Fair Warning

Let’s face it. We live in the Northwest. It’s the land of good coffee, beautiful scenery and oh-so-pale skin. Call it porcelain. Call it pasty. However you label it, Bellevue is decidedly not the place to keep a tanned hue all year long.

And, after this year’s “May-tober” and “Juneuary,” we’re paler than ever. Put on that swimsuit for the first time—most likely in August—or slip into that perfect evening gown, and you’re promptly reminded of your unique geographic location.

The answer to this wardrobe dilemma used to be relentlessly baking skin cells on annual tropical vacations or in tanning beds, in the futile hope that the healthy glow will last more than four days before reverting back to a pallid existence. However, unless you’ve maintained a total media blackout for the past 15 years, you’ve definitely heard the words sun worshippers loath: UV damage.

As hard as it is to resist, playing “catch up” on vacation is markedly more dangerous for Northwest dwellers who don’t regularly enjoy direct sunlight. Tanning booths are no safe haven either. The UV bulbs emit radiation similar to that coming from the sun. That’s not to say that every person exposed to the sun or using tanning booths regularly will receive melanoma for their efforts—it simply increases the risk.

But what about donning that summer bikini or backless dress? Bonnie McCaffrey and Dorothea Gist, massage and body treatment therapists at The Spa at the Bellevue Club, recommend trying a body bronzing treatment.

“The nice thing is you can get an even tan without risk of harmful exposure or even tan lines,” Bonnie says.

“Before applying the tanning cream, we start with a full-body exfoliation to remove dead skin so the tan will last longer,” she says. “The product we use gives a natural-looking, rich color—instead of the orange look that people sometimes associate with a home-tanning products. It also doesn’t have that tell-tale odor that most tanning products have.”

Dorothea recommends three sessions for a long-lasting look, but says one treatment can work in a pinch three to five days before an event or vacation.

Although many will still want to bronze their skin poolside with a pina colada, Bonnie is sold on the benefits of sunless tanning products along with a good sunscreen.

“It’s such a good way to feel good about the way you look without damaging your skin,” she says.
For more information or to set up an appointment, contact The Spa at 688.3114 or stop by the Athletic Services Desk.

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