about 5 months ago, i made the decision that i was going to stop doing things that are bad for me. this meant, among other things, that i was going to end my long-term love affair with the tanning bed.
in case you live under a rock, here are some facts from wikipedia:
-ultraviolet (uv) radiation is the most prominent and universal cancer-causing agent in our environment.
-the us department of health and human services, public health service, national toxicology program report on carcinogens states that uv solar radiation, and use of sun lamps and sun beds are "known to be a human carcinogen."
-women who visit a tanning parlor at least once a month are 55% more likely to later develop melanoma than women who don't artificially suntan.
-exposure to uv radiation has a detrimental effect on the immune system.
-excessive exposure to uva radiation will cause premature aging, including wrinkles, sunspots, and loss of skin elasticity.
oooh, sign me up.
most people know all of these scary tanning bed facts, and yet they are still willing to risk cancer and leather-facedness in order to be orange. i should know, i was one of them for a very long time.
let me tell you how terrified i was of giving up my tanning membership. the thought of being pale was unbearable, and i had never tried self-tanning lotions before, because i just knew that they would be streaky and fake. but i found one i like, and it's not as flawless as a uv tan but it will definitely do. i am happy and proud to say that i am no longer paying someone to give me wrinkles and cancer. and i just left a head-to-toe checkup at the dermatologist with a clean bill of dermatological health.
for more information on skin cancer and tanning, go to http://www.skincancer.org/tanning/
6 comments:
I got really into Mystic tans when my friend found some free coupons a while ago. I LOVED them. My friends thought it was stupid, but I liked being tan and not wrinkling.
agreed! if only i could bring myself to spend $50 a month for a mystic membership... for now i'll have to stick to my $9 drugstore brand...
Oh yay! You didn't call or email me back, so I was worried you didn't get a clean bill of health and you simply weren't ready to talk about it yet. Isn't it refreshing to know your skin and cute moles are ok!?:o)
love you girl!!
OOOH! Is it something I can do before this weekend. Lord knows I am the palest I have ever been. Would it be safe with baby?? What is the name of it?
i've been using l'oreal sublime bronze (in the darkest formula they have) but i don't know about mr. brady:
http://www.sunlesstanning.ws/learn/pregnancy-tanning.html
hey there, i just stumbled on your blog and really connected with this post.. i just recently cancelled my tanning membership and started using a lotion for it, and i'm embarassed to say that it really was one of my hardest decisions! for me, being pale is terrible, and i was so paranoid about turning orange with the lotions.
okay, i'm rambling. my point is, i love your blog- it's very refreshing!
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