Why I chose the uv free life
The decision was easy when my life was in danger....
Yes, you read that correctly... Have you ever received news that was such a shock to your system it was an immediate cause for change reaction? My dermatologist did that to me 7 years ago, her exact words were "Keep tanning and you will die", she was so matter of fact it scared the sh** out of me.
I had been in the tanning industry for 4 years by this point, tanning EVERY SINGLE day, promoting this unhealthy lifestyle because I was given such misleading and false information. I was what you could call a "tan-addict", doubling up on my uv exposure in a 24hr time frame was not only unhealthy, but life-threatening. We called it "double dipping, or cocktailing", this is where you would uv tan first, spray tan next, then "set" your spray tan with a 2nd uv session. I'm sorry, but WTF?!...AND THIS STILL EXISTS!? Looking back, I am MORTIFIED and let's be real Facebook LOVES to remind us of how we looked back in the day. Here I am looking like a burnt piece of bacon my skin just screaming damage, NOT CUTE. *We will call this photo "Burnt CoCo circa 2011".
Despite popular belief you DO NOT need to lay in a tanning bed or outside on a hot sunny day to receive your daily vitamin D dosage. It's a common misconception that the uv industry has exploited and used for marketing purposes. In a recent article I read from SKIN CANCER FOUNDATION, according to Deborah S. Sarnoff, MD. "Adults should obtain their recommended daily dose of 600 IU (international units) of vitamin D safely, from foods such as oily fish and fortified dairy products and cereals. And an easy way to ensure you are getting enough vitamin D is to take supplements. I strongly advise against exposure to artificial UV radiation (tanning beds), since the health risks — including skin cancer and premature skin aging — are significant and potentially life-threatening." So.... with this knowledge from an expert MD, it's safe to say living a uv free life is actually BETTER for you in the long run, wouldn't you agree. Please don't take this as me saying live like a vampire BUT, I am telling you to LIMIT your uv exposure, wear your SPF, drink your H2O, and most of all remember the FACTS! -First use of a tanning bed before age 35 increases your risk for melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, by 75%. -Indoor tanners are also 2.5 times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma and 1.5 times more likely to develop basal cell carcinoma, the two most common skin cancers. -Obtain your recommended daily dose of 600 IU (international units) of vitamin D safely, from foods such as oily fish and fortified dairy products and cereals.
I know the sunless life isn't for everyone, and I am not here to convince you to live like me. I just want to educate you on the facts and share my own personal experience with the dangerous side of uv tanning so you can make the BEST and MOST INFORMED decision for you. I made the choice to be UV FREE, because my health and life were more important to me than being "really tan". I am a huge advocate for a UV Free lifestyle, even starting my own sunless company CoCo Glo Bar LLC which offers a safe alternative to uv tanning in my hometown of Boise, ID. If you have never tried a custom spray tan from certified technician, I HIGHLY suggest you try it at least once, don't think of it as vanity like most do, it's truly skincare for those who want to age gracefully. I PROMISE receiving a great spray tan from a certified technician will expand your outlook on sunless tanning and maybe even sway you to join the sunless sister tribe. Happy Glo'ing Booski, Contessa "CoCo" Parsons Owner/STC Master Educator CoCo Glo Bar LLC 963 S Orchard St STE 202 Boise, ID 83705 Give us a follow: Insta instagram.com/cocoglobar FB facebook.com/cocoglobar