Destroyed my looks

LegacyUser

Hey,

I hope this is the right forum, I can't really see why not as this is a personal issue.

I am 25 year old woman and I look easily 35, the reason - Sunbeds!

I did 4 a week for 3 years. After that I quit. Yet those 3 years of sun exposure have aged my skin to the point of decades. I have wrinkles, smokers lines, under-eye lines and literally hundreds of flat brown spots all over my body. I did sunbeds when I was young and foolish and knew no better. From 18-21 I was a worshipper, I liked the glow they gave me. But I quit once I researched the dangers after doing a course on health and beauty at 21. I though maybe I'd escaped the worst given the fact I quit 4 years ago but each year my skin seems to be deteriortating at an alarming rate. I used to look much younger than my age, now I look much older. Some days I call in sick to work, because I can't stand looking at myself in the mirror and having customers look at me (im a beauty therapist) and realize that I am far from the picture of youth and vitality these days. I know it might sound shallow but it is affecting every area of my life, relationship, etc.

I know the situation isn't helped by the fact that I am now very pale, thus showing my flaws in a much clearer way but what can I do? Has anyone here been in a similar situation? I know from work that facials,etc won't reverse this. I am considering seeing a dermatoligist about the brown spots but I guess the bottom line is, how do I move on and stop beating myself up for 3 years of a reckless habit? Everyday I curse myself for ever stepping onto a sunbed and the regret is evident every time I look in the mirror.

Ivor_Schlong

id get them brown spots checked out by the hospital not a dermatologist asap !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

everybody knows from a young age that sun beds ruin you and most people i know who use them are sooooo vain its unreal

Sinall

It's definitely a good idea to see a dermatologist. I would ask your GP for a recommendation straight away. I know there are some treatments that can help with the appearance of sun damage, eg laser treatment/skin rejuvination, but obviously a dermatologist would know best.

I understand that you are finding it hard to stop beating yourself up about doing this damage in the first place. Well done though for doing the research and stopping using the sunbeds when you did! You made the effort to educate yourself about the issue and used that knowledge to your benefit. You would have done a lot more damage in the long run if you hadn't stopped when you did. You should try to be proud of yourself for recognising the dangers and stopping. A lot of people keep going even when they know the dangers, so well done for making that decision.

I know it can be hard to look on the bright side of things or to see the positive sometimes, but give it a go. Work on your self-esteem and try to use the energy that you use for worrying towards making a positive change to your attitude about yourself.

kittenkiller

Besides looking into a health check for your damaged skin, I head micro-dermabrasion's meant to be good for minimizing the signs of sun-damage.
Go to a doc first and then book a consultation.

LegacyUser

its never too late to change your lifestyle. If the damage is done, you can at least minimise the impact as much as possible now.

Drink as much water every day as you can
Dont smoke / over indulge in alcohol
get 8 hrs+ sleep every night
eat a healthy diet
get active

you'd be amazed the difference these simple things can make to your life (and how old you look). You'd also be amazed how easy it is to do these once you get on a roll.

DO iT!

kjl

I avoid the sun like the plague, I have very photo sensitive eyes, I don't drink coffee or alcohol, and I don't smoke. I currently age 30 but look 22. These are the main contributes to your skin looking old.

I hear that rice water cleanser, three times a week give skin back the soft smooth appearance again, hence why japanese rice workers would have very young looking skin even though the worked in the field all day

goto youtube and search for this ByP2YvqfnnI and you should find out how to reverse the effects of this. There is also laser surgery too, and a chemical peel

Overheal

I could understand the odd tanning but 4 times a week for 3 years? Thats just dangerous and asking for it. You're definitely due a visit to a dermatologist anyway.

Now, what possessed you to go so often? Was it recommended to you? Not to sound too American but you could build a case on that, against the salon, and have it cover the cost of your future medical bills should this become a long term issue. You really should get evaluated by a Dermatologist. Then head over to http://flac.ie to see what rights you may have if any.

