What are you smiling at?
When a friend forwarded me a Hollywood Tans press release yesterday, she knew exactly how I would respond—with outrage. If you know me at all, you know I’m obsessed with sun protection and that I can be extremely persuasive on the topic. So I read the release, which informed me that the company is launching energy efficient tanning booths with iPod jacks and better cooling devices…so you can do your part for the environment while soaking in mainly UVA rays which increase your risk of developing cancer and most certainly lead to premature aging in the form of wrinkles, age spots, sallowness and loss of elasticity? Seriously? You can listen to Kanye and feel a cool a breeze while you’re willingly absorbing this known human carcinogen, so you won’t get bored or hot and you’ll stay longer. And if you stay longer, you might achieve that extra shade of bronze that will mutate DNA in your skin cells and suppress your immune system and increase your likelihood of melanoma by 150%! I’ve made my point and at the risk of sounding preachy, I truly believe it’s unethical to encourage people to help save the environment by patronizing these tanning booths. Recycle something. Turn off the lights when you leave a room. Carpool. Bring your own bags to the grocery store. Do something, anything but this. On the bright side, think of the unblemished, glowing, taut skin you’ll maintain by skipping this mindless ritual. Think of the bouncer who may card you at the bar, even though you’re well into your 30’s. Isn’t that worth the price of a tube of broad-spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreen with an SPF 30 or higher?
-Lisa
February 3, 2009 at 5:13 pm |
i would normally 100% agree, having given up tanning years ago (and that was real sun), however i recently had a baby. i was still tinted green 2.5 weeks after the birth. my husband took me to a tanning salon, where i spent 6 minutes in starter bed. i left with color in my face and looking heathly and normal again. scarey that it only took 6 minutes- but i’m thankful for it! time and place for eveything?
February 4, 2009 at 3:47 pm |
as a melanoma survivor, i think tanning salons are unethical, immoral and should be illegal, after all isn’t this why god invented bronzer?
February 5, 2009 at 7:55 pm |
Growing up in New Zealand in the 70’s we used baby oil as a tanning accelerator, I cringe at the thought now!!