It is common knowledge for most people: too much sun can cause cause massive damage to your skin and can even result in skin cancer. There is a fine line, however, because the sun gives us Vitamin D, which we actually need to survive.

The moral of this story is, really, to not become obsessed with having a tan all the time.

Laura May McMullan, from the UK, was obsessed with tanning. It started when she turned 16 and got progressively worse. She would use a sunbed once a week, and it quickly increased to every day. She admits now that she was addicted.

Flash forward some years and Laura noticed a red spot on her leg. Whilst she had stopped using sun beds a few years prior, this just goes to show you the damage UVA and UVB rays can do.

After visiting her GP and a dermatologist, Laura got the bad news: it was a malignant melanoma and her life was about to drastically change.

After numerous surgeries to her lymph nodes, she was cleared of cancer, but only then realised the effects on herself and her family.

Anyone who’s had a cancer diagnosis will know that it doesn’t just attack a certain part of your body, it affects every part of your life and your loved ones. I lost all my confidence. I didn’t want to spend a minute on my own. At times I couldn’t walk properly, I couldn’t get in the bath, I couldn’t drive and for weeks I had a drain attached to my leg and I had to inject myself every day to prevent any blood clots.

Laura now also has lymphedema in her leg (a build-up of fluid because of the removal of lymph nodes), has to massage her leg twice a day, wear compression garments and “avoid getting any insect bites and scratches from animals”.

That is in no way fun, and certainly having a tan is not worth all of this.

Get your adequate dose of vitamin D so that you are a happy, healthy person, and rather stick to getting your tan from a bottle.

[Source: The BBC]