Haven't seen the coverage, but NO one should be basking under the rays emitted at a tanning salon. They cause skin cancer as easily if not more so, than the sun.

I'm pale as a beached wale and I live in a beach town. I'm so not au courant. I've wondered my entire life why being pale is so despised and being tan is so sought after and so very important. Even now, when everyone not living in a cave knows a tan is not healthy, the bias persists.

I don't know if she really did put the girl in the actual bed or not. She says she went tanning and the girl waited in the room with her. By the look of the mom's skin, I'm having a hard time picturing her sharing her tan time with the daughter. Could just be the girl said something inaccurate at school.

I know a someone that when she was a kid, cut herself on a swingset and had a scar on her hand. She jokingly told another kid friend her mom cut her. She had a great childhood and thankfully that was never repeated because it wasn't true! Her parents had a long talk with her about why NOT to say such things. It wasn't funny and she doesn't know why on earth she would've said that other than she was just being a little kid with a lack of common sense.

I really hope no mother would put their kid in a tanning bed.

The mom's skin didn't look normal at all. It's sad she can't see how her face really looks.

Wanted to say..If I remember from the video clip I watched, I think they said the girl went to school and told a friend she 'went tanning with her mom'. Could be she just went along as the mom said and didn't actually get in the bed. Hopefully she did get burn from being outside but it's not looking real good for mom right now.

If she was in the room with her mom while the mom was in the tanning bed I wonder if enough light leaked out the sides of the bed to burn the child.

The mom has pleaded not guilty- she looks freakish in the newer pics, wow!

I guess it's not too nice to say someone looks freakish, sorry- but why would someone do this to herself? I don't get it.

I think there's a good chance that the child didn't actual tan but waited for her mom then told someone at school she went in the tanning bed. Probably just wants to emulate mommy. Someone said she had a sunburn but I saw the little girl on the video for the Today Show and her skin was a flawless alabaster - no sunburn.

I hope there's been enough spotlight on the mom that she will get some help for her obviously unhealthy addiction to tanning.

I've wondered my entire life why being pale is so despised and being tan is so sought after and so very important.

There was a time pale was the "beauty" standard. Even now when we know the damage the sun can inflict society still thinks tans are fashionable. Look at the plethora of self tanners on store shelves.

Where I live, tanning booths/beds are unavailable to anyone 18 and under.

I think pale skin can be beautiful! I have a friend who has never tanned and her skin is gorgeous. Another benefit is she doesn't have an age spot, mark of any kind, on her face!

I am fair, but not sure I would have that beautiful peaches and cream skin. I have always been a lover of outdoors, and admit to tanning in my teen years. Now I wear sunscreen - 70 on my face and 40 on my body, but I still get a tan. I'm not going to avoid outdoor activities, but I try to protect myself. I do sometimes envy that beautiful, creamy complexion!!

"There was a time pale was the "beauty" standard." Yes, that's a good reminder, Natal. I recall my mother telling me that many a time when I was crying my eyes out with a lobster-red sunburn, attempting to look like my tawny-skinned friends!

The sociology major in me would look for answers in a quest for status/prestige?

Back in the day when pale was pretty, it was in poor form to look as if one actually needed to toil out in the sun. Servants were supposed to do that for you, so pale you stayed, and that paleness conferred wealth by proxy. As time marched on and the rich started to travel further abroad due to advances in transportation, the elite would return from some exotic locale with what? A tan! Now that became the look of the well-heeled and well-off.

It stuck too. Standards of beauty may first start off as attempts to gain more status within the culture, to set oneself apart from the common, ordinary fray. But, then they take off, become popular, and become the new norm. It will never change back to "pale is pretty" due to the sunny vacation destinations that are popular and easy to frequent, and the fact that most of us will never have a house run by servants and gardeners. Pale will just never say "rich" again. It will only say, "Sickly, no fun, out of style, etc.!"

Thus, there is the woman in question who seems determined to never spend a second of her life as a pale face, and dreads such a fate for her daughter, already, at the tender age of 5.

Maybe?

I was pretty horrified when I first heard about this, but after reading about it I'm inclined to think this is just a case of over zealous policing. I'm all for protecting our kids but seems like they're very quick to accuse and feed the media instead of being more prudent with their questioning. The fact that the woman obviously has an addiction she needs to get under control is really very sad. Reminds me of people who are addicted to plastic surgery.

Tina, "peaches and cream" is how older people describe my skin sometimes! People over a certain age do seem to appreciate it. I don't have even a hint of an age spot or any discoloration, that's true. I should be grateful for that. SPF 70...wow! You go girl!
Lukki-"Reminds me of people who are addicted to plastic surgery." It reminds me of that too! Funny, the city in which I live was on a top 10 list of "Cities with the most plastic surgery clients." Tans and nips and tucks. Ouch!

