I must admit that at times I can be a bit of a tanorexic. Whenever I get a good tan, I start to become obsessed with keeping it. I know it’s bad for your skin in the long term but I just find the human body, especially mine looks more sleek and toned with a bit of the bronze action going.

Ideally, I’d do as the rich and fabulous celebrities do these days. I’d forgo the real sun or equally hazardous tanning salon rays and pay for a spray on fake tan. However, I’m not famous or wealthy so it’s real sun or fake and bake visits while I hope some scientist discovers an inexpensive cure for sun damaged skin before I look like an old boot.

As a tanning booth veteran many times newbies ask my attitude as to whether to do it nude or to occlude some rays for sexy tan lines. I’ve often found what folks really are saying is that they’re somewhat shy about stripping down naked to lie down in a device, which may make them feel claustrophobic.

Nobody likes to feel completely vulnerable especially if he or she fears hyperventilating and having to call for help wearing nothing but a panicked expression. I’ve always reassured everyone that there was no reason to be shy. It was completely private and safe.

I guess I’d be wrong according, to the AP (07/31/06), if I were a woman living in Humble, Texas and frequenting Douglas Dinh’s Top Nail salon for weekly UVA/UVB exposure. The dude installed a camera in the ceiling and taped a remote controlled pinhole camera to the bottom of a chair to record without consent female patrons using his tanning booth.

Police confiscated several video tapes, DVDs and files from Dinh’s hard drive. The 48-year-old was still in custody last Sunday at the Harris County Jail held on $50,000 bond.

Nevertheless, next time I go to catch some artificial sun, I’ll still strip naked since white meat in my opinon is best only on chickens. However, I may just have a little peek around the booth, not because I’m bashful but just so I know which direction to face for my close-up!