Skin Protection: Fake Tanning and No Sunblock Equals Trouble

I would like to discuss the topic of skin. I live here in the sunny sate of Florida, and all too often, I witness countless numbers of women exposing their precious skin for hours on end in the sunlight at beaches and pools.

My philosophy with skin is simple. If your skin was meant to be dark, then it already would be. I realize it's always nice to improve the appearance of your body. If you're overweight, then go ahead and workout and eat healthier foods. If you have a cavity, then go ahead and go to the dentist. If you look bad in red, then go to the store and buy some blue blouses. If you have split ends, then go ahead and go to the salon. But, please, ladies, don't try to change your skin. Please leave it be. It looks fine just the way it is. Skin cancer is no laughing matter. Even tanning beds can easily give you skin cancer. And let's not forget the aging factor. The sun can do wonders on making you look older if you get too much of it. Who wants to look older? These excessive sun rays can also affect your immune system. So, in addition to risking yourself with cancer, you could also be calling in for more sick days in the future. It's just not worth it.

The funny thing is that while most of us tan to look better, most of us end up looking WORSE after tanning! I can not tell you how many times I have seen women looking like flaming lobsters because they baked in the sun too long. Sometimes, women get so burnt, they become covered in redness and sun blisters and they become too ashamed to even be seen in public for a couple days.

Please don't tan to gain the attention of the guys. When talking about the appearances of females, we talk about many things. We talk about many features of the female body, but I will be completely honest with you when I say that I NEVER heard a single guy exclaim "She is totally hot! Have you seen the tan on that girl?" It just doesn't happen. We just don't care that much about tans. So if your motivation for a tan is to impress the opposite sex, you're more than likely wasting your time.

I also realize that there are some women who tan for other reasons. Some may tan to cover up blemishes or bad skin. Well, I am no doctor, but I would guess that there is not one single doctor who would recommend excessive tanning to cure bad skin. I suffered from very bad skin when I was younger and I eventually found a much simpler and safer solution to treat my skin rather than risking my health in the sun and in tanning beds. I simply drank more water; I started taking vitamins; I got more fresh air; and I cut down my intake of sodas and sugar. If that doesn't help improve your skin, then I would recommend seeing a dermatologist - not the tanning bed.

Yes, I understand that there may be moments when you feel darker skin is ABSOLUTELY vital. It could be a big date, or a big conference, or your own wedding. If you really believe that you are in desperate and immediate need of dark skin, I would simply recommend using sunless sprays and lotions. They can give you a nice temporary tan and they don't even burn you or put your health in jeopardy. Of course, when I say "lotions," I'm not referring to that cheap bottle of lotion in the discount store. Those cheap lotions will just make you an orange and smeared mess. My sister once tried one of those cheap sunless tan lotions. She ended up looking like a human carrot! If you are in need of sunless tanning, please go to a salon. More and more of today's tanning salons are now offering high quality sunless spray methods, so that would definitely be a safe and effective choice to use if you need to darken yourself in a hurry.

Like I said before, excessive tanning without proper protection is just not worth the risk. Burns, wrinkles, blisters, cancer, weakened immune systems . . . do we really want all of that?

I'm not saying we should not enjoy the beaches or pools. I am simply asking that we all enjoy these moments with a little protection. Whether it is sun block, umbrellas, or hats, please use something to protect yourself from skin cancer.

Ladies, your skin is just fine. I don't care how dark or pale your skin is. I don't care how skinny or heavy you are. I don't care how tall or short you are. If you want to look better, all you have to do is SMILE! A nice smile always beats a nice tan!