Use of Sunless Tanning Products May Encourage Sun Safety in Women

ScienceDaily (Sep. 25, 2010) — About one in ten U.S. adolescents uses sunless tanning products, and an intervention promoting these products as an alternative to regular tanning may reduce sunbathing and sunburns among adult women, according to two reports in the September issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Ultraviolet radiation exposure was recently upgraded to the highest cancer risk category and is the most common avoidable cause of skin cancer, according to background information in the articles. Sunless tanning products offer an alternative method of achieving tanned skin without exposure to UV rays from the sun or from indoor tanning beds. Most of these lotions and sprays contain dihydroxyacetone, a compound that combines with amino acids in the skin's outer layer to stain the skin a tanned color.

In one article, Vilma E. Cokkinides, Ph.D., of the American Cancer Society, Atlanta, and colleagues assessed the use of sunless tanning products among U.S. adolescents using a nationally representative telephone survey conducted between July and October 2004. A total of 1,600 adolescents age 11 to 18 provided information about whether they used these products in the past year, along with details about demographics, skin type, attitudes and perceptions of sunless tanning and other sun-related behaviors.

Of the teens surveyed, 10.8 percent reported using sunless tanning products in the past year. Those who used them tended to be older and female, to perceive a tanned appearance as desirable, to have a parent or caregiver who also used these products and to hold positive beliefs or attitudes about them. In addition, the use of sunless tanning products was associated with indoor tanning bed use and a higher frequency of sunburn.

"Our findings suggest that in adolescents, use of sunless tanning products appears independently correlated with risky UVR exposure behaviors (indoor tanning and having had sunburns in the previous summer) but not with routine use of sunscreen," the authors write. "Adolescents, therefore, must be educated about these products and the importance of avoiding indoor tanning and practicing sun-protective behaviors."

In another article, Sherry L. Pagoto, Ph.D., of the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, and colleagues recruited 250 women who were sunbathing at a beach to participate in a cancer prevention intervention study. Of these, 125 were assigned to receive information about skin cancer and sunless tanning. In a tent on the beach, trained research assistants provided the women written and verbal application instructions for sunless tanning products and information about the benefits of sunless tanning as compared with the risks of UV exposure. Participants had a UV-filtered photograph taken, which exposes skin damage not visible to the naked eye, and received free samples of sunscreen and sunless tanning products. The other 125, the control group, received free cosmetic samples not related to skin health and told they would be contacted for follow-up.

After two months, participants who had received the intervention reported sunbathing less frequently, having fewer sunburns, and using more protective clothing than those in the control group. After one year, the intervention group still sunbathed less and also used sunless tanning products more frequently than the control group.

"Encouraging sunbathers to switch to sunless tanning could have an important health impact, but sunless tanning has been considered a cosmetic more so than a health care tool," the authors write. "These findings have implications for public health and clinical efforts to prevent skin cancer. Promoting sunless tanning to sunbathers in the context of a skin cancer prevention public health message may be helpful in reducing sunbathing and sunburns and in promoting the use of protective clothing. Future research should determine how to further convince tanners to switch to sunless tanning."

Editorial: Assessing Patients' Tanning Motivations Can Help Guide Interventions

"Tanning for reasons of appearance, such as to look better or healthier, can be immediately satisfied with sunless tanning, but sunless tanning is a single hammer and there are many nails," write June K. Robinson, M.D., of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, and editor of the Archives, and colleagues in an accompanying editorial.

"As physicians proffer sunless tanning as a substitute for intentional UVL-based tanning, it is important for them to know why and how often their patients tan. For example, an event tanner may believe that the expense of spray-on tanning is a good investment for a single event (e.g., the prom) whereas regular seasonal tanners, those who tan year-round, and those who often use tanning to improve their mood and relieve stress may be less likely to cease UVL exposure. Thus, these regular tanners may be more likely to simply add sunless tanning to existing UVL-based tanning habits."

