Tanorexia, tanorexic, tanning addict? None of these are new terms however, a new study suggests that frequent users of tanning beds exhibited brain activity similar to that observed in people addicted to drugs or alcohol.

A study published in the journal Addiction Biology found that tanning bed user’s brain activity and blood flow to the brain area are altered by tanning bed users in similar ways to drug and alcohol abusers. Scientists filtered out the UV light without telling the subjects and saw far less activity in regions of the brain that are normally associated with experience. The tanners did not feel fulfilled after the sessions without UV light and still desired to go tanning. This indicates that they could tell when they didn’t experience the addictive brain activity and felt as though they did not get their “fix”, much like with drugs.

This entry was posted on Monday, August 15th, 2011 at 9:30 am and is filed under Skin Cancer. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Happy Monday Everyone! Let’s kick of this week with a great giveaway. Today’s giveaway is for a Colorescience Sunforgettable Mineral Powder Sun Protection SPF 30, your choice of color. You will hear us talk about reapplying sunscreen to get the best sun protection but as women it is tough to reapply sunscreen later in the day after you have make-up on. A great option for reapplication is the Colorescience Powder Sun Protection. You can put it on right over your make-up any time of the day.

Description from Colorescience website: Sunforgettable SPF 50 is a lightweight mineral powder with a barely there feel that provides a safe, non-irritating, instant UVA and UVB sun protection. The self-dispensing powder brush makes this sheer formula easy to apply and reapply throughout the day. This giveaway is a $50 value.

To enter giveaway just leave a comment telling us you are going to do this summer to stay sun safe.

Giveaway ends Thursday, June 23rd at midnight PST. Winner is chosen randomly and will be announced Friday, June 24st. Good Luck!

This entry was posted on Monday, June 20th, 2011 at 6:07 pm and is filed under Skin Cancer, Skin Care. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Check out this video promoting sun saftey…
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This entry was posted on Monday, June 13th, 2011 at 3:15 am and is filed under Skin Cancer. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

A great video about those who have been personally touched by Melanoma. Created by The David Cornfield Melanoma Fund. The video speaks for itself.

This entry was posted on Friday, June 10th, 2011 at 4:40 am and is filed under Skin Cancer. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Melanoma is the fastest growing cancer in the United States and worldwide. The incidence of melanoma in people under 30 is increasing faster than any other demographic group, soaring by 50% in young women since 1980. By regular skin cancer screenings Melanoma can be detected in its early stages and successfully removed. However, in later stages Melanoma can be deadly and until recently few treatment options were available. The New York Times reports that two new drugs have shown new promise to prolong lives of those with advanced melanoma. While it is not a cure for metastatic melanoma it may add several months to the expected lifespans of patients.

Trials recently published in The New England Journal of Medicine provide evidence that vemurafenib and ipilimumab improve survival rates of advanced melanoma patients by one attacking a specific genetic mutation and the other by unleashing the body’s immune system to fight the disease respectively. The manufactures of the two new drugs are planning trials to use the agents together and see if the combination will improve patient outcomes further.

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 9th, 2011 at 4:34 am and is filed under Skin Cancer. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

1. SUNSCREEN! SUNSCREEN! SUNSCREEN!– did you need me to say that again? Regular use of a good sunscreen is key to preventing skin cancers and sun damage. SPF (sun protection factor) which is what we all look for in sunscreens, only refers to our protection against UVB rays, but we now know what UVA rays are just as dangerous to our skin. We recommend a sunscreen with broad spectrum coverage (i.e., blocks both UVA & UVB rays). UVA rays penetrate deeper into the skin and cause wrinkling and skin cancers. Look for ingredients such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to be assured that you are properly protected.
2. PHYSICAL PROTECTION- UV rays are at their strongest between 10am-4pm. If possible try avoiding direct sunlight during these hours. Enjoy the warm summer days while sitting under an umbrella or cabana while sipping your beverage of choice. Unable to seek shade during the day? Choose a fabulous wide-brimmed hat, a pair of large sunglasses and a light weight cover-up for extra sun protection.
3. FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT- Sunless tanning has come a long way. No need to worry about looking like Snooki when you step out of the spray booth. Mystic Tan, a popular spray tan machine, offers a very light formulation perfect for spray tan novices. Also, tanning lotions are great because they allow for a gradual natural looking glow.

So remember…

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 25th, 2011 at 6:11 pm and is filed under Skin Cancer, Skin Care. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.