I have been googling this topic and am drawing a blank so far.

The last couple of trips have been kind of frustrating for me because I am fair skinned and burn easily. I've tried to limit my exposure to the sun and build up exposure gradually, but this hasn't worked very well.

So, my question is: how do I build a "base" tan before heading to the Caribbean?

I've read that tanning salons can present their own risks, but is that uniform for all tanning salons? -- or are there some that have safer techniques/equipment?

I would appreciate any guidance on this topic.

Finally, please note, that I do intend to get some kind of tan before I head south this winter, so, while I appreciate the concern, I would really appreciate not seeing posts telling me "YOU'LL GET CANCER! DON'T DO IT!!!"

"<i>I would really appreciate not seeing posts telling me "YOU'LL GET CANCER! DON'T DO IT!!!"</i>"

Then just keep googling. There is no safe way for someone who is >>fair skinned and burns easily<< to get a tan.

Use self tanners and then heavy duty sun screen - or don't. Your choice.

Yep - self-tanners and sunblock. I too am fair skinned and burn easily. I use Neutrogena self-tanning lotion to get a little color. Exfoliate well, apply rather liberally and massage into skin until it is absorbed. Two to three applications and I have some nice color without looking orange. I reapply once or twice a week to keep it up. Then when I am in the sun, I use high SBF sunblock. Even with the sunblock, I do get some tan as I spend time in the sun, but no burns.

There are no safer techniques or equipment in some tanning salons unfortunately. The UV rays that tan your skin are the same ones that damage it - and UV rays are UV rays.

Thanks for the replies.

Sorry if my original post came across poorly, but in looking at some other threads it seemed as if they were overloaded with almost hysterical "Don't do it!" comments.

My frustration is that I spend a lot of $$ to go the Caribbean and end up staying inside or in the shade because I get baked so easily. My goal is to try to build some kind of a "base" tan so I can spend more time in the sun once I go south.

From what I've read, tanning salons are more risky for younger folks. Since I'm 53, and have not historically had a lot of sun exposure/sunburns, I'm surmising that my risk of skin cancer from a tanning salon is not real high.

That being said, I'm also not looking for trouble either. Which was why I was wondering if certain tanning salons were *better* (relatively speaking) than others.

Thanks again for your input!

"<i>My goal is to try to build some kind of a "base" tan so I can spend more time in the sun once I go south.</i>"

The theory is flawed - a 'base' tan won't protect you from getting burned/baked.

"<i>From what I've read, tanning salons are more risky for younger folks. Since I'm 53, and have not historically had a lot of sun exposure/sunburns, I'm surmising that my risk of skin cancer from a tanning salon is not real high.</i>"

Even IF they were safe (which is debatable) - a tanning salon tan won't keep you from burning.

So . . . self tanner + mega-sunscreen is the way to go.

@janisj I was under the (mis)impression that once you had some tan, you could spend incrementally more time out in the sun before getting burned. Thanks for the correction.

What does the "self tanning" lotion that you (and november_moon) mention do? Does it actually "tan" the skin, or just make it look tan? Moreover, based on what you've said above, what purpose does it serve?

Sorry for the depth of my ignorance on this topic!

Tanning lotions change the pigment of the outermost layers of your skin - changing your skin from a pale color to a tan color. You put the lotion on and it "develops" over the next several hours. It won't look tan when you put it on, but the tan will appear. Exfoliation is important because if you have a build up of dead skin, that dead skin will get more pigment than your live skin and you will get dark spots. Massaging the lotion in all the way is important for an even coat to avoid having an uneven tan.

The purpose of using a self-tanner is so that your skin looks tanned without damaging your skin by hanging out in the sun or in tanning beds. This way, you look good in your swim suit, sundress, etc. and don't blind the people around you

The only way to spend time safely in the sun is with sunblock on - and reapply throughout the day. That way you can stay out longer. Even if you did get a base tan at a tanning salon, your skin can still burn. It might not burn as quickly or as visibly, but it will burn. Even if it tans, that is still skin damage.

And definitely wear a hat and good sunglasses to shade your face and eyes. Most people don't think about UV damage to the eyes, but it can cause some very serious problems.

Fake tans dye your skin to make you look as if you have a tan, that's all. It's purely for appearance and provides no protection. So if you want the tanned look, there is your answer. You'll still need a good sunblock.

If you don't mind looking pale, then forget that, and just use a high level sunblock. I'm very fair and spent a couple of the days having to sit out without shade in what is for me scorching sun - 30 - 36 degrees all day. Used factor 50 sunblock applied every hour or so, didn't burn, did still develop a weird sort of tan and freckles (my first tan ever) although it wasn't what I was aiming at.

Some of my friends had a very expensive factor 50 thing that you are only supposed to have to apply once every 8 hours. They still whacked it on several times during they day, and they were fine.

The important thing is that whatever you use, make sure you rub it in well, get all the little spots like ears and back of arms/round armpit, and keep reapplying.

Or cover up/sit in shade (I hate sitting out in the sun, it just makes me feel so uncomfortable).

Some of us simply don't really tan. You're a member of that club!

