Tanning and lotion

U4Life · Nov 15, 2007

I'm thinking of going to a tanning salon for the first time. My wife tells me she uses a special lotion at the salon. My question is, what do you guys do as far as lotion? Can I just use a little of my Vaseline lotion or not even any at all? What are you guys regiments?

Dad · Nov 15, 2007

Got to say - lotion is useless. Tanning results form the stimulation of melanocytes, and no lotion of any kind smeared over the top layer of dead cells on the skin will make any difference. That goes for "bronzers" and all the rest of the "tanning accelerator" lotion conncotions, too.

Things like oxsoralen, methoxsoralen, or trisoralen will work as photosensitizing agents to help yuo tan if yuo have trouble tanning.

Ashop · Nov 15, 2007

U4Life said:
I'm thinking of going to a tanning salon for the first time. My wife tells me she uses a special lotion at the salon. My question is, what do you guys do as far as lotion? Can I just use a little of my Vaseline lotion or not even any at all? What are you guys regiments?

some tanning salons will get furious if you use something thats not approved for indoor tanning beds like baby oils. sometimes they can get it cleaned off. I know most of the indoor lotions or very pricey. some places offer sample trial packs or you can buy one time use lotions to see what works for you.

Sassy · Nov 15, 2007

I agree with Dad. Most of the so called indoor tanning lotion is useless. I've tried them and decided it was a wast of money. I don't use any. However, it is import to use some kind of lotion after you finish your tanning session. This will keep you skin from drying out. It can be any brand... whatever your preference is.

thebrick · Nov 15, 2007

I agree, lotions are useless. They are just a money maker for the tanning salons. They do nothing to help you tan, the UV rays do that. Lotions just moisturize the skin

PlateStacker45 · Nov 15, 2007

I've heard lotions are useless before too. But I can go the full 12 minutes in my gyms' standup and get almost no results. No redness, dont get hot at all, and no tan. But if I use my usual tanning lotion, even the ones without tingler or bronzer... I actually look and feel like I just got out of the tanning bed. And I also tan after showering and using a pre-tan scrub to get off dead cells.

shoestring · Nov 15, 2007

My buddy owns a salon & swears the stuff really works.

JW · Nov 15, 2007

Tanning lotions work wonders

You get a lotion-they have bronzers in them & they work. They work the same way sunless tanning lotions work... So get a product that specifically says it's got bronzers in it...

marooned · Nov 16, 2007

Don't use regular lotion or oils in any tanning bed, it really does ruin the acrylic panels in the bed. I order $75 a bottle tingler lotion for about $20 on the web. I do think that it works to use it. I can't get really dark in a tanning bad without it. I would also like to give the stuff DAD was talking about a try. If you dont' want to buy the lotion just shower, tan and then put the Vaseline or whatever body lotion on.

Dad · Nov 16, 2007

JW said:
You get a lotion-they have bronzers in them & they work. They work the same way sunless tanning lotions work... So get a product that specifically says it's got bronzers in it...

They're worthless. If yuo think not, explain the mechanism by which they work. How do they stimulate melanocytes to produce melannin (pigment)?

Short answer: they don't, therefore are worthless.

Roux · Nov 16, 2007

i used to agree that lotions are worthless, but i have to admit there are some that make a difference. the ones with the tingle really do work. i get so much tanner when i use them. don't know how or why, but there is a huge difference not exaggerating. and no i'm not just red for a few days, i'm red at first but then tan for the rest of the week. i only need to go once a week. i could not do this before i used these lotions. they work. take it for what it worth. why would i make it up?

JW · Nov 16, 2007

Dad said:
They're worthless. If yuo think not, explain the mechanism by which they work. How do they stimulate melanocytes to produce melannin (pigment)?

Short answer: they don't, therefore are worthless.

"According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the most effective products available are sunless- or self-tanning lotions that contain dihydroxyacetone (DHA) as the active ingredient. DHA is a colorless sugar that interacts with the dead cells located in the stratum corneum of the epidermis. As the sugar interacts with the dead skin cells, a color change occurs. This change usually lasts about five to seven days from the initial application."

Go back and read what I said they have bronzers in them that darken your skin-thus your darker. Most tanning lotions have bronzers which do the above-thus make you look darker combined with tanning.

It's the same reason you use Pro Tan for a show-it enhances the color you already have.

Dad · Nov 16, 2007

JW,

Pretty interesting - I didn't know that about the DHA.

This is, of course, not stimulating the production of new pigment, but does indeed seem to be a way of adding color.

Thanks for the reference.