Emme

Dr Rosemary Coleman is a good dermatologist. You should try and see her if you can.

reesa

I've always stayed out of the sun and i've always wore a SPF 15 tinted moisturiser - i'm in my thirties and been told i look 26

I hope you've at least invested in a good daily SPF cream.

There are treatments such as laser resurfacing that may help you.
http://www.skintherapyletter.com/treat/skin_care/otc_treat.html

You really need to get to a good dermatologist to discuss your options.

I don't want to come across as a dick but it is a little alarming that (being a beauty therapist) you didn't
no.1 realise that you were causing damage to your skin from the sunbeds

no. 2 that the people providing the sunbed service did not inform you of the dangers (i agree with that other poster - you may have a case against them)

Get yourself to a dermatologist asap

Terodil

I can't believe people are telling you to sue the tanning salon. You made yourself unhappy already, don't spread the unhappiness to other people just because *you* were stupid at that time. After all those tanning salons are usually very small businesses, you might put them out of business that way, and make several people redundant.

NickNolte

DOIT! wrote: »

Drink as much water every day as you can
Dont smoke / over indulge in alcohol
get 8 hrs+ sleep every night
eat a healthy diet
get active

Very good advice. Particularly the part about getting on a roll - once you're past the 2/3 month barrier, living a healthy lifestyle will become second nature and it'll really take the years off.

prinz

Overheal wrote: »

Not to sound too American but you could build a case on that, against the salon, and have it cover the cost of your future medical bills should this become a long term issue. You really should get evaluated by a Dermatologist. Then head over to http://flac.ie to see what rights you may have if any.

Nah, no rights there. If she had a case, every pub in the country would be out of business. Caveat Emptor ftw. It's called repsonsibility for your own actions.

OP there's good advice here, defintely doctor / specialist time if you haven't been, with frequent return visits to check for any changes. No alcohol, smoke, lots of hydration, constant sun lotion every day, and I would suggest something every night, E45 cream or something like that, even nivea.

no. 2 that the people providing the sunbed service did not inform you of the dangers (i agree with that other poster - you may have a case against them)

We don't know they didn't. There could have been warning signs in 6 foot high letters plastered all over the salon. People have known the dangers for years. They have no more responsibility than having a sign against frequent use, after that it's the OP's own problem.

LegacyUser

Hi OP,

I felt the same way about my weight the amount of energy i spent thinking about it wore me out! also in hindsight i thought it was much worse than everyone else did!!

then i read that book 'the secret' by Rhonda Byrne, basically its about the law of attraction and if you think negative thoughts it makes your reality worse, so what i did was learn to accept myself,

ok you have made a mistake and damaged your skin but your skin does not define you and you need to start affirming all the positive things about you and letting that into your mind and push out the other, the idea is that when you feel better about yourself you start to ooze that and this is what people will see first,

So get a little notebook or the like and write down all the positive things about yourself every day and start to notice it, someone told me the other day that i have lovely hands and i thought i was great lol but i always remembered that and added it to my list,

i really feel the insecurity is a feeling rather than a reality,

Check out that book if you would like some positive things to help you overcome the insecurity, If you love you -everyone else will!

and best Wishes!!

dellas1979

Ok, you cant change the past.

What is your current skin care regime? Do you wear SPF everyday?

Clinique is excellent for problem skin. They are after bringing out a new cream, with SPF in it, that reduces brown spots, even skintone/pigmentation.

But, from your description, maybe something like a chemical peel might help, then start the new skin regime (as one poster pointed about). But you must must must wear SPF everyday - even when its cloudy.

beks101

Hi OP

After 45 years of smoking forty fags a day, six months ago my Dad just quit, cold turkey, and the benefits to his health have been multitude. He's approaching sixty but looks twenty years younger thanks to a new lifestyle, diet, daily exercise and just in general taking care of himself for a change.

My point is, it's never too late. You can't reverse what you've done to your skin in terms of skin damage, but as said above, a healthy lifestyle is as close to a miracle transformation as you're going to get. Don't underestimate it. You're still young. Certainly take the efficient skincare route and maybe look into the treatments mentioned above, but you have by no means 'destroyed your looks' to the point of no repair.

