the choice to try it more than if one dood posts and then no one agrees.  What happens is only people that disagree post and I am discouraged from trying it.

To that end I have found many places in the forums that guys like Jergens Natural Glow, so I picked some up last night.  so far I like it, look forward to the natural glow!!

[D.A.L.U.I.]

Well, I have only had eight skin cancers--the probably cause, in the late fifties and early sixties skin doctors treated acne w/ what was essentially a tanning light in the belief that a slight sun burn was good to dry excess oils and eliminate the infection in the follicles and sweat glands--they were WRONG. 
So, take advantage of that lesson, stay away from the tanning lights and "cure" your skin color w/ the Jergens if you must, otherwise randomly being in the sun w/ a spf4 to 10 will let you tan slowly and as safely as possible.  Note:  for the future, people who are always tanned show their age more because every tan damages the skin. 

[JasonR]

So looks like Jergen's Natural Glow is the clear winner.

Now how do I get it on my back? I'm single and I don't want to ask my roommate to do it. LOL

[baldhog]

I don't know where you live but you could also try the spray tan.  They do it at the tanning salon, but its basically like spraying the jergen's glow stuff all over you.  It comes out even (and they get your back for you) and looks good, as if you've been in the tanning bed... but without the skin cancer.