Taking Care of Your Skin and Why You Should Stop Tanning!

[AllanahStarrNYC]

I have spent hundreds of thousands on cosmetic surgery and thousands on skin care products that promised miracles.

Through all of this- I was doing something that was the most damaging thing anyone can do to their skin and age- TANNING.

I at one point was a self confesses tanning bed addict. It all started in 1999 when I discovered that I, being naturally very white, could actually develop a tan.; a very dark one at that. From then on I was addicted. I moved into an apartment that was one block away from a tanning salon in Manhattan. My then boyfriend and I would visit it EVERY DAY, seven days a week. I was never dark enough.

One day I visited a plastic surgeon and he told me that if I kept tanning
the way I was I would have to have my face lifted before I was 35. He was right, I had a face lift at 29.

Still, I continued to indulge in tanning on and of and combined it with spray tans.

The thought of skin cancer never really scared me I was always interested in looking better, in which a tan ultimately does.

Besides the facelift, I did not start to see the real side effects of the tanning beds until last year. I started to develop sun spots and noticed some nasty premature wrinkles around my eyes. I noticed that when I did tan I developed a dark shadow over my upper lip and chin (sometimes congugated estrogen can lead to this when you are exposed to the sun).

My skin was really becoming dull and spotty so I made a vow never to visit a tanning bed again and when in the sun to always wear sun screen.

I can't stress this enough to anyone! Especially all the young girls!
Sun damage shows up years down the road and I started to notice mine
7 years after I became and obsessive tanner.

I've cleared up a lot of my skin issues by using Retin A, a bleaching cream, glycolic peels, and TCA peels. I am faithful to this regimen
and use a Retin A with bleaching cream every other night, a Glycolic peel once a week, a TCA peel every 6 weeks, and I get a facial once a month.
And of course a lot, and I mean A LOT of moisturizer and a sun block with at least an SPF 30 before I leave the house in the day. It took about six months to fade the spots, and get the issues under control.

My next goal is to have a full laser resurfacing to eliminate the damage that is left and your rejuvinate my tightly pulled, botoxed filled face even more :).

Even still, skin cancer might still show up because I was exposed so much to UV rays so I get a mole check when I visit the derm every so often.
That of course should be your biggest deterrent against baking in the sun.

So as summer comes folks, don't forget your sunscreen and most importantly don't bake in the sun and tanning beds!

If you are at least 1/10 as vain as I am, you will regret it later if you do!

All I rely on now is spray tans and at home self tanners that do the job just fine.

So remember, take care of your skin!

Are you a tanning addict?

[slinky]

''Did you see that guy? That is the toughest man I've ever seen in my life. Did you see how leathery he was? He was like a saddlebag with eyes.''
-- Billy Crystal as Mitch Robbins in City Slickers

[Supai]

Thanks Allanah, going by my mothers family its too true. I also am really pale, and the temptation of the sun or tanning beds really has been hard to resist. At times I've been addicted and relapsed a few years later, but have managed to keep myself from cooking relentlessly all summers long like my aunt and grandmother do to this day... from how leathery they look(imagine post 40s after a lifetime of it) it never fails to amaze me they still do.

[AllanahStarrNYC]

''Did you see that guy? That is the toughest man I've ever seen in my life. Did you see how leathery he was? He was like a saddlebag with eyes.''
-- Billy Crystal as Mitch Robbins in City Slickers


Haha yes and I did not want to end up like Magda from 'There Is Something About Mary' !

[AllanahStarrNYC]

Thanks Allanah, going by my mothers family its too true. I also am really pale, and the temptation of the sun or tanning beds really has been hard to resist. At times I've been addicted and relapsed a few years later, but have managed to keep myself from cooking relentlessly all summers long like my aunt and grandmother do to this day... from how leathery they look(imagine post 40s after a lifetime of it) it never fails to amaze me they still do.

I know it's SO HARD to resist tanning because it makes you look younger, slimmer, makes you glow, and just all around better. It just so so so bad for your. The damage the UV rays do to your skin is horrid.

But you can achieve comparible results by faking it.

