Not knowing what factor sunscreen is in your tanning lotion IS irresponsible. That's fact. I obviously cannot comment on other areas of your life, but tanning with a tanning lotion while having no idea how much protection it provides is irresponsible.

we'll just have to agree to disagree on this subject, i guess.

Is there even a sunscreen factor in tanning lotion? I've never read the bottle before, but I honestly don't know if there is any SPF in sun bed lotions :-/.

I haven't a clue, since I've never used a tanning lotion. I'd guess it's probably a low factor like 6 or 8 (which some make up products also contain and which actually provide virtually no protection. Some stores here now only stock factor 15 or higher for that reason), but despite her claims that she's protecting herself by using it, she's clearly not even checked that it contains a sufficient factor of sunscreen.

I tried laying in the tanning bed I'd say 3 summers ago and I just looked up the tanning lotion I used then (which is still up for sale, incidentally) but it only lists the amount of bronzer and the like in it, no where does it say if there is any protection!

I've just been looking online, and it says most of them don't contain any sunscreen. But I also read that some of them do, and there appears to be a range of SPFs. Personally, that would be the first thing I would check when buying it (if I was actually going to use a sunbed, and I never would).

yes there is i think there is like SPF 5 or 15 in my tanning lotion.

Well if it's 5 it's providing you with virtually no protection whatsoever, so it would be worth checking and ensuring it is at least 15.

it doesnt matter to me. my body my decision. i have to live with the consequences of my actions none of u do so i am not changing anything bcuz u all think i should.

What doesn't matter to you? The SPF factor? Why not just use one with no protection at all then, since you care so little about your health?

You're right, it is your decision. But I am entitled to think it is irresponsible of a mother to risk her life, and risk leaving her children without a mother, for the sake of a tan. Seems selfish to me, but your choice, like you say.

whatever i can die at any moment any day. i will not live forever and i know that. so when i die it will be okay. my son will be well loved and completely taken care of no matter what. so i am not going to live in a bubble and fear everything just bcuz it could kill me. i dont tan anymore just so u know i stopped a long time ago i still have the tanning lotion sitting around. also i quit drinking (completely) and i dont smoke or do drugs . So i think i am a responsible mother under your conditions. Selfish is the last thing i am, i am the one that goes without while my son has everything that he could need or want and more. i would do anything to give him everything. So screw u for thinking i am selfish. tanning is just a tan millions of people do it so i dont understand why u seem to feel the need to bash them. we get that u know everything, but damn we have a right to make our own decisions we all know the risks involved. i am great mother and so is brooke and we dont need people like u who know nothing about us or our lives coming in here and telling us we are irresponsible or selfish mothers.

Well, I'm glad you were sensible enough to stop. And that you don't smoke. Hopefully your child will have you around to take care of him for a very long time.

I didn't actually say that you are irresponsible or selfish mothers. I cannot comment on the other areas of your lives. But I am entitled to my opinion that if someone uses a sunbed (and clearly this doesn't apply to you as you don't anymore), to get a tan, while knowing it could result in skin cancer, is doing something irresponsible (i.e. that the act of using a sunbed is irresponsible. That doesn't mean they're not responsible in other areas of their lives). I am also entitled to the belief that a mother who risks leaving her children motherless, for a tan, is doing something which is selfish (again, the choice to use the sunbed is selfish, not that she is necessarily selfish in other areas of her life).

There is also a difference between 'living in a bubble' and in doing things which significantly increase your chances of a premature death. Smoking is stupid and dangerous. Using drugs is stupid and dangerous. And so is using sunbeds. These are things which are within our control (unlike other things which may kill you), and a responsible person tries to avoid them. So what if millions of people do it? Millions of people smoke too. That doesn't mean that smoking is a responsible thing to do.

And I never claimed to know everything. Lol. Nor have I ever disagreed that you have the right to make your decisions (in fact I've repeatedly said that it's your choice). All I am doing is expressing my opinion.

Are you a friggen retard?

