COLUMBIA (WACH) -- It’s not just the blonde and blue eyed who bask in the rays of tanning beds, believe it or not, some black people do too. Columbia resident Nadine Barr is one of them. Barr has been bronzing herself since 1994.

“I’m from the water, so I’m used to the sun and the boats. I’m happy to just be outdoors and doing activities on the outside,” Barr says.

Barr visits Sun Your Buns tanning salon in Columbia about three times a week to get her desired skin tone. She says “it looks better with my clothes and it makes me feel better.”

Surprising as it might be that some that black people go to tanning salons, that’s not the case with Nancy Hornsby, the owner of Sun Your Buns. About 10% of her clients are black and they not only use the tanning beds, some also use the spray.

“Everybody wants to be beautiful. Caucasians tan to get darker, so they want to tan to get darker,” Hornsby says.

For longtime customer Victor Black, his reason for tanning isn't cosmetic it's medical. He has a severe case of eczema. “I do about 10 minutes for each session about three times a week and that does my pretty good,” Black says.

The same health recommendations that apply for those with lighter skin apply to their counterparts with darker skin when it comes to using tanning beds. Doctors warn against increased exposure to the sun or artificial u-v rays because of increased skin cancer risks. According to the National Cancer Institute's Health Information Trends survey, as of 2005 2.9% of blacks use indoor only methods of tanning salons.

Are you an African American who tans? Tell us why by leaving a comment below.