"Because regular tanners appear to tan for reasons of appearance and mood, it is still possible that sunless tanning may help the regular tanner decrease the number of indoor tanning sessions in a month, thus achieving harm reduction when cessation of tanning is not feasible," they write. "Finding suitable stress-relieving and mood-enhancing alternatives to complement sunless tanning and substitute for UVL-based tanning would be important for these habitual tanners."


Read the article here: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100920172636.htm

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Kona Guest Blogger Dr. Michael A. Jazayeri, M.D.: "Moles, moles and more moles"

Dr. Michael A. Jazayeri, M.D.

Dr. Michael A. Jazayeri, M.D. is a board certified plastic surgeon with over 10 years of experience. His office is located in Santa Ana, California. To schedule a complimentary consultation, please call 714-834-0101. You can read Dr. Jazayeri's full blog here, or visit his website for more details.

Isn’t it sad the way we age?

For men especially, we lose hair on our heads, and gain it in our nostrils and ears! We also develop more moles on our bodies as we age (this is true for women as well).

Moles come in two varieties: malignant and non-malignant (benign).

Malignant moles, by definition, are cancerous and will grow and invade the adjacent skin and underlying structures. Most common skin cancers are squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma. For the most part, these are slow growing and may take years for them to invade adjacent structures or become metastatic (spread to other parts of the body).

Of more concern is melanoma, which is much more aggressive than the above. Unlike the above cancers, the risk for melanoma increases with occasional excessive sun burn. Both squamous and basal cell carcinomas arise from chronic exposure to sun. That once in a while trip to Mexico which gave you a bad sun burn will increase your risk of melanoma more than the other tumors discussed.

The most susceptible person for developing melanoma is fair skin with red hair and freckles. My advice to any one with fair or light skin living in Southern California is to have an annual skin examination by their family physician or dermatologist. Any change in size, color or shape of a mole should be investigated. Itching and bleeding is also of concern.

The only way to make the correct diagnosis is to remove all or part of the mole (depending on the size and location) and have a pathologist examine the lesion under the microscope. Depending on the diagnosis, additional surgery may be necessary. The main issue with melanoma is the amount of normal looking skin which has to be removed as part of the treatment. Even if the melanoma is very thin, a margin of 0.5cm (1/4 of an inch) has to be removed around the melanoma. If the melanoma is thicker, up to 3cm (slightly more than an inch) of skin has to be removed around the lesion. This will result in a large wound which typically requires a skin graft from another part of the body. Lymph node biopsy and removal may also be required. Therefore, it is critical to minimize exposure to sun and especially avoid sun burn. Living in Southern California, the only practical solution is to limit outside activities before 3PM and to wear a sun screen with SPF of 30 which has Titanium dioxide and or Zinc dioxide (or both) for maximal protection. The sun block must be applied 30 minutes before going outside and must be applied every 2 hours or less depending on the amount of perspiration and water contact.

I do not want to minimize the seriousness of squamous and basal cell carcinoma. These lesions must be addressed and treated sooner rather than later. However, overall, melanoma is more aggressive and the treatment more drastic than the above.

A non-malignant mole, also called benign, is not cancerous and does not invade adjacent tissue and never metastasize. The reason for removal is usually cosmetic. However, sometimes benign moles, because of their location may become problematic. A good example is a mole in the beard area, which bleeds every time the patient tries to shave.

Most moles can be removed under local anesthesia in the office. My recommendation is to send any mole excised to pathology for confirmation of clinical diagnosis. Normal looking moles are rarely cancerous, but only pathology will confirm this.

The advantage of having moles removed by a board certified plastic surgeon is to minimize chance of undesirable scarring. The plastic surgeon is also able to reconstruct the area if a large amount of tissue has to be removed. However, please note, the risk of developing a wide and/ or hypertrophic scar increases in areas of excessive motion and tension (shoulder, the chest skin between the breasts are common areas) regardless of technique.

Avoid the sun entirely, without losing that healthy-looking radiance, by tanning with Kona Tanning Company in lieu of laying out. Your skin will thank you!

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Is Your Face Older Than You Are? - GREAT archived article by Redbook Magazine

(Read the full article HERE)

Yes, we know, wrinkles make you look old and a fresh, rosy glow makes you look young. But there are other, more surprising ways your appearance can age you (or shave a few years off!). Here's what might get you called miss...and what might get you called ma'am.

