Dangers don't stop tanners

By Megan Finnerty
Senior Writer

Breeze through the sliding doors, swing left and come to terms with the cult of tan at Purdue.

Even though all the people interviewed for this article could rattle off a list of dangers associated with tanning ranging from cancer and wrinkles to skin thickening and premature aging, none were so moved by the risks as to stop tanning.

Ignorance is not the problem. Before men and women can tan, salons must make them sign a waiver detailing the negative effects of tanning such as allergic reactions, sunburns, night blindness, increased skin sensitivity, wrinkling and premature aging.

Tanners are simply willing to accept the risks to enjoy the rewards.

Katie Pilot, a senior in the School of Liberal Arts, said she tans twice a week because she doesn't like looking pale and anemic.

"I come from L. A. and I'm used to being tan, and when I came here, I realized how quickly I got pale," she said. "I wouldn't say I'm addicted or anything because, it’s not, like, a top priority, you know?"

Pilot, whose skin has a dark-caramel cast, worries about wrinkles, but she said she thinks that when she graduates she won't be tanning so regularly.

Jason Stahl, owner of A Total Tan, said that there are numerous positive advantages to tanning, when done in moderation, which he considers to be four times a week or less.

"There are obviously things that tanning can help with," he said. "UV light does alter your mood considerably, especially in the winter months when it's dark and cold. Obviously there's the vanity part of it; anything that makes people feel more appealing is helpful.

"It helps with skin disorders such as psoriasis and some dermatologists even recommend it. I've got clients that are 70 years old coming in for help with skin problems."

Stahl has been in the tanning business for about 10 years and said he's seen a lot of changes since he started. In the past, women outnumbered men nine to one, but now it's about seven to three, and there's been a dramatic increase in bed quality and industry safety, he said.

Heidi McCullough, a junior in the School of Liberal Arts, has tanned since she was in eighth grade; she went before dances and family vacations. In high school she tanned intermittently, but once at Purdue she became a twice-weekly regular.

"I don't feel very attractive when I'm pale," she said. McCullough was not even dissuaded when her mother had to have several moles and lymph nodes removed because of skin cancer last year.

"It doesn't seem very real to me even though my mom got sick," she said. "If it were so bad for you, everyone would not still be doing it. If everyone is going to get sick, that means all my friends and I are going to get sick at the same time and that doesn't seem likely. I don't know, it just doesn’t seem like it could really be that bad for you."

Tanning is a routine activity for McCullough and her friends because it makes them feel better about themselves. "I think it's a phase and when I'm older I won't be doing it anymore," McCullough said.

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