I heard something on the radio yesterday that really made my skin boil. A very well known Canadian Tanning Salon company had an advertisement on the radio.
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It went a little something like this:
"Feel confident in your skin and look great with [insert company name here]. Say goodbye to pale and pasty skin! Tan the smart way!"
I was instantly ticked off.
From what I gathered, the commercial was telling me two things:
1) There was something wrong with my current skin tone
2) I could tan smart.
Oh really now.
Throughout my teens are early twenties, I was not immune to the pressures of tanning my skin. I tanned for my prom. I also tanned for a couple weddings that I was a bridesmaid in and I tanned for my own wedding.
I tanned on my honeymoon.
I knew that I shouldn’t be doing it, but I did it anyways. I called myself an ‘event tanner’- I tanned for events I wanted to look my best for and the rest of the time I wore ample sunscreen.
What did tanning leave me with?
- Premature aging of the skin
- Fine lines due to the damage from tanning
Not cool.
I kept telling myself that I would just tan for special events and that would be it. Well, after my wedding last year I asked myself:
‘When would I ever be good enough? When would I start to challenge how I felt about my skin without a tan and put an end to this ‘event’ tanning?’
I had to face the cold hard truth.
I was tanning to cover up my insecurities.
The more I started to think about it, the more angry I got. Every where I turned, the media was telling me that pale skin was ugly and needed to be darkened.
Of course, magazines jumped on the Anti-tanning Bandwagon and started to promote using self-tanners.
But I couldn’t help but wonder still:
- Why do we have to use ANYTHING?
- Why can’t the skin colour that we are born with be good enough?
- Why must it be lighter, darker, or different in any way?
- Isn’t using a self-tanner still buying into the notion that we still aren’t good enough the way we are?
It is absolutely infuriating when you stop and think about all of the messages out there telling women to change their skin.
Well, I am here to say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. And I want you to join me.
After my wedding last year I made another vow. This time it was to myself. I vowed that I would never set foot in a tanning salon again.
Here are some startling Canadian Statistics on Skin Cancer that may have you vowing to do the same:
Canadian Dermatology Association 2009 Skin Cancer Fact Sheet
Skin cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in Canadians.
It is also the most common cancer in the world.
• More than 75,100 Canadians will be diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancer in 2009.
• Approximately 5,000 Canadians will be diagnosed with melanoma in 2009 and 940 will die of it.
• Basal cell and squamous cell skin cancer are the two most prevalent forms of this disease. Skin cancers, including melanoma, are highly curable if found and treated early.
• While less common, melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer since it can spread in the body and cause death.
• Canadians born in the 1990’s have two to three times higher lifetime risk of getting skin cancer compared to those born in the 1960’s. For those born in the 1990’s, there is a 1 in 6 lifetime risk of having skin cancer. For those born in the 1960’s, there is a 1 in 20 lifetime risk.
• The main cause of skin cancer is too much UV radiation.
• Skin cancer is one of a small number of cancers that can be prevented through simple measures such as limiting sun exposure, seeking shade, wearing hats and clothing, and using an SPF 30 or higher, broad spectrum sunscreen.
• There is a group of people at particularly high risk for skin cancer because of their skin type and amount of sun exposure. This includes those with: fair skin and blond or red hair; skin that burns and freckles easily rather than tans; a lot of sun exposure through outdoor work or recreation; many moles (> 50) or some large and unusual moles; a history of severe sunburns.
• Looking at all cancers found in the 15 to 29 age group, melanoma represented 7% of new cases in young men and 11% of new cases in young women, which may be attributable to social behaviours (seeking a tan), particularly in the latter group.• The rising rates of skin cancer are placing increased demands on dermatologists. There are fewer than 650 dermatologists to treat Canada’s population of more than 30 million. The number of dermatologists in Canada is decreasing rapidly as the rate of retirement far outstrips the number of new dermatologists in training.
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The truth is, there is no smart way to tan.
I am ready to learn to love my skin colour and appreciate the beauty in it. So what if most models and actresses have tans. Just think of Nicole Kidman and Anne Hathaway. They are both two beautiful role models that pale skin is beautiful.
Here is what I am committing myself to:
- Absolutely no tanning beds. Zilch. Nadda. None.
- No Self-tanner. WE DON’T NEED TO CHANGE OUR SKIN COLOUR.
- Don’t buy into the media hype that only tanned skin = beautiful. Beauty is what you were born with!
It is time that we as women start to challenge not just the focus on excessively thin ‘ideals’ in the media, but about our skin colour too.
