Girls are using them all the time because they're stupid and putting their looks ahead of their health. You could just as easily say "if smoking is dangerous, why do so many people smoke?" and we all KNOW that smoking IS dangerous.

It's just that 'it won't happen to me' or 'I'll just not think about it' attitude. But sadly, some of those girls will die from skin cancer as a result of just not thinking about the risks.

one of my friends tans like 3-4 times a week, and her skin is nasty!! lol

"getting used to the sun" is a myth. A tan doesn't protect you from the sun. Only sun cream does that.

"lol i guess but if its so dangerous why are girls using em ALL the time"
Why do people jump off bridges? Why do people do anything? Coz they're idiots!

so now we're idiots for going tanning? wow, you guys are so fucking close-minded, it's crazy.

Girls use them all the time because they don't care about the risks, are uninformed, or think it can never happen to them.

My cousin and I have the same basic ethnic make up. Half Native American, half Irish. I got the pale Irish complexion, whereas she got the darker Native complexion that allows her to easily tan, as opposed to my burning and freckling. Because of this, she feels that she is immune to anything harmful when it comes to tanning. We discussed it once, and I told her that just because I am more susceptible to burning doesn't mean she can't get cancer or something. She said, "I don't care. I'm half Cherokee, so I should look half Cherokee!!!"

Her appearance is more important to her than her health.

So don't be fooled into thinking that just because it is popular, that there are no risks. You're getting good advice here, just make sure you do some of your own research before making any rash decisions.

Your cousin sounds like my mother-in-law and one of my sisters-in-law. They both have a lot of Native American in them, therefore tan easily and have beautiful, dark skin. So as soon as it turns April, they both starting laying DAILY (at LEAST once a day) in their tanning beds. Yes, THEIR tanning beds - they each have one in their own home! It's amazing to see me sitting next to one. I look white as a ghost while they look darker than dark chocolate! Nuts.

Yeah I'm not sure how I can have SO much Native blood and still be pale as I am. hehe

I don't go nuts trying to avoid sun, but I do try to use sunblock when I go out. And yes, my cousin would LOVE to have her own tanning bed. She just can't afford one, so she uses the one at her gym.

Lol I got a friend who has 1 too but it was like 5 thousand bucks!

My cousin has 1 too but she's in PA

I like being pale too. :) But I think my friend is going to make me get a spray tan when I'm bridesmaid at her wedding in November. So I'm going to have to research the best one to use. Mostly I'm worried that I'll need to go hunting for a new foundation to match my spray tanned face!

I also like my pale skin. I have really dark hair, and I think it looks nice.

Apparently everyone I know thinks I look sick. Sheesh! I'm pale, but still have a healthy skin tone!

Yes, embrace the paleness!

Tanning on tan beds is bad for you. They use more harmful rays than the actual sun. I'd go actual tanning for 30 minutes a day and then maybe get a spray tan.

I have done MANY spray tans and I've never looked orange! You can go to a "professional" who will hand spray you (you have to be naked but hey - whatever!) and they make it really even and it always looks good! I've done the booths and they're great! As long as you're not in idiot and miss places when you're rubbing it in/wiping it off you'll be fine! I did a spray tan for prom and I went 2 weeks before as a "practice" to see the results... it was great! They fade after about a week so I'd suggest going 2-3 days before your wedding. If you have any spots or streaks (which you won't if you pay attention!) then you can mix lemon juice with some epsom salt and scrub scrub scrub! :D When you're in the booth one they can add a bronzer in so you can see it better when you're rubbing it in/wiping it off.

That's my advice!

Ooh, I'll need to remember that. I've done fake tans before and streaks have been a problem occassionally (I've never had a spray tan though). I didn't know the lemon juice-salt thing.

I would never go on a sun bed, one of my friends has recently started going on sun beds, the woman at the shop said they are non-uv sun beds, she actually believed it as well, yet she was in a room covered in signs telling her she had to wear sun cream on the sun beds. What is worse though is seeing a pregnant woman going in and using the sub beds!

the tanning bed places are pretty notorious for telling customers out right bullshit about what the beds are capable of. i mean if you told them you could get skin cancer i guess they wouldn't get customers, but you'd think they'd have to be honest for health reasons.

I don't need a tan, I've got awesome/beautiful olive skin ;) lol

Personally I find fake tans are really, really, really, unatractive. It just makes you look really old when you do it often, also bright orange just looks ridiculous. Its gross. This goes for "too much make up", don't find it attractive.
It just shows me that the girl is trying too hard to be something she's not.

Tanning beds are bad for your skin!

That's a BAD fake tan. If done well, you can't even tell that it's fake.

Good or bad, I think it's silly. If I found out she was tanning, I'd be pretty "Ew really?" about it.
I find natural looking girls who don't worry about things like tanning and are comfortable with their skin much more attractive.
Like smoking. There's just no need.

Again it's just me, I love pale skin.
But yeah I've seen some horror tans that look like they've come out an Umpa Lumpa's ass haha. Most of them think they're hot shit too ugh.

No Ma'am!

lol i have olive skin as well its nice as well but sadly like i said i dont have the time to lay there with a strapless i want to get it quick and over with -- i worry about the tanning lines with my strapless dress lol

OH nothing worse than tanning lines!!! NOooooOOOOoOOoooOoOOOOooOOOOo

girls keep using it because they are afraid to be pale. they want to be beautiful ...

i'm not sure when your wedding is... but i'd say you don't need to do too much tanning for it. i'm not going to say hey don't do it, especially since you've already paid for it. but maybe just do it lightly. a little glow on your wedding day would be lovely... but i wouldn't recommend looking like you just came from vacation in the tropics. *shrug* my cousin tans often and she looks like she was just back from a vacation... all the time. in the middle of the winter it seems a little out of place. but she can actually pull it off so i guess it suits her. i've never tanned myself. just as a kid when i lived in the sun. i only burn now. i've been told many times that espcially for the first time, you don't want to be in the tanning bed thingy for very long... MAYBE 5 minutes... and you'll probably get a sunburn that first time, too. no idea how much fact this holds... but as i usually hear it from my very tan cousin and her sometimes tan mother, i tend to wanna believe it. *shrug* it's your life, clearly up to you. use sunscreen and tan wisely. have a nice wedding, too. :)

Ugh, I only burn too. Even if I lay out in the sun with 30 SPF sunscreen on, I'm going to burn, it's going to go away, and it is NOT going to leave a tan behind :( lol.