I’m lucky because I was diagnosed with a skin disease when I was little. I have Cutaneous Lupus, which basically means I have always been aware of the sun and it’s effects. I must admit on a general day-to-day basis I don’t quite see it as a blessing. But as four smart 21-year-old women discussed how best to get a tan I realised my disease may be my saving grace.
My friend Lydia* started it all with this question: was it healthier to use fake tan on a regular basis or sporadically go to a solarium?
Lydia believed the chemicals within fake tan made it much more unhealthy than using a solarium on an irregular basis.
I was dumbfounded. How could four smart women get onto such a stupid debate? The question shouldn’t be which product does less damage, but instead it should have been: why do people still seek a tan after all these years of sun awareness?
The even bigger question here is: can too much knowledge and fear actually increase the risk of doing something stupider? Lydia’s reasoning that fake tan has really bad chemicals may be spot on. Her knowledge of this however results in her making, what I think, is a really stupid decision.
I’ll be the first to admit that a tan can make your body look nicer. So I pose to you this; instead of actively seeking a tan why don’t we just put on some sunscreen and go out for a walk, or take a group of friends and have a picnic? Therefore you can get some exercise or catch up on gossip, while you get some vitamin D. We can’t forget the sun has benefits for our body too!
*name has been changed