Stinky, but even today some are willing to buck the style gods. I say more power to them.

I can't use most sunscreens because of the irritating chemicals. Fortunately I do the majority of gardening in the spring and fall when the sun isn't as strong. Summer activity is relegated to harvesting and moving the sprinkler from point a to point b.

"...some are willing to buck the style gods. I say more power to them." Good turn of phrase..."style gods!" I'm stealing that one, Natal!

I'm glad you're careful out there. Avoid the noonday sun always! I was diagnosed with three skin cancers by the time I was 26. Then, I became really diligent about this whole sun thing.

Those of you who still insist on tanning...please don't use a tanning booth to achieve your bronzed look! From what I've read, they are seriously damaging, cancer causing machines!

Stinky - fortunately I don't have much discoloration on my face, just a faint mark or two up around my temples! I think that may have to do with BC pills and the sun combined, at least I have read that. My arms and legs and chest (I need to start using the 70 all over I guess!!) do get some light freckling. But not so much on my hands??!!!

I have sensitive skin but I have found sunscreens I can use. Natal, can you use zinc oxide?? You can get sun damage year round. I hope you wear a hat or visor! LOL My visor is my friend.

I agree about bucking style, I like to march to my own drummer at times.;)

I think freckles are so cute! I know someone who has them, I told her, and she said I wouldn't like them if I had them!

stinky, very wise of you to be so careful, I hope you don't get any more skin cancers.

natal, I find sunscreen irritating too- but because it gets into my contacts even if I'm careful.

Tina, so your visor and "70" have done the trick! Great! Freckling here and there is cute, I think. Only Bernadette Peters has no freckles! What brand of sunscreen do you use? I've never seen an SPF 70! I use Paula's Choice SPF 30 every day.

Yes, hats with brims are great for gardeners. Garden gloves are helpful too. I wear them every time I work outside. (Tina, I know you can't stand garden gloves!)

I was shocked to see the mom in this video. I too think her appearance clearly indicates an unhealthy addiction, and my heart goes out to her. I also think it's possibly a case of overzealous policing, as lukki states. If mom didn't look like she does, I wonder if this would be garnering such attention ... probably not.

Here is a link that might be useful: Video

Stinky, I can't believe you remembered that about the gloves!! I really don't garden that much though. Mostly maintain and the small veggie garden.

I'll have to look - The 70 is a faces only formula. I'm pretty sure my 40 one is an Avon BABY formula - but I really like it. It isn't greasy but it makes your skin feel and look good. Moisturizing. I almost want to say the 70 SPF might be coppertone. I'll get back to you.

tina

I never tan and being Irish some freckling runs in the family. I've never been a sun loving girl though; having been raised on the California beaches made that a little challenging. But now, my fair skin and I are friends, I don't mind it at all.

As kids we used to joke about our legs being as bright as 52 watt light bulbs. LOL still makes me laugh! Ha!

OMG! I had only seen a photo of the mom, but on the video she is much, much darker. She sort of resembles our Thanksgiving turkey. Really scary looking.

Here is a link that might be useful: YouTube video of tan mom

I think pretty much any health expert would agree that tanning isn't a very smart idea. Five or ten minutes outdoors sans sunscreen a day is the best way to get your vitamin D, however. You don't have to do it between 10 and 2. There weren't as many cases of deficiency before people became terrified of the sun in any amount.

Terriks, I watched that video, you are so right, much worse than the photo! Eek!
Thanksgiving Turkey, my favorite euphemism at the moment!

I hope she gets help, I feel sorry for her.

I think those videos have been altered or the brightness is up to high. I've seen several pictures of her and there is even a different video from channel 4 in NY that shows she's super tan but not to the degree of those videos. Even in her police photo she is not that tan.

The facial sunscreen I use is Coppertone Nutra Shield for faces. It says 70+ SPF - broad spectrum - UVA/UVB

Dual Defense Sun Protection & Nourishing Antioxidants

My 56 yr old aunt has seven aggressive cancerous tumors in her head; she has lived past her one year life expectancy. She does not dwell on the cause and lives each day to the fullest. She is a most remarkable woman although the loss of one whole side of her body has made her dependent and causes her much grief. Throughout my families health history there are many aliments but NO cancer, the only exception is that my grandmother had uterine cancer at 81. My aunt has her own professional style tanning bed in her house and she has used it for years and years...coincidence? I wonder!

Why did the tanning salon allow an under age person in the tanning room? The mom is simple headed but it surprises me that they let minors in the booths or bed rooms, especially surprising when it's a very minor youth.

