Marianne, 48, had always loved the way a good tan made her feel — more alive, more youthful, more confident.
Growing up in California, tanning wasn’t just normal — it was expected. It made her feel beautiful. Powerful. In control of her image. Even in her 40s, Marianne continued her weekend ritual of lying out in the sun or heading to the local tanning salon.
But one morning, standing in front of the mirror, something stopped her cold.
“I saw these deep lines around my eyes that I swear weren’t there a month ago,” she said. “My skin used to bounce back. Now it just… sags.”
She pulled her arm up, comparing it to an old photo from just last year. The difference was shocking.