Since the beginning of time, women have been told that we are not good enough the way we are. I am sick of it!
I hope you will join me in committing to my Love Your Skin Movement. As women, we have the power to influence trends with what we spend our money on. Stop endorsing it, buying it, and supporting things that make you feel that you are less of a women if you don’t do ‘X,Y,Z’.
Are you with me? :)
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Do you feel the pressure to change the colour of your skin or to tan? Have you ever used tanning beds despite knowing that you shouldn’t?
Awesome post, Angela!!!!!
I’ve been an advocate for skin cancer awareness and safe skin practices (and also extremely pale for a Greek girl!) since my early university days.
My little skin-cancer awareness group on Facebook that I started a few years ago is 530+ ladies (and men!) and growing strong. I hope you all will join!
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2503366285
I have always always ALWAYS felt pressure to be more tanned.
I have very very light skin. My whole family does, that’s how we were made!
We as a family get, not made fun of… but we get comments that we are extremely pale. My brother gets called “Oreo Cookie” because his hair is so dark and his skin so pale.
I would constantly get comments from people (not very nice people) who said things like “Get a tan” and “OMG your legs are so WHITE!”.
I never knew what to say. “I’m sorry?”… “This is the way I was born?”
In high school and university I was so insecure about my pale skin that I tanned a lot more than I should have. Outside… in tanning salons… with self tanner.
I was working so hard to cover up my skin because I thought everyone was looking at how pasty I was. I thought I couldn’t be AS attractive as I could be unless I was tanned.
But, when I was in Florida with my family a couple months ago a guy came up to me and said “Wow, your skin is so beautiful, it’s like porcelain”.
It was something I had never ever heard anyone say before. It almost made me cry. MY skin? Beautiful?
It was too bad it took some else to make me realize that I could be beautiful with lighter skin.
But now I know, this is the way I was made, and it’s not a bad thing! And if other people have a problem with it, then that’s THEIR problem.
After a long time, I am truly starting to feel comfortable in my own skin (literally :) )
I am with you on the Love Your Skin Movement all the way!
Thanks Angela!
I wrote a similar post about this awhile ago and evaluated some self-tanners – check it out!
http://www.thedailybalance.com/2009/05/05/try-it-protecting-yourself-from-skin-cancer-doent-mean-you-have-to-be-pale/
Wow, I completely support this Angela!
Throughout high school, college and even a couple years after college I was an AVID tanner. I grew up in Massachusetts and the tanning beds seemed to really lift my spirits during the cold winter months (and I thought I looked better tan!) Then I went to college in Florida where I would tan any chance I got! I even had a work study job at the pool where I would lounge in between classes. I was ALWAYS tan, despite many warning from my aunt and other family members who have had melanomas removed. I had the “I won’t get skin cancer” mentality. It really sunk in this past year though, when I met a 23 year old woman who had a malignant melanoma removed from her nose. Her post surgery pictures really scared me. They did a skin graft from her forehead to replace the skin they removed from her nose and for 4 weeks following the procedure she had a pronounced skin flap that went from the top of her forehead to her nose. It was horrible. She is now left with a deep scar about 8 inches long on her face. Despite this she is a beautiful, strong and confident woman, very admirable!
Meeting her prompted me to go to the dermatogist and have moles and freckles looked at, I had one removed from my calf. The Dr. also showed me the sun damage and freckles that I have from my constant sunning. So I am on a string of chemical peels and may do an IPL (light treatment) to decrease additional damage. If I had known now, what I knew then I would be less freckled and have more money in my pocket!
Thanks again for posting this Ange, you rock!
oops I meant to say I wish I knew then what I know now. : )
Ladies: The only anti-wrinkle cream is SUNSCREEN! :)
I have been recently found out that I have stage one malignant melanoma. I have been staying out of the sun for years and wearing all the sunscreen I can stand. Being a green eyed redhead is no help!! Of course, I live in Las Vegas so staying out of the sun can be real tricky! Skin cancer can be so easily prevented. If we can convince just one young person to stay out of the stupid tanning booths ( yes they are all over Las Vegas!! ) and to wear sunscreen we could win out on this. All tanning gave me was more freckles! Prevention is the key and it is never too late to start early! Thanks for bringing this up!!
Great topic Angela! I also am fair by nature and have always been too scared of tanning salons to go to one! I’ve dabbled with the thought of self-tanners because I too bought into the notion that pale and dimply was esthetically unappealing. It is rather silly that we should deny our natural coloring and try to be something we’re not.
