UV Free Tanning

Before melanoma, I didn't seek out a tan, but I did like for my freckles to pop a little more, and for the dark circles under my eyes to blend a little more than they do now.  Unfortunately, once I was a teenager, the tan was harder to achieve, but the freckles were not.  I would turn a little pink, then freckle.  My face would show a little, faint, color, and really freckle.  It was never bronze, or tan, just a little pink.  I learned to use powder bronzers on my face to help with the color so it looked less pink and more golden.  Then for my arms and legs, I would use either a sunless tanner cream or one of those moisturizing lotions that would help take me from the pink/red tint to the golden tint I preferred.

Since my melanoma diagnosis, I have had no desire to look tan.  I really don't.  I find myself even getting annoyed if I am outside for a few minutes, with sunscreen, and my freckles multiply.  My sunless tanner and moisturizer are collecting dust (probably should throw out due to age) and my bronzer is now used as blush.  Tip, if you have freckles and cant find a blush that doesn't look too pink or orange because of them, try a powder bronzer. I also use it sometimes as eye shadow (use a brush), when I want some subtle color.

So the other day, I drove by a sign advertising UV FREE TANNING.  I was happy to see this sign, but then it became bitter sweet, because I looked back at the building and it was a regular old tanning salon. Glad because I think if you feel the need to look tan, spray tan is the way to go, but then the only place I know of to get a spray tan is a tanning salon.  I came home and did a quick search online for local places that do spray tans and the primary service for all of them was tanning beds, not the spray tans.  I don't know anyone who owns their own spray tan kit, but would love for a couple to trade in their in-home tanning beds for them.

My personal opinion, and I'm sure some would say I am being overly sensitive, but I don't think I could ever step foot in a tanning salon again.  Not for the urge to tan.  I don't think I could do so without saying anything, and right now that would probably come out more emotional than it would productive.  Someday maybe.  Right now though, no.

In my local search, I did not find a single place that offered only sunless or UV free tanning.  Or one that offered it, but without a tanning bed too.  This was very disappointing to me.  It has me wondering why.  Is this a business that would not survive?  I wonder if it is a business to look into.  I wonder if one of the local spas would consider offering it.  I want to look into this more, find out if there is a location that offers sunless tanning without the UV beds.  There has to be a market for it, even if you don't market it as being exclusively UV free, it just happens to be that way.