Has tanning NOT helped anyone with their KP? Although we all know that too much sun (UVA/UVB rays) can cause skin cancer, I am thinking of trying tanning in a salon for 10 minutes or so per week to see if that will clear up the KP. I have not seen the sun in several years, mainly because I do not like wearing shorts let alone a bathing suit. Now that my KP is back with a vengeance, I am looking to clear this up once and for all (I wish!). However, I was curious to see how many people have tried tanning and if it worked for everyone or did it make it worse for some?

Tanning has DEFINATELY helped me. I go to the tanning salon 3 or 4 times per week for 20 minutes per session. There is nothing that can clear it up like when I go tanning. I have also notices that of all the lotions out there, Kiehls Creme de Corps is by far the BEST lotion out there. Hope this helps!

Mirjana

To CK1vw- Since you have not been in the sun in such a long time you may want to go more then just once a wk. Talk to whom ever is in charge of the salon and find out how often they change the bulbs and you may want to start out at 2 or 3 min. the first time and if you don't burn then increase a min. the next session. Work your way up to 20 min.Some newer beds may only be 7 or 8 min. beds but whatever they are work your way up to the maximun minutes in the bed. I go 3 to 4 times a wk. I stopped for 2 mos. this summer and just began going again due to having 3 weddings in the near future and I'm in 2. But tanning has helped me greatly and I feel 100% comfortable w/ myself. Kim

i'm just curious, for the people that have said tanning has helped, has it helped the redness/coloration problem, or has it actually had any effect on the roughness/smoothness of the skin? My main problem is not the redness/coloration, but the bumps...anyone know if tanning might help this?

My main problem was the bumps and due to the scrubing they are gone. After the bumps go away some of us are left w/ small reddish dots. Either the red dots are gone or my tan really covers them well. I guess I will find out when my tan is gone.

I never tried salon tanning, but when I do get outdoors, some time in sun does seem to help me...I recall something from my o-chem days in college that sunshine helps the body to convert certain cholesterol molecules to vitiman D and that people who don't see much sun are lacking it. Don't really know if that's directly related to KP, but I don't question that the sun helps me some... I hate sleeveless shirts when I'm around others as I don't like the questions about what's wrong with my arms.

Back a few years ago when I would vacation for a week at a time on the beach or tanned in a tanning bed, my KP cleared up a lot. But I am scared of tanning beds now because I have found some places on my skin that are not normally there. But if you take great precautions when tanning it should help with you KP. Just be careful...tanning can be a bit scary. Linz

tanning helps the new bumps clear up, but it darkens the scars that i have

Tanning has helped my condition however it has darkened the scars i have so its kind of a catch 22 situation. I now go every other week for 8 minutes a go and use tanning accelerator as well. This seems to be controlling my condition.

The dermatologist i swa set me off on a course of UVB treatments via the NHS (i'm UK) which helped however after a couple of months this did come back again so now i use sunbeds (as above)

Think i've mentioned it already but my condition totally clears up when on holiday abroad sun, sand , suncream etc i think all help - i know have only salt baths, exfoliate with a sisal mit (which is really course) and am constantly slatherting on Neutrogena creams.

I was wondering if anyone here with dark skin has found any relief tanning or getting a lot of extra sun. I have a deck so I can tan for free only thing is I have to be out there for hours just to turn another tone so its time consuming and boring. This summer I am way more darker than the pasty light-skin winter months but maybe a good amount of light might do some change. So anyone live in a hot climate or gets *a lot* extra sun have a milder case of kp?

I started to wear short sleeves (no matter where I go), and my arms are looking very good now. It's very hot over here but I was allways hiding beneath long sleeves and pants when it's 95.o. My condition got worse each passing year.
But now, I'm getting totally used to the short sleeves and I too have dark skin (Latin you know) So just by normal activity sun exposure I'm getting great results. I've heard that 10 min. a day is plenty with out sun damage.

Yeah that sounds like a good plan getting free sun in increments. Its just that I'm soooo impaitent I want it to be better in one sitting My parents recently went to the beach and the accidently bought sun tan lotion (spf 6!) and came back looking like George Hamilton. My mother has a very very mild case of KP (so mild i wouldnt even classify it-- you have to get up really close to see the dots and she has no bumps) and after their trip I couldn't see it at all. So maybe it works or maybe I'll to wait till I'm her age until it goes away...doubtful.

Whenever I have tanned (either on holiday or on sun beds) it has helped my skin. I have more of a problem with redness then bumps and having a tan definately masks this.

I gave up using the beds a while ago and I'm in the UK so we don't have much tanning weather so at the moment I've quite pasty blotchy looking.

I stopped using the beds because I didn't have one nearby or have the money, but now I've thought about it I'm reluctant to go on them again. Sun damage ( which i think I could see on my face- you don't notice it whilst you're tanning but when you return to your normal skin colour you can begin to see the extra lines etc) and the threat of cancer has scared me off the beds atm.

Although, I think what I'll do is: during the summer- try and sit outside in my garden in just shorts and tank tops - little and often
and then in the winter- once a week or every other week, go on a sunbed but use a spf lotion and be very careful.

I really think those of you who are going over 2 times a week are going too much. No salon I've ever been to allows you to go more then 3 times a week - and there's good reasons for that!

try fake tan for redness. skin cancer not cool.. either is sun/age spots, and leather wrinkle skin.. fake tan has masked the KPRF for me a bit gives you days u can go without makeup for a swin etc and feel a bit normal

Does anyone know anything about the sun lamps that S.A.D. sufferers use?
Are they dangerous for those with moles on their skin?
Or do they only have 'good' UV rays - and if so - would they be of benefit for KP use?