"as long as you know the risks and such, and what you're doing, i see nothing wrong with it."
The risks ARE whats wrong with it. You have two young children and you see no problem with doing something that is so highly linked to cancer.

so, i should just completely stop doing everything that has risks associated with it? should i stop driving with my children in the car because i might get in an accident? should i stop eating burgers because i might get mad cow disease? the way i see it, we takes risks EVERY. SINGLE. DAY., and whether or not the consequences catch up to us is not really anyone else's business. i'm not going to stop tanning because because get cancer, i'm going to stop tanning because i'm pregnant. i'm not going to stop driving, because my family and myself needs to get to places, although god forbid there's an accident. i'm not going to stop eating food because OH KNOW there might be a germ or two in there.

You're missing the point. Firstly, some things have to be done, even if there is risk associated with them. For example, to go about your daily business and get from a to z you need to drive or take public transport, despite the small risk of you one day ending up in a car accident. On the other hand you do not NEED to have a tan, so that is an unneccessary risk.

Secondly it's about the degree of risk. The chance of catching CJD from a burger is absolutely miniscule, one in so many millions. Your chance of developing skin cancer as a result of using sunbeds is MUCH MUCH higher than your chance of developing CJD from eating burgers. Also, people HAVE to eat (although not necessarily burgers!). You do NOT NEED a tan.

So you cannot compare getting in a car or eating a burger to using a sunbed.

haha, whatever. i get that you're expressing your opinion, but it's not like it's going to stop me from tanning altogether.

I'm not trying to stop you. I'm just saying that I can't understand why you would risk your life for a tan. And I'm pointing out that there's no logic to the defence you tried to provide above. I respect that you're willing to risk your life for a tan and that's your choice, but to say eating a burger or driving a car is the same thing is incorrect. If you're going to try and defend your actions, you should at least try and do better than that.

okay.

seriously... what's with getting attacked because you go tanning? i can't believe someone would sit there and attack you because you can't remember what spf your sunscreen is. i check the number before buying... but after a couple months, if i haven't looked directly at the bottle, i'd probably have to go recheck to see what number it was if asked. and you have kids -very cute ones i might add- so with those adorable distractions i'd say it's understandable. i don't think you're horrible, irresponsible or immature for tanning and forgetting your spf number. being attacked for something like that is what seems immature. *eye roll*

She actually wasn't being attacked. Not by me at least. I just asked her, out of curiosity, why she would do something which would risk her life (and risk leaving her children motherless) for the sake of a tan. Because that is something I can't personally understand. I have seen young people dying from malignant melanoma... I have seen them turn into completely different people and be aggressive to their children because of the cancer which has spread to their brain and affected their personality. I cannot understand why someone would risk dying like that for the sake of a little colour. So I am entitled to ask why.

The only thing I did attack was her attempt to defend her use of sunbeds by saying it is the same as driving a car or eating a burger. Because it most certainly is not the same (as I have explained above, so I won't repeat myself). If she is going to try and defend herself, she should at least try and come up with a better argument than that!

it's great that she realizes that we come into contact with things everyday that are risks to our health and lives, but the fact that she doesn't mind ADDING to the risks is what is bothering me. She'll feel different about it when she's older and (god forbid) cannot make it to her child's wedding ... she'll remember this thread lol

There is quite a difference between the scenarios given, but I am guessing you lack the maturity to understand the difference. I think Red Fraggle has explained it well enough.

I completely agree with you Brooke. This response right here sums up everything. Everything else they said after this doesn't even matter, bc this is what it comes down too.

smokers know the risk of smoking and addicts know the risk of drugs but that doesnt stop them.....do u drink alcohol???? u know it could cause liver failure? OMG seems like a lil bit of everything has risks and cause and effect situations. her life her decision. back off. she is not a friggen retard ....u didnt have to go there and call her names.

oh and guess what...her kids, her life, her decision. Last time i checked she was a grown ass woman and had the right to do whatever she wanted to her body.

who are u to judge???

She can stick up for herself.

I think smokers and people who do drugs are retards too. And no I don't drink alcohol.
I can judge all I like thanks. She wants to jump on a website and make statements and say anything she puts herself in the firing line for judgement in assumption. As do you. As do I. As does everyone.