My favorites are using The California Tan in salons and at home you cant beat the St. Tropez self tanning product line, which in my opinion is the BEST and never leaves you orange as it it olive based.

[Supai]

Gotta check that out, anything beats ending up like Magda o.O

[Realgirls4me]

A tan is basically displaying an injury -- injured skin. A little color and vitamin D is good, but why do so many women reach out to father time and the grim reaper as they do? I use to work by the beach here, and let me tell you, I met many a person who were in their mid 20s, and yet looked around 40. I kid you not!

[AllanahStarrNYC]

Gotta check that out, anything beats ending up like Magda o.O

Yeah try the St. Tropez products- you can get them @ Sephora or online.

In the UK its even better because you can get them at any Boots.

They have all kinds of variations, including these ingenius sponge gloves that let you aplly it all over your body without staining your hands.

Check em out!

[AllanahStarrNYC]

A tan is basically displaying an injury -- injured skin. A little color and vitamin D is good, but why do so many women reach out to father time and the grim reaper as they do? I use to work by the beach here, and let me tell you, I met many a person who were in their mid 20s, and yet looked around 40. I kid you not!

It's our culture as opposed to some Asian countries where a sign of dark skin is a sign of lower class- in the West it means youth, fabulosity, and wealth.

[User]

Hey now, I could have done without the pictures of Magda. :(

[PeterK]

A little tanning doesn't hurt anyone. Pale looking people are not the most healthy ones, they don't get some vitamins.

The number one plastic sugery job in Europe is breast reducing at least here. All the young women here are tall, have big breasts too big for their frames. At the age of forty the all suffer from neckpains, backpains lot's of breast cancer. The same goes for the breastimplants. Lots of women who had that surgery got cancer, backproblems you name it.
People who injected botox (poison) get problems.

You said it right Allanah: if you want to look beautiful and doing this by unnatural ways you will pay the price at one time.

[tstv_lover]

There are other reasons to avoid tanning.

Those living in Australia and New Zealand well know the high risk of melanoma and other skin cancers due to excessive sun exposure. Tanning is certainly no longer fashionable and kids are taught from an early age to keep their skin covered.

It's ironic that the use of CFCs in the northern hemisphere continue to damage the ozone layer covering the southern pacific.

Good post Allanah.

[PeterK]

And don't forget bodybuilders who destroy the tendons and joints not to mention their bodies with drugs.

It comes down to this: If you are not born beautiful just accept this
Not everyone is born with great genes like Frederique, almost 41 and still stunning and no plastic surgery, botox or whatever.
Damn our women are the best!!

[LibertyHarkness]

I am deathly pale white to extent i actually look like a bleeding milk bottle in person :)

Thank the lord for photoshop to darken your tones :)

But no i have never used a sunbed or would want to..Recently i have started using a johnson and johnsons skin cream that builds a low tan....i am now a kinda off white instead of zombie white :)

But i like my gothic pale skin, keeps me different :) and besides i turn into a lobster after 15min in the sun..

Libbs x

[AllanahStarrNYC]

A little tanning doesn't hurt anyone. Pale looking people are not the most healthy ones, they don't get some vitamins.

The number one plastic sugery job in Europe is breast reducing at least here. All the young women here are tall, have big breasts too big for their frames. At the age of forty the all suffer from neckpains, backpains lot's of breast cancer. The same goes for the breastimplants. Lots of women who had that surgery got cancer, backproblems you name it.
People who injected botox (poison) get problems.

You said it right Allanah: if you want to look beautiful and doing this by unnatural ways you will pay the price at one time.

I don't know how you manage to do it- but you are always mixing apples with organges and stating false information.

There is NO DATA anywhere to support your claim that breast reductions are the number one cosmetic surgery in Europe. However, there is data from certain European countries like the UK- where BREAST AUGMENTATION is the number one elected procedure and BREAST REDUCTION is number 10. Fruthermore, there is NO proof that anyone who hwrever got a breast aug developed cancer from it.

