Tanning Salons

[flamingchina]

I'm heading down to mexico in about a month, and I don't really want to get burnt to a crisp while I'm down there, so I'm looking to pre-tan.
I'm assuming some of you guys have done this.
Any suggestions?
What costs will i be looking at?

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by flamingchina

I'm heading down to mexico in about a month, and I don't really want to get burnt to a crisp while I'm down there, so I'm looking to pre-tan.
I'm assuming some of you guys have done this.
Any suggestions?
What costs will i be looking at?

Waste of time and money IMO. I went down to Mexico in November and was the only guy in my group who didn't burn and I was also the only one not to pre-tan.

[Jake]

Wear sunscreen... fewer health risks.

[ken0042]

It's usually about $30 for 100 minutes; lots of time. First couple of times just go for a short period; like about 7 minutes. The salon might push you to try a longer time; don't let them.

And don't cheap out on eye protection.

Pre-tanning is to be used only to prevent the pain of a future burn. Having a tan does not provide you with any UV protection. Wear good sunscreen.

And make sure you are aware of the UV levels where you are going. I used to think the UV index was a scale from 1-10, until I went to the Dominican and found the levels one day were going to be 12.

[chockfullofgoodness]

Ken beat me to it. What Ken said.

[pope04]

Originally Posted by Jake

Wear sunscreen... fewer health risks.

Just don't do what I did when I went down in '97 for the honeymoon. I applied some spf 45 very quickly and spent the day on the beach. The next morning I looked diseased: Snow white body with hectic red streaks. So I put the spf 45 on the red marks and spf 30 on the rest of my body. It took the full two weeks before I looked like I wasn't molting.

[RougeUnderoos]

I did it and was not a waste of time or money for me. Of course I can count every one of my bones in the mirror poking through my cold white skin, so I really needed it. If I hadn't done it I would have been effed on the first day, even with 45 SPU.

I think I paid a 50 bucks for a hundred minutes but I didn't use 'em all.

It's kinda cool being in that little pod. It's like you are in a rocket ship or maybe the inside of a lightbulb.

[return to the red]

my recommendation is find a place that has vertical tanning. Costs a little more for the time but you actually get a much more even tan and can get it done in less minutes (plus if you are germaphobe you don't have to worry about laying down in someones pool of ass sweat).

Oh and one last reason to go vertical tanning...Makes you feel like you are in "Quantum Leap"