Skin care, cancer treatment, tanning and competition

Cancer treatment is hard on your skin.  Chemotherapy, radiation therapy and estrogen suppression can each have an aging effect, and they seemed to cause my skin (especially my face) to look dryer and blotchier than before treatment.  Chances are likely that these problems had been creeping up on me over the past ten years (I'm 45), but I felt that cancer treatment was accelerating the process.  As a treat, I decided to visit and aesthetician for a facial and an at-home skin care program.  I've had a few treatments over the past six months, including light dermabrasion, laser treatment to remove a few spots, and a light (non-painful) acid peel.  These treatments improved my skin and I am planning to invest in a facial about twice a year.

I also purchased the (very expensive) Obagi skin care line of products.  They were great for my skin and people noticed a difference in my complexion.  Of all the products in the line, two are only available through a physician.  They are the tretinoin (retin-A) cream and the hydroquinone.  I quickly abandoned the hydroquinone, though, as there is controversy over its safety.  (Hydroquinone is banned in most of Europe, as it may be carcinogenic.  There seems to be debate over this claim, as it's legal in the U.S. through a physician.)  Tretinoin appears to be safe by everyone's standards and is effective in stimulating new skin cell production.  I've been pleased with the reduction of fine lines and evenness of my skin tone.  While the other products in the Obagi line (cleanser, toner, sunblock) were very nice, I decided that they were too expensive.  I've been buying cheaper cleanser, toner and sunblock and have been pleased with them.

My philosophy of skin care has always been pretty simple:  Don't smoke, don't tan, drink lots of water and get enough sleep.  I still do these things.  The one area in which I have improved, though, is sun protection for my whole body, especially my face, neck and chest.  I realized that the expensive products are rendered worthless if I don't maintain their effects by blocking the sun year-round.  My body and face moisturizers have an SPF of 15 or 30, and I wear them every day of the year.  If I am going to be outdoors for a lengthy period of time, I wear a stronger sunblock.  I have a growing collection of hats, and I seek out shade whenever possible.

One challenge of bodybuilding is that competitors must be very, very tan on stage.  This is to increase the look of muscle definition and to keep competitors from looking "washed out" on stage.  Many competitors will use tanning beds prior to competition, but this is not an option for me for several reasons.  First, I want to minimize my risk of skin cancer.  Second, I'm vain enough to want my skin to look young and healthy and minimize wrinkles as long as possible.  I've tried lots of sunless tanning products and use them on a regular basis.  My favorite brand is Fake Bake.  The spray looks good and is fast, but the mousse gives smoother coverage and lasts a lot longer.  Fake Bake won't be dark enough for a figure competition, though, so I'm planning to try Pro-Tan or Jan-Tana, two product lines specifically for bodybuilders.  My tan will have to be completely sunless, so I plan to experiment with Pro-Tan and/or Jan-Tana prior to the show to get the look right.