That woman certainly has that addiction that causes people to distort their bodies so badly. It's a shame, because THIS one can kill.

I don't think she put her girl in the bed either. What I heard from her is that tans all the time and was running errands with the girl, so she popped in for her session.

My sister is a tanning bed addict (not to that degree of course!) and it REALLY shows on her. From a distance she's gorgeous, but up close, her skin is a mess. I am not as good with the sunscreen as I should be, and I used to go to tanning beds in my 20's, and I am now starting to see some effects of the sun on my skin. I have freckles (my whole life) but they're faint. My younger DD has alabaster skin and she's diligent about keeping it that way. With her dark, dark hair and fair, fair skin, she looks like Snow White. My elder DD is naturally blonde and has skin that tans very easily, even not being in the sun she's more pigmented than her sister.

jterrilyn, I remember you talking about your aunt before (right?)- she does sound like a remarkable woman.

Thanks, Tina, I'm going to look for it! Paula's review was positive too. Btw, she said that the non-face formula Nutra-Shield 70 is the identical product, so you could save some $ using that one. Ounce for ounce it's cheaper.

Saw the infamous mom on Anderson Cooper last night. OMG! Well, she certainly looked outrageous! Really. Anderson kept saying he wasn't that worried about the child, he was worried about MOM! Rightfully so.

The 5 year daughter probably has more sense than mom ever will. The children of self-absorbed parents (I've observed) often do just fine in life. From afar we worry about them, we feel sorry for them,our hearts go out to them, but they have to develop inner resources to survive and thrive, and they usually do quite well. Mom on the other hand....

I haven't read all the replies, but I think the press is just AWFUL. The girl is fine, thank God. The mom may or may not have put her in the tanning bed.

Let's say she did. Would this be on the local or national news if the mom didn't look the way she does? No. And that's what bothers me.

God forbid if I put too much Fake Bake on my face and get a speeding ticket. I'd be on the national news! lol

"Would this be on the local or national news if the mom didn't look the way she does?" Certainly! If the child was placed in the tanning booth, that is endagering the welfare of a minor. Also, I don't think people give a hoot about how the mom looks "per se." I think people are disturbed that how she looks implies misplaced priorities and an obsession that is both physically and emotionally damaging.

I agree, stinky. I think the media (and me here)jumped on the story and it isn't known if she did it or not. But I wouldn't be surprised if it has happened- by one of those pageant moms.

I also read that this mom goes tanning 20 times a month. I don't know if this true or not. Another thing that's not good is teenage girls going before their proms.

For argument's sake, let's say she did put her child in the tanning bed. I don't think for a moment she did it to hurt her daughter. I think the woman is totally naive & uneducated. Social Services should have quietly stepped in and dealt with her, unless someone knows she put her girl in there to burn her on purpose.

But to charge her, then ruin her life forever because the news is sensationalizing the situation, that's pretty bad.

There are thousands of similar cases that we never hear about. The only reason this has gone global is because of how the mother looks.

We don't know that charging her is ruining anyone's life. Maybe this will be a turning point for both the mom and the daughter. Maybe now that the spotlight is on her, people in the community will offer the mom needed support. You never know. Let's have faith that all will work out for the best, and this brush with the law leads to better days ahead for all concerned.

I think the media takes great liberties to use whatever stories they can find to exploit; especially when things are quiet. Add over zealous policing who are interested in the attention and the combination has ruined more than a few lives in recent years.

It makes one feel like we're in a sort of jail and being watched. How terrible it is to be afraid of doing anything because if something, the slightest thing goes wrong, you're at risk of it happening to you. To be honest, I'm quite sick of it.

When we were kids, we'd spend our summers at the beach playing for hours on end. Being fair skinned, I used to sunburn quite badly, often to the point of blisters; we all did. Once I even had 2nd degree burns on my shoulders. It was no reflection on our parents who worked very hard to give us a good childhood. They'd put t-shirts on us and we'd quickly pull them right off. I can't imagine them being accused of poor parenting or abuse just because their kid(s) got a bad sunburn.

With so many kids out there in trouble, it's a shame our resources (and tax money) are being wasted on this. Why can't the media and police focus on helping kids in real need?

I agree with Stinky. When I first heard the story, I had not even seen the woman. What struck me was the age of the child and didn't the mother know how harmful a tanning bed is for anyone. As the story went on, it does sound like the child was in the room, not in the tanning bed. I agree with whoever mentioned that the tanning salon should have done something. I'm surprised they would let a child go in the room with the mother.

tina

Saw the infamous mom on Anderson Cooper last night. OMG! Well, she certainly looked outrageous! Really. Anderson kept saying he wasn't that worried about the child, he was worried about MOM! Rightfully so.

