As the owner of a tanning salon and being in the business for
over
twenty years, here is the scoop on indoor tanning and sunburn
prevention. The answer is yes and no.  Yes, if you tan at a salon for a
couple of weeks before you leave for your trip you will DIMINISH that
chance of burning.  No, you will not eliminate the chance of burning.  
        With that said, the best thing to do is go to one of the better
tanning salons in your area.  The better salons will look at you, ask
questions about your tanning/burning history, and then set up an
exposure schedule that will tan you with little risk of overexposure.
Beware of tanning salons that put you in for the maximum allowable
session length on your first visit.  Start three weeks before your
departure date.  Use a good indoor tanning lotion before tanning and a
good moisturizer after tanning. Tan four times per week, working up to
the maximum time for the type of machine you are using.  Maximum tanning
times will vary from 8 minutes per session to 30 minutes per session.
Use a good pre tanning lotion before you tan.  Then use an outdoor
tanning lotion on your trip.  One with an SPF of 10 should be fine.
This will allow you to deepen your tan while on your trip and almost
eliminate any chance of burning.
        I hope this little blurb will answer your questions and make your
trip more enjoyable.  In addition to providing you some protection from
burning, pre-tannning will make you look marvelous on your trip.  No
Casper-the-ghost look for you!

Ed

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St. Lucia and Bonaire 1999 trip reports and pictures at:
http://www.TheScubaPage.com
We hope these reports and pictures are enjoyably and helpful!