I’ve written before about why I don’t tan, and unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few years, you know that tanning carries with it some pretty serious risks. Still, up to 80 percent of people under 25 are convinced that they look better with a tan, and every single day, more than one million Americans visit tanning salons. As dangerous as natural sun exposure can be, it seems that tanning beds may be even worse. People who have used indoor tanning beds are at a 75% higher risk for melanoma, the most lethal form of skin cancer.

So why do people take the risk? Because they want to look good. And, according to a new study, they may be addicted. In 2005, scientists showed that many sunbathers met the medical definition of substance abuse disorder. This inspired researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center to dig a little deeper. Their results, which were published over the summer, found that brain scans of frequent tanners showed activity that was similar to the patterns of drug addiction. Read More »

I’m really starting to get skeptical of these studies that try to dissuade you from doing something unhealthy by suggesting a healthy alternative that can supposedly provide you with the same astounding results. Next thing I know, they’re gonna make up some “healthy” alternative that provides you with the sweet satisfaction that is college belligerence.

The most recent study? Veggies will tan you.

Scientists are claiming that incorporating more cantaloupe, apricots, carrots, peppers and spinach into your diet can give your skin a golden glow. In the study, Caucasian volunteers who consumed a diet rich in orange and green fruits and vegetables were said to have even preferred the look of the golden glow effect from the diet to the darker effect from the sun. The scientists go on to say that this kind of produce-rich diet can make the skin look more attractive in just a month. (Or your money back?! If this doesn’t sound like some kind of sleazy infomercial, I don’t know what does.)

This must mean no more laying out in those harmful UV rays to get my summer tan, right?
I’m not so sure. Read More »

I am pale.  White, pasty, corpse-like, albino, pallid- that’s me.  It wasn’t always me, mind you.  See, once upon a time I sought solitude and relaxation in the warm bluish-white glow of the tanning bed.  Those of you who tan, you know what I’m talking about.  You get out of class completely drained (because the Sudoku was really tough today) and head to your car.  Maybe it’s raining, maybe it’s not.  Maybe it’s the middle of December, or maybe Spring Break is a week away.  It doesn’t matter.  The light at the end of your tunnel is florescent and comes with the scent of coconut oil.

I’ve been there.  Chasing happiness through monthly memberships and bonus lotion deals, fighting hangovers as you listen to the best of the 80s, 90s, and today, as you fake-bake your way to sun kissed bliss. You know tanning is bad for you (the warnings are everywhere), but you don’t care. You don’t do it that much. You won’t get cancer. And you look so much better tan!

So you keep on keepin’ on.

Well, what if I showed you what tanning does to those precious looks to hold so dearly? Would that change your mind?  Looks like it. Read More »

With word that the fun-loving, tan-tastic kids of MTV’s ‘Jersey Shore’ are renegotiating their contracts so that they earn $10,000 per episode in a new season, a few thoughts went through our mind. Firstly: Damn, that’s a lot of money (though with their ratings, we say they deserve it whether they’re buffoons or not). And secondly … what could/should they buy with their newfound wealth?

So, we broke down what could be purchased with one episode’s paycheck ($10k), including some recommendations we think would benefit their next summer in Seaside Heights. Read More »

Back in the day when Speedo one-pieces were cool, I had no interest in tanning. Although I fought through “sunscreen smear down” sessions with my mom, my skin was still, for the most part, shielded from the sun all summer long. It wasn’t until my friends started wearing bikinis and lots of Hawaiian tropic, that my Irish complexion got it’s first taste of sunburn. I quickly realized that getting the perfect tan wasn’t really in the cards for me…well unless I wanted to look like a leather handbag years later.

It’s scary how many times my skin has peeled, even blistered. I’ve accumulated many freckles, and one of them could easily be cancerous. At least that’s what I hear. Freckles appearing after a sunburn have been associated with an increased risk of melanoma skin cancer – the fatal kind. And even worse, it’s been estimated that nearly half of all Americans who live to age 65 will develop skin cancer at least once, according to MedicineNet.com.

