Tanning Stories to Make You Sick

I have a confession to make now that summer is upon us and the sun is shining every day: When I am really tan, I feel a) skinnier b) more attractive and c) happier.

It’s true. And I’m sure that some of you girls will agree with me.

I have always known that it is not healthy to fake bake or lie out without sunscreen, but it’s just so hard to avoid the desire to be tan at this age.

With new studies coming out regularly on skin cancer risks and stories of girls our age contracting skin cancer (Britney Lietz, Miss Maryland 2006, who was diagnosed with melanoma at 20), I have really been forced to reconsider my tanning habits.

It also caused me to wonder about our parents who grew up in a time when the risks were generally unknown? Well, an article on msnbc.com describes some of the absurd lengths that people went to for a bronzed body that now basically seems like skin suicide.

“One time, in my early 20’s, I melted a stick of butter, added it to baby oil and went up on the roof! I have also used Mayonnaise!”

-Margie

Come on now, that just seems extremely painful.

“I starting using a tanning bed when I was 6 years old. No one knew of skin cancer and other problems it caused. I used the tanning bed 4-6 times a week, 8 months out the year… . Then 4 people in my family got skin cancer and I started to lose my eyesight. I am not totally blind, but I am legally blind in one eye, and I am being told that my cornea has been badly damaged from excessive burning.”

-Jill

If that doesn’t make you want to quit hitting the tanning bed, then I’m not sure what will.

Maybe we could all be a bit more careful this summer with sun protection. I know I may sound like a nagging mother and I am definitely guilty of putting my skin at risk, but in the long run, I think cancer is more unattractive than a moderately pale skin tone.