Positive mental attitude!

sunnyside

Are you sure this is caused by the sunbeds? I'm not denying that they do damage but it's possible that your lifestyle in general is unhealthy and that might be the bigger problem just now.

DOIT! wrote: »

its never too late to change your lifestyle. If the damage is done, you can at least minimise the impact as much as possible now.

Drink as much water every day as you can
Dont smoke / over indulge in alcohol
get 8 hrs+ sleep every night
eat a healthy diet
get active

you'd be amazed the difference these simple things can make to your life (and how old you look). You'd also be amazed how easy it is to do these once you get on a roll.

DO iT!

Take this advice.

LegacyUser

I am 35 and if I want to look fab I go for a run or some other exercise. The flushed looks takes years off and good circulation will do more for your skin than any cream.


Aside from that, you probably don't look nearly as bad as you think you do. We all suffer from terribe self doubt, don't let it take over your life. Beauty therapists are famous for obsessing about their looks because you have to analyse people all day. Remember that people you meet outside the industry will not look at you in the same way. They did a survey awhile back where they asked women to rate their attractiveness compared to other women - and found that every woman surveyed rated their own lower than they rated the other women's surveyed, so that just shows you how skewed it all is.


Cheer up, you're only 25, you are probably still gorgeous and have years to make up for the damage done.

wexford202

I used to do a treatment when I worked in a salon caused elipse treatment.

It had two purposes.

You could treat unwanted hair which most would have heard of but you can also get a treatment using this machine called skin rejuvination.

It treats specifically the brown pigment marks caused by sun damage and also treats samll thread veins on the face.

I costs about 150 euros for full face and I have seen it take years off people. You will need 4 to six treatments but many salon now have this on offer.

I can honestly say it works as I have seen the results first hand. Big results even after one or two sessions.

It's non surgical also

cafecolour

Well, first I'd second what people have said - exercise, a lot of water, good nutrition, moisturizer will all help you look much better and vibrant.

Also, perhaps you are being a bit hard on your looks now - you might still be considering - in the back of your mind - very tan skin as attractive and pale as not, and so you are permanently considering yourself less better looking now.

username123

cafecolour wrote: »

Well, first I'd second what people have said - exercise, a lot of water, good nutrition, moisturizer will all help you look much better and vibrant.

Also, perhaps you are being a bit hard on your looks now - you might still be considering - in the back of your mind - very tan skin as attractive and pale as not, and so you are permanently considering yourself less better looking now.

+1

I actually think the over tanned look is very unattractive.

But I would advise the OP to speak to a doctor as she exposed herself to over 200 sunbed treatments a year over a number of years, the medical community used to recommend no more than 10 a year so she has seriously overexposed herself and may have compromised not only her looks but her health as well - no harm in a check up, plus she may get some useful advice on how to improve the appearance of her skin.

Kidchameleon

I dont understand why people are saying the OP was stupid for using sunbeds. Its only recently that they have been recognised to cause damage. Perhaps sone people knew but I certainly dident, it wasnt exactly advertised..

Xiney

Kidchameleon wrote: »

I dont understand why people are saying the OP was stupid for using sunbeds. Its only recently that they have been recognised to cause damage. Perhaps sone people knew but I certainly dident, it wasnt exactly advertised..

I agree, there's no point in giving out to her, but only because what's done is done.

I don't know for sure, but I sincerely doubt that the dangers of sunbeds were unknown by the general public since I remember knowing in my first year of high school that sunbeds were dangerous. That was in 1999 - ten years ago.

It was likely general knowledge before then as well, I just wasn't old enough to bother with it.

The_Conductor

Kidchameleon wrote: »

I dont understand why people are saying the OP was stupid for using sunbeds. Its only recently that they have been recognised to cause damage. Perhaps sone people knew but I certainly dident, it wasnt exactly advertised..

Reports on sunbed damage (and UVF damage in general) were published in Europe from 1978 onwards (these reports would not necessarily have been widely circulated, and would have been in oncology journals etc)- and official health warnings issued from 1996 onwards.

Just because potential problems are not openly advertised does not mean people should not educate themselves about the implications of their actions.