As far as you claim that many women have had problems with Botox- the only known complicarion with Botox is a cosmetic sympoton known as 'droopy eyelid' that can be corrected with special drops. So I am not sure what 'problems' you are talking about.

Where are you getting all of your false information? Or do you just make it up as you go a long?

Further more this article was about tanning not Botox or Beast Reductions- and yes SOME sun is good for you, about 15-20 minutes id adequate exposure if you are speaking medical wise, while wearing sunscreen.

As Real said a TAN is an INJURY to the skin:

"A suntan is the result of injury to the epidermis, the top layer of your skin. A tan develops when UV light accelerates the production of melanin. Melanin is the dark pigment in the epidermis that gives your skin its normal color. The extra melanin — produced to protect the deeper layers of your skin — creates the darker color of a "tan." A suntan is your body's way of blocking out the ultraviolet rays to prevent further injury to the skin, but the protection only goes so far."

[tsfarrah]

its definatly fake tan all the way with me

I used sunbeds in the past (very rarely though)

but i stick to fake now

Lo'real do a great tan mist here in london u just spray it on and go lol


though i'm getting a woman to come and do a proper airbrush tan on thursday before i skip over that little pond lol

[hwbs]

A tan is basically displaying an injury -- injured skin. A little color and vitamin D is good, but why do so many women reach out to father time and the grim reaper as they do? I use to work by the beach here, and let me tell you, I met many a person who were in their mid 20s, and yet looked around 40. I kid you not!

It's our culture as opposed to some Asian countries where a sign of dark skin is a sign of lower class- in the West it means youth, fabulosity, and wealth.


u my friend used to be a member of a different ethnic group when i first met u .... :anon

[TheOne1]

[quote="PeterK"]And don't forget bodybuilders who destroy the tendons and joints not to mention their bodies with drugs. [quote]

please don't "touch" on subjects you know nothing of..

[PeterK]

A little tanning doesn't hurt anyone. Pale looking people are not the most healthy ones, they don't get some vitamins.

The number one plastic sugery job in Europe is breast reducing at least here. All the young women here are tall, have big breasts too big for their frames. At the age of forty the all suffer from neckpains, backpains lot's of breast cancer. The same goes for the breastimplants. Lots of women who had that surgery got cancer, backproblems you name it.
People who injected botox (poison) get problems.

You said it right Allanah: if you want to look beautiful and doing this by unnatural ways you will pay the price at one time.

I don't know how you manage to do it- but you are always mixing apples with organges and stating false information.

There is NO DATA anywhere to support your claim that breast reductions are the number one cosmetic surgery in Europe. However, there is data from certain European countries like the UK- where BREAST AUGMENTATION is the number one elected procedure and BREAST REDUCTION is number 10. Fruthermore, there is NO proof that anyone who hwrever got a breast aug developed cancer from it.

As far as you claim that many women have had problems with Botox- the only known complicarion with Botox is a cosmetic sympoton known as 'droopy eyelid' that can be corrected with special drops. So I am not sure what 'problems' you are talking about.

Where are you getting all of your false information? Or do you just make it up as you go a long?

Further more this article was about tanning not Botox or Beast Reductions- and yes SOME sun is good for you, about 15-20 minutes id adequate exposure if you are speaking medical wise, while wearing sunscreen.

As Real said a TAN is an INJURY to the skin:

"A suntan is the result of injury to the epidermis, the top layer of your skin. A tan develops when UV light accelerates the production of melanin. Melanin is the dark pigment in the epidermis that gives your skin its normal color. The extra melanin — produced to protect the deeper layers of your skin — creates the darker color of a "tan." A suntan is your body's way of blocking out the ultraviolet rays to prevent further injury to the skin, but the protection only goes so far."

From doctors. I think but i am not sure that Europe is somewhat different then the usa.
Tanning is a part of the so called body culture just as body building, breast enlargment you name it.
And there is no special limit to sun exposure like you said. For some 10 minutes is bad and for some 2 hours. Talk about false information.

You don't think women with big breasts get neck problems?
Or back problems? That is false information too?
Botox : http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/botox_ad.htm
False information too?
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/02/08/botox.warning.ap/index.html
More false information?
Just because you use it doesn't mean there are no risks.

