Introducing Burnt Truths: Uncovering the Shady Side of Getting Sun-Kissed

Introducing Burnt Truths: Uncovering the Shady Side of Getting Sun-Kissed

Welcome to Burnt Truths — a spin-off series of The Ultraviolet Tide podcast, presented by Low Ultraviolet. I’m Erica Feggeler, and for the next 7 episodes, we’re uncovering the shady side of getting sun-kissed. Coming June 1st, 2026. Our most listened-to episode ever, The History of Tanning (ep.13), sparked thousands of listeners to ask the same question: Why do we still do this? Why, in 2025, do tanning beds still exist? Why is “looking tan” still such a beauty standard — even when we know the risks? That curiosity turned into this, Burnt Truths, a pop-culture-meets-public-health dive into how tanning became an obsession, an identity, and, for some, an addiction. In this limited series, we’ll peel back a different layer of the glow. Burnt Truths will make you laugh, cringe, rethink your bronzing habits, and maybe even text your old tanning salon to cancel that membership. Join us as we unpack seven decades of beauty culture, bad advice, and billion-dollar marketing, and uncover the truth hiding beneath the tan lines. This is Burnt Truths: Uncovering the shady side of getting sun-kissed. Subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts.

91. [REVISIT] Elle Macpherson Refused Chemotherapy, AI Detection for Breast Tumors, and Kicking off Breast Cancer Awareness Month w/Jenna Garcia

Welcome back to the Ultraviolet Tide! In today's episode, Stage III Melanoma Survivor (2007) & triple-negative Breast Cancer Thriver (2022), Jenna Garcia, joins Erica Feggeler and Leah Adams to share the top stories for October. TOP 5 STORIES FOR SEPTEMBER: 1. Elle Macpherson says she was diagnosed with breast cancer 7 years ago and refused chemotherapy [https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/elle-macpherson-was-diagnosed-breast-cancer-7-years-ago-refused-chemot-rcna169321] (NBC News) * The Guardian: Instagram post on crucial information missing in Elle Macpherson’s breast cancer story, experts warn [https://www.instagram.com/p/C_hOu0HgGAt/] 2. AI model identifies certain breast tumor stages likely to progress to invasive cancer [https://news.mit.edu/2024/ai-model-identifies-certain-breast-tumor-stages-0722]   [https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/1919475/doctor-advice-pimple-skin-cancer](MIT News and Breast Cancer Research Foundation) 3. Mammograms will better explain what it means to have dense breasts [https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2024/09/11/nx-s1-5106379/dense-breasts-mammogram-screening-fda] (NPR) 4.  Healthier Together: Getting closer to a breast cancer vaccine [https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/healthier-together-getting-closer-breast-cancer-vaccine/HGCTMWECAVHJJN67UVN6IE6MLQ/] (KIRO 7, local news source) CONNECT WITH LOW ULTRAVIOLET: Website: https://www.lowultraviolet.com [https://lowultraviolet.com/]Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lowultraviolet/ [https://www.instagram.com/lowultraviolet/]Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LowUltraviolet [https://www.facebook.com/LowUltraviolet]TikTok: @lowultraviolet CONNECT WITH JENNA GARCIA: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livinglikeajenna/ [https://instagram.com/theleahalexis?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==] CONNECT WITH LEAH ADAMS: Instagram: https://instagram.com/theleahalexis [https://instagram.com/theleahalexis?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leah.a.adams.3 [https://www.facebook.com/leah.a.adams.3?mibextid=LQQJ4d] BUZZSPROUT: Podcasting isn’t hard when you have the right partners! The team at Buzzsprout is passionate about helping you succeed. Join over a hundred thousand podcasters already using Buzzsprout to get their message out to the world. Ready to start your own podcast? Sign up now for a paid plan and you'll receive a $20 Buzzsprout Credit: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=2074401 [https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=2074401]

90. Designing the Perfect Sun Shirt w/ Valerie Schimel, Founder of JOJU

Welcome back to the Ultraviolet Tide podcast. Today, we are joined by Valerie Schimel, the founder of JOJU. Since 2022, JOJU has provided buttery-soft, ultra-lightweight UPF 50+ sun shirts for men, women, and teens. JOJU UV sun shirts protect against 98% of UVA & UVB rays. SHOP JOJU: https://livejoju.com/ [https://livejoju.com/] CONNECT WITH JOJU: https://www.instagram.com/livejoju/ [https://www.instagram.com/livejoju/] CONNECT WITH LOW ULTRAVIOLET: Website: https://www.lowultraviolet.com [https://lowultraviolet.com/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lowultraviolet/ [https://www.instagram.com/lowultraviolet/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LowUltraviolet [https://www.facebook.com/LowUltraviolet] BUZZSPROUT: Podcasting isn’t hard when you have the right partners! The team at Buzzsprout is passionate about helping you succeed. Join over a hundred thousand podcasters already using Buzzsprout to get their message out to the world. Ready to start your own podcast? Sign up now for a paid plan and you'll receive a $20 Buzzsprout Credit: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=2074401 [https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=2074401]

