Tanning

Is it really that bad?

I just went tanning for the first time in my life and I was scared.
1. Because I am a hypochondriac and 2. I fear I will burn to death

But the second and third times (with no color change I must add) I finally was able to relax like I would in the sun.

Why am I tanning?

I have been pale all of my life and I am traveling to Europe (Italy and Spain) this summer. It's really hot over there and really sunny.

I personally do not want to get skin cancer in Europe because I am not used to a higher exposure of sun, nor am I willing to go through any amounts of sunburn pain while on vacation which brings me to the question, is tanning bad? How much is too much?

I think if you are getting a base tan (like I am) it is completely fine but if you are going everyday for a year and turning into leather, that is bad. A base tan can provide a small layer of protection against a nasty sunburn when the sunscreen unknowingly wears off.

I have personally see a mixture people who say one or the other.  Here is one that says all tanning is bad news while this one says that  talks about both.

I have seen versions where the final picture is a leather couch

There are always going to be positives and there will always be negatives.  Like everything... It's okay in moderation.

What do you think?