11 replies to this topic

[searching4thecure]

Okay, so I have my prom in like 5 freaking days......

so about 3 weeks ago I figured I'd start going tanning to dry up my zits and mask 'em with some color...

and YES I know tanning is terrible and causes cancer I know I know I know..... but I def. didnt want a billion pimples showing for prom......

So anyway... my back looks okay... initially it dried up the zits I had but after awhile I got other ones... but the color "hides them" decently..... my face still has zits but the color hides them...... and the tanning had really cleared up my chest till about 4 days ago when it BROKE OUT TO ALL HELL...... I have like a ton of raised hard bumps that look pinkish-whiteish against the tan..... there is white in them but its way too deep to get out........ WTF.........

I heard tanning increases oil production in the long run... is that what happened?

argh. argh. argh!

[Mandy Ann]

Okay, so I have my prom in like 5 freaking days......

so about 3 weeks ago I figured I'd start going tanning to dry up my zits and mask 'em with some color...

and YES I know tanning is terrible and causes cancer I know I know I know..... but I def. didnt want a billion pimples showing for prom......

So anyway... my back looks okay... initially it dried up the zits I had but after awhile I got other ones... but the color "hides them" decently..... my face still has zits but the color hides them...... and the tanning had really cleared up my chest till about 4 days ago when it BROKE OUT TO ALL HELL...... I have like a ton of raised hard bumps that look pinkish-whiteish against the tan..... there is white in them but its way too deep to get out........ WTF.........

I heard tanning increases oil production in the long run... is that what happened?

argh. argh. argh!

samme thing happened to me, and I had my prom last night. about 5 days before I had a HORRIBLE breakout, but then I just went tanning every single day for those 5 days and it all cleared up 100%. im probably going to get a horrible breakout again from it, but as long as it was clear for prom

[searching4thecure]

samme thing happened to me, and I had my prom last night. about 5 days before I had a HORRIBLE breakout, but then I just went tanning every single day for those 5 days and it all cleared up 100%. im probably going to get a horrible breakout again from it, but as long as it was clear for prom
[/quote]

Ha ha I agree - Its ALL about THE PROM!!! as long as things are looking decent for prom im happy - even tho i'll probably have to face hell afterward.

[G0DLIK3]

What keeps happening to me is; little sun exposure= new breakouts
Alot of sun exposure = bad sun burn, no tan lol

What i dont understand is that im tan like shirtline down, legs r tan, guess u can say i have a farmers tan. But the rest of my body tans real easy, but i cant tan my back/ chest, u think it could be because i havent tanned in like 2 years?

[whatsfordinner]

I dont know about breakouts but the red scars certainly are less appearant after getting a tan so thats the reason i go tanning when i want to look good for something.

[The_Snow_Queen]

UV rays from sun exposure kill off acne-causing bacteria, which is one reason why people may notice an improvement in acne after tanning, but not all the bacteria are killed. While the UV rays are killing the bacteria, they are also prematurely killing skin cells and permanently damaging the skin. As a defensive mechanism, the skin thickens. The increase in dead skin cells combined with thicker skin increases clogged pores by hindering the skin's natural sloughing off process. Meanwhile, the surviving bacteria are given a chance to recooperate and soon are thriving inside all the clogged pores; due to UV damage, the skin is less able to defend itself against these bacteria. Next thing you know, you have a major breakout.

As a side note, because UV rays damage the deeper layers of the skin they also damage pore function. This may be why some people seem to notice an excess in sebum.

There are safer ways to achieve a darker skintone such as self-tanning sprays and lotions. If you want to make sure the job's done right, go to a salon or spa; many offer this service. Also, some of these salons and spas offer a kind of "abdomen contouring," which involves the strategic application of spray-on-tanner to shadow and outline the abdominal area, thus creating the look of toned abs. Abdomen contouring is recommended for those that are not overweight.

Anyway, because of the above and the other proven effects of sun damage, you couldn't pay me to tan.

[sadsadsad]

What keeps happening to me is; little sun exposure= new breakouts
Alot of sun exposure = bad sun burn, no tan lol

What i dont understand is that im tan like shirtline down, legs r tan, guess u can say i have a farmers tan. But the rest of my body tans real easy, but i cant tan my back/ chest, u think it could be because i havent tanned in like 2 years?

Yes.

