If you have a habit of baking yourself in a UV ray oven several times a week for that “sunkissed” look, you may want to reconsider it. Tanning beds won’t just age you prematurely…they can kill you. Most people know that sun damage to the skin can cause a host of problems, from premature aging to life-threatening cancer. So why do countless people keep tanning?
Tawny Willoghby, a nurse from Alabama, recently discovered just how serious the consequences of tanning can be. Now, she’s bravely sharing the lesson she learned with the world.
This is the idea of a tanning bed: quick, easy, and safe.
When Tawny was in high school, she was an avid tanner. By her own account, she went to a tanning salon four or five times in a week.
Facebook / Tawny Willoughby
She felt her tan faded quickly, so she often frequented the tanning salon.
But that all stopped when, at only 21 years old, she was first diagnosed with skin cancer. Six years later, she’s had five cases of basal cell carcinoma and one case of squamous cell carcinoma.
Facebook / Tawny Willoughby
She also has to live with rounds of dermatological treatments. Despite the fear of illness and the painful procedures, Willoughby still considers herself lucky to have avoided melanoma.
Facebook / Tawny Willoughby
THIS is the reality of what could happen to you if you use tanning beds.
This isn’t the cancer — this is one of the several treatments that Willoughby has undergone to combat it. The scabs you see here take a few weeks to heal, but due to the damage and the treatment, Willoughby says her skin will be a sunburn-like red for months.
Willoughby realized that she could help prevent potential skin cancer-related tragedies by sharing the picture of herself covered in scabs and cuts from the treatment. It’s a tough picture to look at, but Willoughby wants people to see the harsh reality that tanning beds — something that might seem like a simple luxury — can lead to.
As of now, millions of people, mainly young people, still use the beds, even though research has shown that they aren’t safe.
Today, Willoughby is doing better, and is making safer, more sun-conscious choices.
Willoughby and her son, Cody.
Word is getting around about Willoughby’s ordeal. Her brave image has been shared upwards of 50,000 times so far. She visits her dermatologist once to twice a year, and says she’s had cancerous material removed at each visit.
If she has one piece of advice to give, Willoughby warns people to stay away from tanning beds, to wear sunblock if they’re going to be outside, and to limit their time in direct sunlight.
If you crave a sunkissed glow, go with a spray tan. And if you have anything suspicious looking on your skin, such as a mole or area that changes in color, size, or texture, get it checked out immediately.
“You only get one skin,” Willoughby says, “and you should take care of it.”
