A news report on www.skininc.com went into detail about a recent study of college students and their views on tanning. A surprising 27% of 400 students reported signs of what was termed “tanning dependence”. Symptoms of this dependence apparently are similar to those addicted to hard drugs, meaning the students were preoccupied with thoughts of tanning and each session was akin to getting a “fix” of their “drug” of choice.

Making matters worse, the study also revealed that the respondents who showed signs of tanning dependency were also more likely to be concerned with being overly-thin and more likely to smoke cigarettes. Individually each of these obsessions are a serious problem to your health, but combined they are even that much more dangerous.

Youth and young adulthood may be tied with feelings of invincibility, but this news is cause for concern not only for those enjoying college life but also for parents of college-aged students. Tanning, be it from the sun or from tanning beds, puts skin of any color on the fast track to wrinkles, discolorations, and DNA mutations that can lead to skin cancer later in life. Add to that the damage smoking does combined with maintaining a limited diet to stay thin and you have a recipe for bodily disaster. The consequences may not show up until later in life, but without question the damage is cumulative and worsens every single time you tan, no matter what the tanning salon states.

But back to the dependence issue: the researchers discovered that, much like smokers who know the habit is unhealthy but can’t successfully quit, those dependent on tanning report discomfort when they’ve gone too long without tanning and admit to having a hard time controlling their tanning habits despite full knowledge of the consequences (and that includes vanity-spoiling side effects such as discolorations and wrinkles).
Interestingly, those who tan in the sun report stronger feelings of dependency than those who, either for climate or convenience sake, use tanning beds to darken skin. Those considered most dependent were respondents who spent time tanning in the sun as well as using tanning beds—their ultimate goal was to maintain their tan because they felt signs of discomfort when their tan was fading.

The researchers hope to use these results and their links to other unhealthy habits to better understand what motivates people to engage in risky behaviors. My take on this obsession is related to the sometimes desperate need women (and some men) have to look beautiful at any cost (I assume smoking is the panacea used to keep weight down given the number of models and young celebrities who continue to puff away). During youth it’s a tanning preoccupation, in your 30s and 40s it is spending exorbitant amounts of money on skin-care products to look younger, and then later in life undergoing far too many surgeries and dermatologic procedures, among other obsessive preoccupations driven by the need to look beautiful. Make no mistake: looking attractive or beautiful isn’t a bad goal, but it’s a clearly problem when it becomes unhealthy or unrealistic.


 High Impact Lipstick SPF 15 ($14). This cream lipstick comes with the selling point of having it all, and Clinique is almost right. I am thrilled that the sunscreen is in-part zinc oxide, so broad-spectrum protection is assured (If only Clinique would follow suit with their other lipsticks and glosses with sunscreen!). This also has a beautifully creamy texture that feels neither greasy nor thick. It sets to a soft cream finish and provides medium coverage. Where they went slightly astray, at least in terms of the “have it all” claim, is that the colors aren’t full coverage, which compromises their longevity. Most of them have a good stain, but this will wear off the same as most cream lipsticks—it won’t maintain a just-applied look for eight hours, even if you avoid lipstick-wrecking activities such as eating and drinking. However, taken as a creamy lipstick with effective sunscreen, there is no question this wins high marks, and the shade range is wonderful. Those who love cool-toned red shades should check out Red-y to Wear!

Dear Paula,

I have a serious concern about an upcoming chemical peel and am turning to you for advice. I have cystic acne and have scheduled a chemical peel to take care of some of the superficial scarring. However, I keep getting conflicting advice as to whether having a peel with active acne is a wise decision. Your book The Beauty Bible says that peels when acne is still present are “unwarranted.” One dermatologist and one plastic surgeon both said it is fine, but the dermatologist who treated my acne said that nothing can be done about the scarring until the acne has completely cleared up (and warned me about the horrible consequences of peeling with acne).

Concerned, via e-mail

Dear Concerned,

First, any doctor who brushes off a patient’s concern about side effects with a terse “it’s fine” comment is not taking the time to give you the kind of information you need to make an educated decision. Equally problematic is the other doctor who warned you of all the risks with none of the potential positives. One of the risks in doing a peel when you have acne (aside from healing time, irritation, and minimal chance of skin discolorations for fair to light skin tones and a higher risk for darker skin tones) is that while you are healing, it is a problem to use traditional acne medication on freshly peeled skin—which means you may go through a breakout without being able to use blemish-fighting products, making matters worse. There is also the chance the peel could trigger breakouts. That is why I felt it is unwarranted while acne is still active. However, the various types of peels can make skin look smoother and it can help unclog pores, reducing some risk of breakouts. That is why your individual situation (depending on the kind of medication you are on, the amount of scarring you have, the frequency and severity of breakouts you have, and what kind of results you are hoping for) needs to be assessed patiently by a caring, knowledgeable physician. Only then will you be able to make the best decision.

Let Paula take a look at your daily skin-care routine, free! Readers are invited to submit their skin care regimens.

Molly's skin-care regimen submitted via email:

Is it OK. to use both your Hydrating Treatment Cream and your Skin Recovery Moisturizer? I like both and change them around every now and again. I presume both are suitable for night and day and have the same benefit. Also you recommend a toner but I never really had the shiny problem with your products Therefore, I assume I am fine with not using a toner as part of my daily skin-care routine.
            Molly, via email

Dear Molly,
My two moisturizers are suitable for day as long as you are wearing an SPF product on top or a foundation with a good SPF (rated SPF 15 or greater) on top. In terms of changing between two moisturizers, I do that too. Depending on my mood and how my skin feels I use them interchangeably, though the Skin Recovery Moisturizer is generally preferred for drier skin. Toners can be a wonderful addition to a skin care routine, but yes, given the products you are using it is not an essential step. If your skin gets oilier in summer, you may want to try using a toner in place of your moisturizer, but again, this is optional.

Let Paula take a look at your daily skin-care routine, free! Readers are invited to submit their skin care regimens with the complete names of products they use along with their skin type and skin concerns.  Paula will review your routine and make recommendations for product changes to assist in creating a personalized skin-care plan.

• Nicole Miller Skin Care
• Nia24 Skin Care
• Clinique Superdefense Moisturizers with Sunscreen
• Dior Crème de Gloss
• Make Up For Ever HD Microperfecting Primer
  

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