Tan Envy..What To Know And How To Get It!

First thing is first, I dont want this article to scare people. Any of my friends and family who know me well will all say I can be intense about suncare and skin cancer. While I am overly cautious about my skin it also very important to me to make people aware that there is a real risk with our thinning ozone layer of skin problems. Now I am not going to sit here and type the A,B,C,D’s of moles to you in fact if I went by that chart I would covered in scar’s from skin removals. What I will tell you is what I have learned about skin/sun care and also safe ways to have a golden glow.

Dr. Magdy Migally and his brother Nabil have been my long time dermatolgists. I started getting skin checks when I was a teenager with my mom. When my mom was in her early thirties she went to the ER for an asthma attack while she was there a nurse pointed out a spot on her back that she suggested be checked. Thats when the Migally brothers came into our lives. He quickly removed it but with confident assurance said, “even if it is cancer we removed deep into the tissue and it will be fine” That was my first experience with a doctor that seemed so calm about something that could be very serious. He has such a calming manner and makes you feel like its really going to be okay. It turned out my mom’s mole was not cancer but it was pre cancerous which meant from now on not only would she get regular checks but also be more careful in the sun. As a kid that was very impressionable to me and I cant lie that I have an intense fear of skin cancer. With that in mind I will also admit that I have used tanning beds and laid in the sun my fair share but I do go get my body checked head to toe every August and I am now tanning bed free.

Dr. Migally has always been very straight forward about skin issues with me. Everytime I go in I am convinced that I have an evil mole waiting to ruin my life. I have had one removed in 15 years and it was fine. “It’s not the snake in the grass, it is the lion in the far distance” that is what Dr. Migally has drilled into my brain. Skin Cancer is a very slow growing disease that can easily be prevented with yearly checks. It also important to do your own checks at home to watch for changes. Color is the most important thing to look for anything black, purple or bluish needs to go for sure. Also watch for dry patches of skin that dont go away with treatment, sores that wont heal and moles that are getting bigger, changing, bleeding or itching. Again the thing to remember is that these are the warning signs, just make an appointment, get it removed and go on with your day.

So how do you still get that healthy tan we all love? There are lots of ways now and it’s easier than ever! My first rule is tanning beds are not good for you! I dont care what the companies and lotions say, the World Health Organization has stated that people who tan in tanning beds are 75% more at risk for skin cancer than the average person. The fastest growing group of people affected by this are women 15 to 25. Teenage girls are 80% more at risk for skin cancer than any other group and have a 1 in 5 chance of finding a melanoma on them before the age of 30! This is a scary statistic and is reflected by the tanning industry. So yes tanning beds are bad for you even the occasional session is equal to 10 hours in the sun.

What about self tanning? I used to self tan and it requires dedication. The exfoliating and mositurizing just never works out for me. I know people who are great at it and never have an uneven spot. I always seemed to have a darker elbow or a strange line on my neck. There are lots of great product lines out there now that even have paint rollar type applicators so you can get your back. I am a fan of the Sun Labratories product line for both self tanning and airbrush tanning. The color is very natural and has never appeared orange on my skin plus they have that nifty rollar lol. The other great thing about the company is that you can go on their website and get samples to try before you buy. Visit http://www.sunlabsonline.com/index.html or you can purchase the line at Enhance Spa and Lash Studio in Springboro.

My choice of tan is now the airbrush. I was nervous the first time having never been fully airbrushed and hearing the horror stories of the spray tan. Susan, my airbrush artist was quick to answer all my questions and assured me I would not turn orange. She had me put lotion on my feet and hands and I could either just wear underwear or tuck my bra straps for the application but lets face it I work at a boudoir studio so I went for just the bottoms lol. You stand in a little tent and the artist will direct you when you when to turn and move to get an even application. I ended up doing three rounds on my entire body which gave me more color than I could have ever achieved myself and it was stunning. The color was natural, didnt streak, and was dry within seconds. I got the tan at 2:00 on a Saturday and that evening around 8:45 boxed in the Dayton Knockout in front of a thousand people. No streaks, no orange shirt, just a perfect glowing tan that my opponent Jen Dean from Dayton History also got earlier in the day. Her result was the same, perfect glowing tan. It lasted for me about 3 to 4 days but I shower twice a day and exfoliate regulary. This service will run you about 45.00 but the price is worth it if you have a special event and many times spas will run specials on airbrush tanning. Tips before you go: dont wear makeup, dont use lotion and be sure and shower/shave before hand. Many places offer this service but since I am a fan of the Sun Lab line I get mine done at Enhance Spa in Springboro with Susan.

Finally the spray tan or the poor man’s airbrush as I call it. I recently tried this for the first time and did the same prep as I mentioned above. Once again I have friends who have had it done and it looks great but for me it was a little intense. I went to LA Tan for mine and was instructed to put way more than I thought I could even need of the barrier cream on my hands and feet. I stood in front of this giant spraying machine and waited for the magic. A friend of mine had told me to do a twisting motion so that the application was more even. I did everything right…..I thought. I went home and went to bed once it dried and in the morning I looked like a mess!! Orange lines on my arms, hands that were orange and my face looked like a bad jersey extra. What to do? Google of coarse! I searched and found out lemon juice, exfoliating and showering would help. I went to get in the shower and watched as the orange ran down the drain and I frantically scrubbed away at my skin. Once I got out it was better and managable but it was uneven. It has been a week today and the fading tan looks kinda like leprosy on me lol. I have patches on my legs and arms that are dotted orange and pale underneath. Maybe it works for some people, maybe I will try it again but for now the spray tan is not for me.

So the moral of this article is that there are plenty of safe ways to tan. You can get a healthy tan without baking yourself. Use an SPF with at least a 30 in it. (I use an 80) to keep your skin from getting burned or damaged,  I prefer the kids spray brands because they smell better. Get your skin checked!! I dont care if youre pale, tan, freckled or dont have a spot on you go and get a yearly exam.(most insurances cover this as preventive care)You dont have to avoid the sun you just have to be careful and like everything use moderation. Dr. Migally was very supportive of this article and would be more than happy to do body checks on anyone who is interested. He is located at 5212 Brandt Pike Suite A. Huber Heights , OH – 45424. 937-233-0748.