Why is it that girls think it’s so darn hot to be unhealthy?
We women are all culprits.
We do the craziest things to our bodies in the name of beauty – things most of us cringe at the thought of – but the one that just isn’t making sense anymore? Tanning.
Nothing is more attractive than a healthy glow – like that of a pregnant women, sun-kissed cheeks after a day at the beach…even the rosy blush of a first date.
But the tanning beds are killing us off, to be blunt, and it’s time it ended. Skin cancer-related deaths popping up in news feeds are becoming too much of the norm.
There are few women over the age of “prom season” that haven’t used a tanning bed – using the Grade 12 graduation at their first experience with “fake ‘n bake.”
And that’s where it starts.
We could re-hash all of the statistics, all of those big words dermatologists use to show the dangers of tanning, but it’s not working.
Percentages, figures, facts…even those hard-to-look-at photos of victims, women without hair, are not getting the message across.
And it’s not hard to see why, is it?
And it’s not hard to admit it, either. We love being beautiful. It’s part of being a woman.
And the flashy front covers of those beauty magazines in the line-up at the supermarket aren’t helping the cause, are they?
Beauty is to a woman as toys are to men – it’s the only thing on our minds. Even we “tomboys” do our best to look the way we want.
Isn’t it time we changed that? In some ways, isn’t that ugly? To be so wrapped up in our appearances? Surely we’re missing out on the good stuff?
Maybe it’s time to look at your girlfriends and tell them they’re beautiful – even if they’re pasty white! A healthy glow is a healthy glow – you can’t achieve that from a tanning bed. You achieve that through proper nutrition, exercise, or even just a well-balanced professional and personal life.
Don’t we want to see our daughters, aunts, mothers and sisters walking to the beach with their sunglasses on, a funky hat, and a bright tube of sunblock? Isn’t that beauty?
Talk to an owner of a tanning salon, and they’ll tell you there are some positives to tanning – especially for folks with dry skin, people heading to the sunny south and so on – but the problem rests in the hands of Hollywood.
Anything can be okay in moderation, but when you go too far? Well, we all know what happens.
And well, it’s that time of year again. Women everywhere are itching for summer, dying to break out their swimsuits, and waiting to wear those sundresses to work.
If you’re going to go tanning, don’t overdo it. It’s not worth it. If your girlfriends are overusing, tell them.
It’s time we made our own decisions on what’s beautiful.
Healthy skin is a darn good place to start.
We all know the risk, it’s like smoking – the choice is ours.
Don’t let your friends end up in my news feed. Tell them they’re beautiful before it’s too late.
The Advertiser