By Cheryl Kramer Kaye / Re-posted by Kona Tanning Company

What makes you look older?

Large pores: +3 YEARS

Accumulated sun damage can cause the support structure of the pores to sag, making them look wider. Pores are also more noticeable when they're clogged.

Have them? How to get rid of them: "Imagine that each pore is in the shape of a V — wider at the surface," explains Amy Wechsler, M.D., whose board certifications in dermatology and psychiatry put her in a unique position to assess both the mechanical aspects of aging and the mental facets of perceived age. In-office treatments, like microdermabrasion and chemical peels, will remove the top layer of skin, eliminating the widest part of the pore and making the opening seem smaller.

Avoid them! "Anything that exfoliates will help keep pores clear and looking smaller," says Wechsler. Try topical retinoids (like prescription Renova or Atralin) and salicylic acid products (like Peter Thomas Roth Beta Hydroxy Acid 2% Acne Wash, $35). And of course, always wear sunscreen to prevent sun damage and sagging.

Chest freckles: +10 YEARS

"These are what our grandparents called liver spots and some people call age spots," Wechsler says. But even though they're associated with aging, "they're absolutely a result of sun damage. I've seen 20-year-olds with chests so mottled that they shocked me!"

Have them? How to get rid of them: Retin-A or hydroquinone, a melanin-inhibiting agent, can help lighten the brown areas. In-office chemical peels and a new Fraxel laser for pigmentation problems can make a big dent in the dark spots.

Avoid them! "Averting chest freckles is more than just a matter of applying sunscreen when you go outside," Wechsler says. You'll want to wear clothing that covers your chest, and reapply your sunscreen throughout the day."

(Kona Tanning Company recommends airbrush spray tanning to blend a freckled chest! Age spots? No problem! Just let us know, so we can devote a little more time to your tanning session. We have tricks that can cover even the roughest of age spots!)


Thick, yellow fingernails: +5 YEARS
A study published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery compared bare fingers to ones that were "dressed up" with nail polish and jewelry, and found that naked nails were perceived as older. That could be because the polish disguised thickness and yellowing, which are "associated with illness, and hence aging," Wechsler explains.

Have them? How to get rid of them: Vitamin and moisture deficiencies make nails look lousy. Wechsler suggests Carmol cream to hydrate, plus a biotin supplement for strength.

Avoid them! "The effect of a bad diet shows up in your nails," Wechsler says. Keep your hands off the junk food and junk food off your hands!

Receding gums: +10 YEARS

"Everybody's gums recede," says Michael Apa, D.D.S., an expert in aesthetic dentistry. "But when gums recede significantly before your late 30s, it can be very aging. Think of it like an 18-year-old guy with a baby face and a receding hairline; it just doesn't look right."

Have them? How to get rid of them: Receding gums can be fixed, but it won't be that easy... or cheap. Your dentist can restore your gum line with AlloDerm grafts at a cost of about $2,000 to $3,000. Also, porcelain veneers applied over your teeth will cover up the receded area ($1,000 and up — per tooth).

Avoid them! "There's nothing like a professional cleaning to scrape the microbes out of the gum tissue and keep your gums in shape," Apa says. At home, Apa suggests microbe-killing the Natural Dentist Healthy Gums Mouth Rinse, $7.50.

Veiny hands: +7 YEARS

The same study that determined that nail polish makes hands look younger found that the number one thing that makes hands look older was the presence of prominent veins.

Have them? How to get rid of them: "The veiny appearance is due to a loss of tissue — bone loss, muscle atrophy, fat loss — so the injection of a dermal filler can plump them back up," says Wechsler, who uses Sculptra (off-label) for this purpose. "You can also use a squeezy ball to make the muscles stronger and less sunken-looking."

Avoid them! Staying fit and getting adequate calcium and vitamin A helps with muscle and bone loss.

What makes you look younger?

