Old women with tans

[May-chan]

can anyone tell me why so many elderly women go and get tans until their skin turns a disgusting brown (and then dye their hair blond)?

Are they trying to look youthful? Do they realize it has the opposite effect and instead makes them look like leathery zombies?

And why, at such an age, would you purposely PROVOKE cancer? Really... everyone is so paranoid about breast cancer, yet they go out to tanning salons and pretty much open the way for skin cancer...

As an exceedingly pale person with moles, I'd just like to say that is something I shall never partake in... but why would anybody?

[Musashi]

I'm pretty sure it's the whole "youthful" thing. And they think it makes them OMG SEXAY! Because orangey leathery skin and obviously bleached-blonde hair is incredibly attractive, as we all know. :P

[Rowan]

Actually at that point cancer isn't as big of a worry believe it or not. That's why they prefer older workers to work in nuclear power plants. All things being equal, they'll take the 40 or 50 year old worker over the 20 year old guy.

That's what I heard anyhow.

[May-chan]

trust me, at any age, you DON'T want cancer... my grandfather has had many moles removed... and many elderly individuals do too... just cause you are old and you body is aging, you aren't going to sit idly by while bad things happen to you...

Also on the topic of skin cancer... the other time I was having some blood drawn, the nurse and I were talking about moles, and she strongly recommended getting a full body mole check and having a doctor chart the size and position of all of them as she, a rather young nurse had already had skin cancer three times!

[Chibi MitchellTF]

Well, the thing is, cancer takes time to develop. They might be dead before they can get it.

Nostalgia has a big kick. imagining you're that much younger can be nice sometimes.

[Rowan]

My point was that the older you are past a point, the more of a "resistence" to mutagens you develop. Your cells are less active, they divide more slowly, so negative mutations in their DNA cause less damage.

Plus, as mentioned you might die before succumbing to cancer.

[May-chan]

but you also might NOT

[Rowan]

You'll notice a trend that many cancers can be traced back to stupid things done in young adulthood. My grandfather died of cancer thought to have started when he was a young man and was breathing in the chemicals used to silver mirrors.

[Aaron]

If old people want to go tan, I don't really see how it's anyone else's business but their own.

[AnimaVex]

I'm pretty sure it's the whole "youthful" thing. And they think it makes them OMG SEXAY! Because orangey leathery skin and obviously bleached-blonde hair is incredibly attractive, as we all know.

That sounds like something I saw in a Sasuke parody pic.

And I agree with the ninja bishi boi whose post I quotationated. XD Hah! I invent words!

[Chibi MitchellTF]

You'll notice a trend that many cancers can be traced back to stupid things done in young adulthood. My grandfather died of cancer thought to have started when he was a young man and was breathing in the chemicals used to silver mirrors.

I'd disagree. I didn't do anything like that when I got cancer in my left tibia. My grandfather smoked, but smoking doesn't tend to give you cancer on your TONGUE. Not to mention that kids can get cancer for no good reason...

[Rowan]

I knew someone would point that out.


That's why I say "Many". Not all, not a majority, but a good number.

[Musashi]

But, ya'know, it's not that all older people who get tans look awful... I mean, a tan can look very nice. But there's a difference between a nice tan and those people, of any age really, who spend hours and hours just BAKING themselves. Or heck, FRYING. @_@; Or when people spray on layers and layers of that stuff that turns 'em orange.

So I don't think anyone's trying to say "omg old people can't tan! >:O" XD;

[Mitera Nikkou]

I'd like to mention that many might have tans because they don't spend all of their time indoors. I've known a lot of elderly people who simply wanted to stay active and do outdoor activities; spending time in the sun is just par for the course. My grandfather, for instance, would walk and/or sit outside for the better part of each day, except for when the weather wasn't favorable. He didn't have to, but that's what he chose to do.

In the end it's just a matter of who beholds the crispified wrinkles.