So yes, I used to be a SUPER tanner back in the day. I would "only" tan during the summer months so I figured it wasn't too bad. I would use the tanning bed and then lay out hard core on our beach trips. I was silly to not be more cautious since skin cancer runs in my family, but I just hoped I had my mom's skin! Well I FINALLY started listening to all the many, many articles in my magazines about how absolutely horrible the tanning bed is for you and how many young girls were dying from skin cancer. I finally got the realty that what I was doing was very bad. I stopped tanning 3 summers ago in 2010 and just switched to self tanners (which I have tried them ALL. Will definitely do a different blog on those soon!)
Fast forward a year a half after I stopped tanning. It was Feb 2012 and I went to my derm here in NC about this pesky little red dot (about the size of a pencil eraser) on my temple that just wouldnt go away and would randomly bleed just a tiny bit when washing my face. He looked at it and right away said, "Oh yea, I am positive that's basal cell skin cancer." Wait..WHAT?!?!? For those of you that don't know, I am an INSANE hypochondriac. To the point I let Google give me a full blown panic attack that results in tears and Lance telling me I am insane and he is going to break my phone if I don't get off, haha. So the doctor cut the piece off to send for test and yep, one week later I got the call that is was indeed skin CANCER and I needed an out patient SURGERY to make sure they got it all. The doctor reassured me this was the "good" kind if you are going to get it, and once it's gone from that spot, it's gone. I was definitely freaked out, but assumed the surgery would just be to remove a bit more, and since I had had quite a few spots removed in the past, wasn't too worried about that part. BOY WAS I WRONG. This tiny spot on my temple turned into them digging out a hole that was about the size of a LARGE marble to test that it was all gone. I will spare you the pictures I have, but it was not pretty. Then I had stiches all the way across my temple into my scalp. Thank goodness I had an amazing surgeon, and you can barely see the spot that was so gruesome at the time of surgery. The surgeon I had was different than my regular derm, and let's just say he was VERY stern with me being careful in the future and yes- made me cry. I know what's done in the past is done, so all I can do is be extra careful in the future. I consider myself lucky that is was just basal cell, and pray everyday that I will not get anything worse. I am definitely not in the clear since most damage takes years to show up, but I get 6 month on the dot check ups to scan for anything suspicious. I am also constantly checking my self and harassing poor Lance to see if he sees any "cancer" on me!
I write this post because I hope that someone will read it and realize that being tan is not everything, especially more important than what I went through, or what people who have it way worse have gone through. Yes, being tan looks "better" and can make you look skinnier, but SPRAY TAN is the way to go!! I am just hoping one day they don't come out and say the chemicals in that have been eating away at my skin! haha With all kidding aside, please friends.. do NOT use the tanning bed or spend too much time in the sun. I now wear sunscreen constantly outside, and when in it long periods, try to always be covered up in a hat and protective clothing. I will not only avoid tanning beds, but also will be avoiding the sun just because of my history.
As I mentioned before, I have used so many self tanners, and also sunscreens. I will be making posts on reviews for those to help hopefully persuade people to do the same in using them. I know most people who read this will think it won't happen to them, but guess what I used to think? The statistics are scary.. just a few times in the tanning bed can raise your risk 90% in getting skin cancer. You can't use the excuse, 'oh I just tan a few times before special events' because scary news flash- THAT IS JUST AS BAD AS ALL THE TIME. I would much rather be pastey, look a bit bigger and uneven, that ever go through what I did again. I know it is highly likely I could, and probably will, get more basal cell spots in the future, but I can still help prevent something worse from happening.
I share this story now because at the time it wasn't really something I wanted to blast all over social media because it was terrifying. It still is now, but with summer coming I want people to know there is a reason behind my anti sun/tanning bed comments. Please, please be careful. Your 80 year old self with be thankful. :)
And remember, pale skin is HEALTHY skin!!!
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