[TheClassicCrime]

UV rays from sun exposure kill off acne-causing bacteria, which is one reason why people may notice an improvement in acne after tanning, but not all the bacteria are killed. While the UV rays are killing the bacteria, they are also prematurely killing skin cells and permanently damaging the skin. As a defensive mechanism, the skin thickens. The increase in dead skin cells combined with thicker skin increases clogged pores by hindering the skin's natural sloughing off process. Meanwhile, the surviving bacteria are given a chance to recooperate and soon are thriving inside all the clogged pores; due to UV damage, the skin is less able to defend itself against these bacteria. Next thing you know, you have a major breakout.

As a side note, because UV rays damage the deeper layers of the skin they also damage pore function. This may be why some people seem to notice an excess in sebum.

There are safer ways to achieve a darker skintone such as self-tanning sprays and lotions. If you want to make sure the job's done right, go to a salon or spa; many offer this service. Also, some of these salons and spas offer a kind of "abdomen contouring," which involves the strategic application of spray-on-tanner to shadow and outline the abdominal area, thus creating the look of toned abs. Abdomen contouring is recommended for those that are not overweight.

Anyway, because of the above and the other proven effects of sun damage, you couldn't pay me to tan.

I have like pretty bad chest acne.. but like none on my back. It's weird.... and I don't know why. But anyways... if it's really bad on my chest and I go tanning.. do you think that will make them worse or better? I'm not going tanning to try to get rid of them, but if I do, will it just end up making it worse? Is tanning a bad idea? Ugh! I HATE ACNE with a passion!!

[The_Snow_Queen]

Tanning will make your acne temporarily look better (tans blend redness and kill some bacteria), but will make you more susceptable to an even worse breakout later, as was explained in my previous post. Also, tanning most definately leads to premature aging, cataracts, cellulite, the surfacing of capillaries, and skin cancer. Many of the sun's negative effects can be seen before the age of thirty and sometimes even before the age of twenty. Tanning is definately a bad idea.

To protect yourself, get a sunscreen with AT LEAST an SPF 15 and even higher for long-term sun exposure. Make sure your sunscreen is applied liberally; most people don't apply enough. Also, if you go swimming or are sweating a lot, it is typically recommended to reapply your sunscreen every two hours even if your sunscreen is water-resistant.

In case you didn't know, not all sunscreens adequately block against UVA rays, which are most likely to lead to the harmful side effects mentioned above. In the US, avobenzone (Parsol 1789), titanium dioxide, and zinc oxide are the only sunscreen ingredients that offer enough UVA protection. Outside the US, mexoryl sx is recognized to adequately protect against UVA rays. Avobenzone (and possibly mexoryl sx, but I'm not sure) is not likely to clog pores, unlike zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. I have heard rave reviews over Neutrogena's Dry Touch line.

FYI: I asked my parents what dermatologists did to help their patients with acne, and they told me that sunlamps were used to tan the skin. Then I asked them whether or not tanning worked, and they said yes, but they always broke out worse shortly after.

Even if tanning worked temporarily, why do you suppose dermatologists no longer recommend tanning or unprotected sun-exposure to treat acne?

[Beauty Bot]

seems to me that the only reason it didn't work for these people that tried to look better for prom is that they didn't do it RIGHT.

tanning to help acne takes a LOT longer than a few weeks of ultra sessions..... not to mention that you will be SUPER stressed right before prom and nothing can stop your hormones from going into overdrive!

if you want your back to be nice for a special event, i'd say a minimum of 3 months of going 3 times a week for 5-10 minutes at a time. You have to get yourself and your body into a regular sched of tanning for it to work and you can't over do it. Also can't tan the day of or the night before the event just in case you are a tiny bit red if you're in too long. You need to stick to your regular sessions until a day or two before. If you have a nice base and some colour, you should be fine.

that crap (sorry but it is) about premature aging, cellulite, cancer even is not an issue if you do it safely and properly!!!! You use special lotions, go to a place with a good staff, and protect your eyes. It's common sense to protect yourself while tanning and it really miffs me that tanning has been abused by some and made it a bad thing for everyone.

I didn't ever have a tan or much sun for over 23 years, it was time for me to get some UV on my skin!

[The_Snow_Queen]

that crap (sorry but it is) about premature aging, cellulite, cancer even is not an issue if you do it safely and properly!!!! You use special lotions, go to a place with a good staff, and protect your eyes. It's common sense to protect yourself while tanning and it really miffs me that tanning has been abused by some and made it a bad thing for everyone.

There is no such thing as a safe tan. A tan, no matter how "safely" obtained, is a sign of skin damage (see my above posts). Sun damage is cumulative (permanent) and occurs whether or not a person tans. That "crap" as you call it was figured out by doctors and scientists with a lot more education on the subject than you. But hey, it's your skin, do what you want. I just hope you don't regret it later.