This topic could go on to a much broader range of ideas – including makeup (I know you’ve already covered this one), dying hair, body hair removal, etc.
So interesting hearing from all of you – thanks for starting this post, Angela! Like many others, I had a spot of melanoma removed at age 26. I was never a sun worshipper but was a bit of event tanner and am fair skinned. No more tanning – I’m now the sunscreen queen and proud of it!
I love this idea of being happily pale – go us!! :)
I agree with the sentiment of this post totally, I just want to point out that we do get a wonderful and necessary nutrient from sunlight- Vitamin D (which is actually a hormone). The best way to get it is through sunlight. 10-20 mins a day are good, and in winter Vitamin D3 (NOT D2) and cod liver oil for the Vit A will substitute.
There are many harmful chemicals in sunscreen that when absorbed through the skin daily are indeed toxic. Research natural mineral based sunscreen.
Preach it sista! So glad you touched on this subject. I too relate to so many other ladies thoughts on this and I too struggled for years with tanning and I’m only in my 20’s! I can proudly say that I haven’t been tanning in about a year now! Working on loving my light skin still, but I will get there!! xoxo
great post angela! What a great way to spread awareness for skin cancer. Its crucial we all realize how important sunscreen is! And how deadly tanning booths are!
That’s nothing. Some tanning salons around here are spinning a research study that says Vitamin D prevents breast cancer. They are spinning that study to say that tanning (indoor or out) can prevent breast cancer! There’s a huge billboard in my town saying indoor tanning can prevent breast cancer. I kept re-reading it thinking I was missing something. Upon investigation, I found out it was paid for by the local tanning salon. How irresponsible!!!!!!!!!
Wow! THis is a great post. In my younger days after losing a lot of weight I decided to tan so when I went to try on new swim suites I would feel better about myself. I thought I looked really good when I was all tan and skinny. But, every time I would lie there trying to relax I thought about how I was purposely injecting myself with cancer! I will never tan again and freak out when I am outside and exposed without sunscreen. I work near a University and walk right by a tanning salon on my way to and from work. It makes me so sad to see all the young people walking in.using the salon. I’ll be going au natural from now on!
Great post! I too in high school used to tan..all the time. Luckily by the time I was 17 I stopped forever. This summer I did cave in and get a spray-tan…and then hated it! I’ve learned to embrace my pale, yet healthy, skin!
I’m 100 percent in agreement with you Angela. I’m a red head and I’m as white as they come. I get all kinds of “whitey” and “pale” comments. It makes me insanely insecure (I’ve always wanted to know what it feels like to be tan for just one day) but I know that I’m better off for staying pale.
For anybody who still considers going to a tanning bed (and I’m shocked this hasn’t already been mentioned), back in July the World Health Organization moved tanning beds into the highest risk classification for cancer causing elements. Tanning beds now join a very illustrious group of carcinogens like tobacco smoke, the hepatitis B virus and mustard gas. If THAT doesn’t make you think twice, you need to shake your head.
I have heard this sentiment in my head, but have not been brave enough to say it out loud.
“When would I ever be good enough? When would I start to challenge how I felt about my skin without a tan and put an end to this ‘event’ tanning?’
I had to face the cold hard truth.
I was tanning to cover up my insecurities.”
I am glad that you have figured the psychology of this out at a younger age than I have. I still TOTALY struggle with all that your post conveys and I still feel the need to change my skin color with self-tanners (I do not tan anymore). I still hate my skin the way that it is naturally – how sad!
Thanks for this post, it is genius.
After reading this post and thinking about being the dark haired, fair skinned woman of Irish ancestry that I am – when someone says “Oh you’re so pale/white/fair/whatever,” I’m going to say “Oh thank you!! You know, someone people have to work at glowing, but it just comes naturally to me.” ;)
I’m with ya girlfriend. I haven’t stepped back into a tanning bed for years. I hate feeling the pressure to look a certain shade of golden brown just to feel sexy or slim. Now don’t get me wrong….I’m all about getting some natural color while wearing my spf 45, but no more fake and bake for me! I tanned all through high school and worked at a salon in college where I tanned at least twice a week! Crazyness :( Now I use the organic tanagement paraben free self tanner when I have to be in a dress or bathing suit, but I’ve sworn off keeping the color up just for normal life. Good call drawing attention to this. I know lots of “healthy” eaters and exercisers who still tan. I just remind myself it’s just as bad as smoking!