I agree. This mother needs some real help. Just like an anorexic looks in a mirror and can't see how thin she is, this woman apparently can't see that she looks like an overcooked turkey.

With so many kids out there in trouble, it's a shame our resources (and tax money) are being wasted on this. Why can't the media and police focus on helping kids in real need?

I completely agree. And I stand by my assertion that if mom's appearance were different - if, for example, she were an attractive, affluent suburbanite - this would never have made "news". This is purely sensationalism. And it's worked, because we're all talking about it.

Lots of misinformation floating around. Who knows what's true? Today I heard salon employees said the father was with the daughter and son in the waiting room.

Lukk, true about our foolish ways as kids, but now we know better. The same with wearing seatbelts. And forget about any degree of privacy. The times have changed!

if, for example, she were an attractive, affluent suburbanite - this would never have made "news"

I disagree. She would still be a tanning freak and the questions about her daughter would still exist.

Stinky, Yes, maybe it will show her she has a problem with the tanning, but once you are in the "system" life changes forever. It's like trying to get credit when you have a Bankruptcy. It follows you everywhere and the fact that it involves a child is even worse, that's not an easy one to explain to anyone. I'm thinking jobs and socially; not so much on a personal level.

if, for example, she were an attractive, affluent suburbanite - this would never have made "news" ...
I disagree. She would still be a tanning freak and the questions about her daughter would still exist.

And I disagree with you. ;-) I said if she were attractive, which to my mind means that she would not be freakishly baked, but look like an average, upper-middle-class woman. A "soccer mom", if you will.

Having an identity crisis Jen? ;)

LOL! I must be! D'oh!

I think the woman is totally naive & uneducated.

Unfortunately, addictions have nothing to do with either.
Addicts know they are doing something bad to themselves, they just can't help doing it, it feels too good, too right at the time. It's why addictions are so puzzling to those who don't have them.
And I do think she is addicted, in the way anorexics are addicted to being thin.
I have read about tanning addicts in the past, it seems so superficial, so not a real addiction, but the long term consequences can be just as bad as an alcoholics liver cancer.

Apparently people develop a real physical addiction to the tanning bed.

From Wikipedia:

In 2005, a group of dermatologists published a study showing that frequent tanners experience a loss of control over their tanning schedule, displaying a pattern of addiction similar to smokers and alcoholics.

Biochemical evidence indicates that tanning addicts are addicted to an opioid release experienced during tanning. When frequent tanners took an endorphin blocker in a 2006 study, they experienced severe withdrawal symptoms, while infrequent tanners experienced no withdrawal symptoms under the same conditions.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wiki on tanorexia

"...tanning addicts are addicted to an opioid release experienced during tanning..." Pretty amazing stuff! Gosh, there's even a term for it--"tanorexia!"

I have a dear friend who has this addiction. Every spring she travels to Florida for a month to lay down a base tan, returning with her skin ravaged and burnt. She continues to bake every sunny day to keep up her tan. She is a gorgeous Swedish blonde but her skin is a deep and strange-looking mahogany in the summertime. Her father is a physician; he and her friends beg her to stop--it seems inevitable that she will deal with skin cancer. I wonder if she has seen this news story (with the leathery mom), and if she sees herself at all in it. She has acknowledged that it is an addiction, and that she feels powerless to stop.

Sadly I saw the tanned woman getting into her car after some sort of processing for whatever she was charged with. She was screaming into the mic of the reporter trying to get her to talk. Walking right into into the you know what. She said people are just jealous that she's so pretty and that they are so fat and ugly. My God, has she lost her mind? Her face is actually scary. When I saw her mug shot, I thought she had no teeth, I think what I was seeing were her lips?

That said, my motto in my own life is that most things are okay in moderation. Yes, the tan mom of the moment has taken tanning to an entirely ridiculous level. However, there is something to be said about the current status of the cable news cycles. Really, this is what the news is covering when there are so many other real pressing matters? Makes me shake my head.

And yes, I did my share of tanning that most my age did when we were teens - outside on the beach, not in a tanning bed. Fast forward, while I use the appropriate sunscreen per the derm, I enjoy a bit of time in the sun and being in the sun is good for you up to a point. I believe it is 10 minutes a day outside is the recommendation for those low on vitamin D. I don't enjoy laying in the sun for hours like I did as a teen in an effort to achieve a tan. Fast forward to the present day, when working in the garden or out by the pool, I usually do get a bit of color. Laying on a raft with w book in the pool is one of my favorite stress releasors during the summer.

While the tan mom has a real problem with the amount of tanning she is doing, I don't know if I like how much attention any of the news outlets are giving it.