89. Top 5 on the Tide - September: Child and Adolescent Cancer Awareness Month

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and in this episode, Erica and Leah take a deep dive into why this month matters and what the latest research reveals about pediatric cancers and their long-term impact. From global disparities in care to the overlooked risks of melanoma in children and survivors, this is a must-listen for anyone invested in the health and future of our youngest fighters. Plus—a big giveaway alert you won’t want to miss. Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lowultraviolet] for giveaways, updates, and sun-smart tips all summer long. Questions or feedback? DM us—we love hearing from you. GIVEAWAY TIME: We're running a weekly giveaway through the end of Season 5 (October) Here’s how to enter: 1. Rate & review the show on Apple or Spotify 2. Screenshot your review 3. Either: DM us the screenshot OR share it to your IG Stories and tag us 4. One winner announced each week! THIS MONTH'S TOP STORIES:  1. Overview: Why is September Childhood Cancer Awareness Month? [https://www.aacr.org/patients-caregivers/awareness-months/childhood-cancer-awareness-month/] * Global Stats: Childhood cancer affects ~400,000 kids (0–19 yrs) globally each year. Survival Rates: Increased from 58-68% in the 1970s to 83-88% today in high-income countries. Global Disparities: Only 30% survival in low/middle-income countries. WHO & St. Jude Partnership: The 2018 Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer aims to boost global survival to 60% by 2030. 2. Study Reveals New Clues Into Childhood Cancer Survivors’ Increased Risk of Melanoma  [https://consultqd.clevelandclinic.org/study-reveals-new-clues-into-childhood-cancer-survivors-increased-risk-of-melanoma] * Childhood cancer survivors are 2x more likely to develop melanoma. * Their risk of dying from melanoma is also doubled. * Study looked at 25,000+ survivors across the U.S. and Canada. * Risk Factors: * High-dose radiation * Alkylating agents * Bleomycin (increases sun sensitivity) 3. Pediatric Melanoma [https://www.aimatmelanoma.org/melanoma-101/types-of-melanoma/pediatric-melanoma/] * Pediatric melanoma cases rose ~1.7% yearly (1975–1994), then declined. * Sharpest rise in girls 15–19, possibly due to tanning habits. * ~400 pediatric melanoma cases diagnosed in the U.S. annually. * 🔗 Listen to Episode 37 [https://open.spotify.com/episode/0XQM2Tg2k9eJjr9EUKFxYX?si=ec8P7EpTRyKCD52uZCmcQg] for our conversation with her mother, Marianne Banister, founder of the Claire Marie Foundation. 4. Parents warned of skin cancer risk in children [https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0qlzq1gp7go] * Emphasizes that children’s skin is more vulnerable than adults’. * Sunburns in childhood = higher risk of skin cancer later. Join us for our upcoming Yoga Event with the Claire Marie Foundation! Sign up & learn more here [https://lowultraviolet.com/pages/events]. CONNECT WITH LOW ULTRAVIOLET: Website: https://www.lowultraviolet.com [https://lowultraviolet.com/]Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lowultraviolet/ [https://www.instagram.com/lowultraviolet/]Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LowUltraviolet [https://www.facebook.com/LowUltraviolet]TikTok: @lowultraviolet CONNECT WITH LEAH ADAMS: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theleahalexis/ [https://www.instagram.com/theleahalexis/]

88. Skin Check w/Jenn: In-Transit Melanoma, Medical Trauma & Melanoma Awareness in Australia with Michelle

This month on The Skin Check with Jenn, we’re taking things global with our very first international guest! Jenn is joined by Michelle, a Stage III and IV melanoma survivor from Australia, a country with one of the highest rates of melanoma in the world. If Michelle’s name sounds familiar, you might recognize her from the viral “Dear Melanoma” reel she shared during Melanoma Awareness Month last year. That post sparked a movement of others writing their own open letters to melanoma, and Michelle has continued using her platform to raise awareness and build connections ever since. In this deeply personal and eye-opening conversation, Michelle opens up about: * The differences between nodular and cutaneous melanoma * The moment everything changed with her Stage IV diagnosis * How she manages medical trauma and long-term survivorship anxiety * What it was like to start sharing her story publicly * The cultural contrast between sun safety attitudes in Australia vs. the U.S. From navigating surgeries that never happened to feeling unseen in traditional beauty standards, Michelle shares with honesty, clarity, and a refreshing openness that makes you feel less alone — whether you’re a fellow patient, survivor, or someone who loves one. CONNECT WITH JENN: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenn_patrice/ Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/thenextchapterwithjenn/ CONNECT WITH MICHELLE: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mish.melanoma/ CONNECT WITH LOW ULTRAVIOLET: Website: https://www.lowultraviolet.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lowultraviolet/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LowUltraviolet BUZZSPROUT: Podcasting isn’t hard when you have the right partners! The team at Buzzsprout is passionate about helping you succeed. Join over a hundred thousand podcasters already using Buzzsprout to get their message out to the world. Ready to start your own podcast? Sign up now for a paid plan and you'll receive a $20 Buzzsprout Credit: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=2074401