New guy here - thoughts on tanning?

[Northerner]

Hi there,

I've been a long time reader of the board and finally decided it was time to join.  I'm 23 years old and I got hit with pretty bad hairloss starting around 20 years old.  I got the whole thinning all over the top thing going on.  At age 22, I buzzed it down to number 1 and I liked it.  This summer, I decided to take it down all the way to zero guard and I was happy with it because the weather was nice and I could get some good color on my head.  Anyway once summer ended, I decided to let it grow out a little bit and realized it had gotten much worse in the past few months so i just kept it down to zero guard and will definitely be going sly in the near future.

now i dont mind this look at all and I think I suit it, but the problem is my pale head.  I live in a part of Canada with pretty cold weather so theres no chance of getting a tan and the summers are so short that any tan i get goes away very quickly.

so what im wondering, is have any of you guys gone to a tanning bed?  i know that sounds gay as hell, but I just hate having a pale head.   if so what was it like?  did the smokin hot girls give you funny looks?

[PowerOfCheese]

I'm new to being sly (aug 08) but once the sun won't tan my noggin anymore I'll be using a LIGHT skin tanner. I think it looks silly being really tan during the NE winters here unless you just got back from vaca. A little color looks okay though.

Tanning bed...  Not sure man, might be worth a try. Just don't go crazy with it.

[BALDANDRE]

However you get the dome tanned ..do it slow..

nothing worse than a flaky stubbly head because you cant shave it for a while!

Welcome bro!

[Brkeatr]

Welcome to SBG bro, post up in the introductions section of the forum so the guys can give you a welcome !!   

[J.J.]

so what im wondering, is have any of you guys gone to a tanning bed?  i know that sounds gay as hell, but I just hate having a pale head.   if so what was it like?  did the smokin hot girls give you funny looks?

First of all, welcome to the forum, Northerner!

Secondly...going to a tanning bed is not "gay"....IT'S STUPID!

http://www.slybaldguys.com/serendipity/archives/68-Just-Say-No....html

Btw, I think the smokin' hot girls might give you funny looks if your tanning-bed-fried dome develops a weeping, fungating, bleeding melanoma!

http://www.worldwidewounds.com/2002/march/Naylor/images/Fig-1-Melanoma-Back.jpg

Sorry, but I have very strong feelings on this topic. 

[joergHH]

Welcome to SBG, Northerner!

J

[SlyHigh]

That pic is gross!

People say the Jergens tanning lotion works well.  If you do go to a tanning bed (not recommended), don't stay longer than 5 minutes your first time.  Pale skin burns easily and badly.  In a tanning bed if you stay long enough to feel a tingle it's already too late.  But really don't go to a tanning bed.

Being totally sly will help expose the scalp to get more sun and color.  It will happen naturally.  Give it time.

[Paul]

Great to have you with us, Northerner.  Welcome

[wpruitt]

Welcome Northerner. Use sunscreen!

[time2shine]

Welcome, Northerner.

Excuse me while i clean up my vomit from that melanoma pic.

JJ showed it well.  skin cancer is real, and the other guys have good advice on how to acheive what your looking for.

[BALDANDRE]

Being totally sly will help expose the scalp to get more sun and color.  It will happen naturally.  Give it time.

Really that's the best, most simple advice to use!

[Northerner]

hey thanks for the response guys.

now, i wasnt like wanting to go to a tanning bed and get all crazy dark like some wacked out WWF guy, i just wanted to very minimally reduce the contrast between my head and the rest of my skin.  i appreciate the concern, everyone, thanks.

and damn, that picture was nasty.

[wpruitt]

The doc said it best !! And a pic is worth a 1000 words

[OzPete]

Welcome Northerner!

[Scott]

Northerner, welcome!  JJ's pic was a good example to anyone obsessed with tanning/excessive sun exposure.  I personally haven't worried about color on my dome once since I went sly over a year and a half ago - just not that big of a deal to me.