I Loved Tanning. 22 Years Later, I’m still Living With the Consequences

Résumé détaillé

I have lost count of all the recurrences I have had. Sometimes they look like dry skin, or a sore, and other times a scaly patch.

When I was younger, I used to love laying out in the sun every day until my entire body was bronzed. Having that sun-kissed glow made me feel so much more confident, I didn’t even bother with sunblock. Frankly, back then, hardly anyone gave it a second thought.

I grew up in Las Vegas, so I was certainly no stranger to the heat. Of course, our summers were extreme, but nothing could stop me from getting the perfect tan. I even used to cover myself in baby oil just to ensure my skin would catch every last one of the sun’s rays.

As for tanning beds, I hardly ever used them. That wasn’t down to me being cautious or caring about my health however, I just preferred laying out in the sun.

I could tan for hours; relaxing and embracing the natural desert climate.

It’s only now when I reflect on the decisions I made when I was younger that I ask myself, was the tan really worth it?

During my teenage years, I experienced some terrible sunburns but that didn’t stop me. I was on a trip to Hawaii when I got second-degree burns, and as soon as that skin peeled, I got burned again while I was in San Diego two weeks later. It was fresh skin so you can only imagine just how painful that was.

But still, sun safety just wasn’t on my radar, and it definitely wasn’t widely discussed.

This habit lasted throughout my teens, 20s and into my early 30s. I started participating in bodybuilding competitions in my 30s and I would tan for around six to eight weeks prior to any show because I wanted that deep bronze look when I stood on stage.

By the time I realized they used tanning color for the shows, it was already too late.

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