Clearly we are all guilty of neglecting our skin for vanity’s sake. I mean, who doesn’t enjoy that bronzed glow? But ten, fifteen years from now, we’ll be kicking ourselves when the wrinkles, blotchy sun spots or melanoma develop.

So what can we do now to prevent further sun damage? Read More »

It’s a balmy 38 degrees out in Boston, and that can only mean one thing: Spring is coming! For the past few weeks, I haven’t been able to get the springtime out of my mind. All I want to do is wear a sundress and have a picnic in the park with a cute boy. Only problem? I’m about as white as a baby’s bottom. Literally. Which has gotten me thinking- should I go the sunless tanning route? Honestly, I’m torn.

Love it: I love the idea of being bronzed all over without having to deal with sun damage and future wrinkles, or even worse, cancer. It’s awesome that cosmetic companies have come up with so many different ways to fake a tan without harming your skin in the sun, or even worse, in a tanning bed. It’s so easy to just slather on your favorite sunless tanning lotion after a shower. Plus, most of them have a delicious summer-y smell. Mmmmmmm! Read More »

So you are not going on spring break… I share your pain. I will be returning home, where it is also cold, to substitute teach bratty kids instead of drinking pina coladas in the sun. FML.

It sucks listening to everyone talk about their plans, but it will suck more when they all come back with sweet beach tans, and I, well, still glow in the dark. Seriously, the other day my best friend called me pasty (harsh, but true).

And this, my friends, is why I am looking for a bottled glow.

Tanning beds scare me with their cancerous connotations. Spray tans scare me too; I don’t want to look like I have a bad case of Lindsey Lohan. So I am going to suggest to you some of the best self tanners out there. I know – self-tanners sound pretty intimidating as well. I will admit I had a horror story experience with one in the 8th grade. Here’s me, so excited to wear my new green halter top, turned totally orange, passed my crush walking down the street. Ultimate humiliation. But, don’t let that turn you off of self tanners! That situation was caused by a serious lack of knowledge about what I was doing or what kind of product to use.

The great thing about the products below is that while they are not an instant bronze color, they will gradually give you a natural looking, healthy tanned glow. Hopefully this will help you keep up with your Spring Breakin’ roommates without coming back to campus looking like the orange eighth grade version of me. Read More »

Wow.  Awkward

MTV continues to kill the music

Angelina Jolie DOES NOT AGE

Aww…Has Been’s in love!

Keep his lingerie?

Would you wear Avril?  Yeah, me neither.  But Tokyo would!

Mmmm, Kool-Aid

Sarah Palin lovvvveesss her tanning bed

Tina Fey is “sexist!”

The infamous Cat Rap

Megan Fox tells Miley and Vanessa “F*ck Disney“

Carry your “toys” in style...

My Dinner with OJ

Have you seen this show Sunset Tan? If not, let me enlighten you. Employees who work at a tanning salon (Sunset Tan, natch) are filmed as they deal with celebrity clients, co-worker dramz, and a whole lot of spray downs.

Reality show meets real life, people. You can walk into their store and onto their set simultaneously.

Nick D’Anna, a member of the cast, answered some questions for me about the show.

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH THE SHOW?

“The show was brought to us by E!…” Nick explained. He went on to say that the owner of the place was interviewed and E! loved him…then they decided to interview the people who worked there and it took off from there.

IS THERE A STIGMA ATTACHED TO BEING ON THE SHOW?

“Sure. People think it’s fake or that we’re fame whores, but you can walk in any day and there we are…” Read More »

As summer looms closer, many people start to realize their blindingly pale skin and hit the tanning bed. But, according to a new study published in the March 2007 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, tanning may not only be a self-esteem booster, but a real addiction as well.

The study used a testing tool to gauge the presence of a substance-related disorder to determine whether some college students could really be hooked on tanning, as if it was a drug or substance. 18% of the students who admitted to purposely tanning their skin scored positive on this test, indicating they could be addicted to UV light.

Our society tends to associate being bronzed with attractiveness, and I don’t know why that is. I have to admit that the tanner I am, the better I feel about myself. But I have to ask myself if it’ll be worth it in the long run. What do you think? Could you be a tan-o-holic?