I like the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch sunblock as it's not very greasy and seems to work really well (put on more than you think you need, most people put it on way to thinly). They also have a great liquid sunblock in that same product line meant for faces. It goes on like a liquid foundation and is very lightweight and non-greasy. I HATE putting greasy sunblock on my face, yech!

Also, find a very light weight cotton shirt. I have a couple that are basically just button up shirts but they're so lightweight that they're practically see through. They're very soft and are great as an overshirt over a tank top. That keeps the sun off my skin (along with the sunblock) which helps keep me from getting burned and keeps me cooler. Complete the outfit with lightweight pants (cotton or linen are great) and you're set. With the lightweight clothes you can veg out outside without risking your skin.

Don't forget to put chapstick with SPF in it on your lips, a hat (I often leave the hat behind as I hate them but a sunburned scalp <i>really</i> sucks) and sunglasses.

I know exactly what you mean. I have very light skin and burn easily also. I am going to Hawaii for 10 days in November and no way am I staying out of the sun! What I do is usa a high number sunscreen the first few days, going progressively longer before re-applying. I then switch to a lower number and use religiously. I have been to Hawaii 9 times and never got a burn this way. I love the beach and pools, and travel to a sunny place at least three times a year. Anita.

My first instinct on seeing this thread title was a hysterical "Don't do it!"

So I'm glad to see you got some kind-hearted replies.

Really, please please please please take to heart that you don't need a "base" tan. As janisj said - there is simply no such thing.

Besides, looking too tan is just NOT fashionable anymore! (For men or women.)

We go to Maui every Feb., and trust me, there is no one more pale than an Iowan of Swedish descent in the middle of winter. Slather on the high SPF sunblock (don't forget your toes and ears, as my DH usually does), wear a hat, wear QUALITY sunglasses, and some sort of SPF ChapStick.

"<i>My first instinct on seeing this thread title was a hysterical "Don't do it!"

So I'm glad to see you got some kind-hearted replies.</i>"

Believe me (!) I was on my very behavior - it was very tempting to yell "NO! What ARE you thinking?"

Once upon a time, when the hoi polloi all worked outside, farming, having no tan marked you as one of the leisure class. After the Industrial Revolution, when the hoi polloi worked indoors and rarely saw the sun, having a tan marked you as one of the leisure class. Now everyone can afford a trip to the Caribbean or the Riviera, it really has no meaning in the west, except perhaps to suggest you haven't read enough warnings about the dangers of tanning, although in the east pale skin is still very much sought after.

Why, exactly, do you want to go to the Caribbean? There are lots of cheaper places with plenty of sun, and even more places with interesting things to do without worrying about the sun.

I'm not saying this is a good thing to do, but you can build a base tan by using tan beds for very short periods of time (like 5 mins) and go in few times before a trip. I don't think there's a difference between types of tan beds as far as the risks.

I am fair skinned myself, and I like to build a base tan before travelling abroad.

I find that using short time on sun beds the last few weeks before you go helps. You may not agree with sunbeds, but I really can't think of another way you could do it. If you do use the option of using a sunbed before travelling watch how many minutes you do on them because as you are fair skinned you may burn and you don't want to burn before going abroad!

As I can see you are very intrested in tanning, but use sun protector etc.. When you are abroad you don't want to come back like a tomatoe!

<<<I'm not saying this is a good thing to do, but you can build a base tan by using tan beds for very short periods of time (like 5 mins) and go in few times before a trip. >>>

Not everyone tans doing that. I could hit a tanning bed for a few minutes every day for weeks and still not tan, and certainly not enough to build up a base that would give me some additional protection on vacation.

The OP said her goal was to build enough of a 'base tan' so that she could go outside and not burn on vacation. It would take months of going every day for me to get any noticeable amount of tan and that still wouldn't be anywhere near enough to let me veg in the sun without burning and she sounds like she has skin like mine.

<not enough to build up a base that would give me some additional protection on vacation>

Well if you want to argue about this, there is no such thing as "additional protection" anyways. Any "tan" is a sign of damage to your skin.

My husband and I used to go to tanning salons before all of our Caribbean trips. They worked great and we didn't burn very much on vacation which we thought was because we had a "base tan" before we left.

Last year my husband had to have skin cancer removed on his face. I know you said that you didn't want to hear it, but we thought that it wouldn't happen to us either. We always used sunblock on vacation but not in the tanning beds.

This year we used 30 sun block on vacation and even higher on our faces and we skipped the tanning beds. We started slowly in the sun for the first few days of our vacation making sure to stay in the shade if we felt like we were burning at all.

Do what you want but people warn others because we know people who have gone through it and it's not pleasant.

As a melanoma sufferer I can assure you that the warnings to stay out of the sun are not 'hysterical' in anyway. They are in fact very kind hearted pleas for you not to put your life at risk. There's no such thing as a healthy tan and there are much less painful ways to kill yourself. If you must change your skin colour do it with a spray can.

Understand how it works. You know there are 2 kinds of UV - UVA and UVB. The first darkens your existing melanin (pigment) without the melanin offering any extra protection. Think toast. UVB on the other hand stimulates the production of extra melanin which does add protection BUT that stimulation comes as a reaction to already occuring damage. If the damage is to the DNA, that is what leads to skin cancers down the road. There is no such thing a perfectly safe tan.