Voluminous hair: -3 YEARS

Have you ever seen a woman from behind with long, thick hair, then been surprised to see an older face when she turns around? Subconsciously, we think of thick hair as a "young" trait.

Have it? How to keep it: "Eating a diet rich in folate and iron can help nourish hair's roots," Wechsler says. Also, she notes, "avoid overstressing your hair repeatedly with tight ponytails or braids, which can cause permanent hair loss."

Get it! There are a slew of hair-volumizing products to make your hair appear thicker. One to try: Living Proof Full Thickening Cream, $14, which bulks up individual strands so hair also feels thicker. If your hair is thinning noticeably and quickly and there isn't an obvious reason for it (like you recently had a baby, or just stopped breast-feeding), see your doctor to have your thyroid checked.

Lush eyelashes: -3 YEARS

Think of the ingenue who bats her long, fluttery lashes. In general, "we associate full hair, anywhere on the body, with youth," says Wechsler.

Have them? How to keep them: "It's hard to mess up your eyelashes," Wechsler says, "but you should still treat them gently." Use a makeup remover designed to take off mascara (try Bioré Make-Up Removing Towelettes, $8) — and no rubbing!

Get them! Wechsler has been seeing results with Latisse, the FDA-approved lash grower. Or try over-the-counter lash conditioners, which make lashes look thicker. Try L'Oréal Concentrated Lash Boosting Serum, $15.

Thick eyebrows: -5 YEARS

While testosterone causes men's eyebrows to grow wild as they get older, women's brows thin out after years of waxing and tweezing.

Have them? How to keep them: "Don't overwax or overpluck," Wechsler advises. "You can damage the follicles to the point where the hairs won't grow back." To shape brows without follicle damage, try the Christi Harris Precision Brow Planing System, $40, which trims brow hairs at the surface rather than removing them at the root.

Get them! Wechsler recommends taking a 5mg oral biotin supplement to make hair stronger. French brand Talika has two cult brow products worth trying: Eyebrow Lipocils, $40, to promote growth, and Eyebrow Extender, $35, to fill in. (Kona Tanning Company recommends the LA-based brow guru TONYA CROOKS for shaping, in charge of such flawlessly-framed faces as Fergie, Megan Fox, Chelsea Handler, Molly Sims, and more!)

Full lips: -5 YEARS

A study by David Gunn, a research scientist at Unilever (makers of Dove, Vaseline, and more), found that women who look young for their age have fuller lips.

Have them? How to keep them: Keep lip lines at bay by wearing an SPF lip balm daily, like Softlips Lip Protectant Sunscreen SPF 20, $4.

Get them! Wechsler plumps her patients' lips with fillers but is careful to maintain the natural upper-to-lower lip ratio of 1/3 to 2/3. "Angelina Jolie has a one-to-one ratio, but that looks fake on most people," Wechsler says. A full-lip makeup tip: Apply a nude liner just to the outer corners of your lips. "By shading the outside, the center of the lips moves forward," Nigara says. Then apply your lip color, and a dab of clear gloss to the center of your lips.

Plump cheeks: -4 YEARS

Women 40 and older who have a slightly higher body mass index look younger than their skinnier counterparts, according to a study out of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Why? "When you lose weight, you lose fat in your face, making cheeks look hollow and aged," Wechsler explains.

Have them? How to keep them: Avoid yo-yo dieting, which will max out your skin's elasticity and make it sag.

Get them! Dermatologists are using facial fillers such as Restylane, Juvéderm, and Sculptra to fill out cheeks. Mathew Nigara, an NYC New York Color Makeup Artist, suggests making cheeks appear fuller by bringing focus to the roundest part: "Apply a cream highlighter to the apples of the cheeks, then a bronzer under the cheekbones."

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Kona's Gone International | Now Being Offered in Dublin, Ireland

The Kona fever has gone international! (Does that make it a pandemic?) Anyone looking to Irish up their coffee,.....er.....lives can now get that gorgeous Kona color you all know and love at Mud Pie Beauty Boutique, whose website should be active next week! Cheers to owner Sara K. for making her dream (and ours!) come true! 

Want to know more? Visit Mud Pie Beauty Boutique

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