Need a Resolution? No Tanning in 2007!
A new year can be the start of a healthier you. So why not make a New Year's resolution to ban the tan from your
life this year?
Tanning not only roughens, leathers, wrinkles and ages
skin, it also causes skin cancer and weakens the immune system. UV rays are
classified as carcinogens, just the same as cigarettes. Quitting tanning now
can go along way to prevent cancer in later life, and it's a lot easier to
give up than nicotine.
Aside from being unhealthy, being tan is also going out of style. Trendsetters from the fashion and movie industry know that tanned skin isn't worth the damage it causes, and are embracing the idea of glowing, natural, untanned skin. "Radiant isn't about being bronzed, it's about being luminous," said Sarah Brown, Beauty Director, Vogue. "And you don't have to be tan to be that."
In fact, tanning is one sure way to remove your skin's natural youthful properties. The cellular damage caused by ultraviolet radiation is cumulative and often irreversible. The destructive process of photoaging — which can appear as early as age twenty for children and teens who tan regularly throughout the year — produces profound structural changes in the skin, including fine wrinkles, deep grooves, blotchiness, sagging and a leathery texture.
Make your New Year's resolution to stay out of tanning salons, apply a sunscreen regularly, and watch your sun exposure. You'll be rewarded with the natural beauty of your own skin and the knowledge that you're protecting yourself from cancer in the future.