[MrsKellyPierce]

I prefer mystic tan.

I also used to tan religiously from the time I was in high school till I was 20 and I started getting little lines on my forehead. Which I had to cure with botox and now are gone with the help of surgery.

I stopped tanning and drink lots of water!

[Trogdor]

Well, I wanna tan badly.......I am so smeggin' pale....and it sucks alot cause I work out and do alot of good ab workouts and such....but being pale really makes one look smooth and soft, depsite being a hard body.

And if you got dark body hair, it makes an awful contrast. So, yea....I gotta get tan by any means possible.

[Trogdor]

And don't forget bodybuilders who destroy the tendons and joints not to mention their bodies with drugs.

:shock: :arrow: :x

HOLD IT!

As TheOne1 said, don't go to an area you know jack squat about.

Bodybuilding does not destroy tendons and joints......only idiots who swing and jerk weights about get hurt. And body building actually improves the joints and tendons done properly.

As for the drugs, that's for a different discussion all togather. :P


Hell, it's the rock stars that wreck themselves more than anyone else if anything chemical related is involved. :roll:


Ok, this venting is concluded. 8)

[juliana_dominguez]

i am a tanning addict. i just love laying on the beach during the summer getting my tan.

[PeterK]

And don't forget bodybuilders who destroy the tendons and joints not to mention their bodies with drugs.

:shock: :arrow: :x

HOLD IT!

As TheOne1 said, don't go to an area you know jack squat about.

Bodybuilding does not destroy tendons and joints......only idiots who swing and jerk weights about get hurt. And body building actually improves the joints and tendons done properly.

As for the drugs, that's for a different discussion all togather. :P


Hell, it's the rock stars that wreck themselves more than anyone else if anything chemical related is involved. :roll:


Ok, this venting is concluded. 8)

Craig Titus got his pectorals torn
Andreas Munzer died
So did Momo Benaziza
Franco got hurt while training and he was strong.
Al lot of people got burned out while doing Arnold's training programs
These are top contenders and rolemodels to a lot of gym rats.
I know Juliette Bergman very well and i know she hurt herself too so 'don't tell me i don't know what i am talking about.
What about the Mentzer brothers, one died and the other one the next day or so.
It is not a healthy sport. It is a body culture and just as dangerous as to much tanning, plastic sugerey etc etc.
O yeah you look good by some standards but once you get older you pay the price.

[drock]

I know it's old but up

[FreddieGomez]

I prefer mystic tan.

I also used to tan religiously from the time I was in high school till I was 20 and I started getting little lines on my forehead. Which I had to cure with botox and now are gone with the help of surgery.

I stopped tanning and drink lots of water!

Maury says "That is a lie"

[bridgetbbyxo]

I've cleared up a lot of my skin issues by using Retin A, a bleaching cream, glycolic peels, and TCA peels. I am faithful to this regimen
and use a Retin A with bleaching cream every other night, a Glycolic peel once a week, a TCA peel every 6 weeks, and I get a facial once a month.
And of course a lot, and I mean A LOT of moisturizer and a sun block with at least an SPF 30 before I leave the house in the day. It took about six months to fade the spots, and get the issues under control.

My next goal is to have a full laser resurfacing to eliminate the damage that is left and your rejuvinate my tightly pulled, botoxed filled face even more :).


omg yes.. i used to be addicted in highschool, then started to notices some of my skin was loosing its elasticity and some on it was looking wrinkled... so i stopped, but now i use Retin- Micro now, it truly is a god send. sometimes it is a little strong on my skin but it works! its all about prevention!!!

[Beaner]

omg yes.. i used to be addicted in highschool, then started to notices some of my skin was loosing its elasticity and some on it was looking wrinkled... so i stopped, but now i use Retin- Micro now, it truly is a god send. sometimes it is a little strong on my skin but it works! its all about prevention!!!

they say semen is good for your skin I can give you some of mines!

[Helvis2012]

You're right. Very dangerous these days. The planet's ozone layer is not what it used to be.