Patricia Krentcil became famous in 2012 when she was accused of endangering her child. Many people know her as “Tan Mom” because she loved going to tanning salons and spent five days a week inside tanning booths.
Her obsession with tanning almost caused her serious harm due to a condition called tanorexia, where someone doesn’t realize how much they tan. Today, she’s doing better, although she still visits tanning salons.
In the past decade, “Tan Mom” has experienced many ups and downs. Let’s take a look at how she appears today!
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Becoming obsessed with anything, whether it’s food, shopping, binge-watching TV shows, or something else, usually isn’t good. Some obsessions can harm your health more than others, so it’s important to understand how they can affect your life in the long term.
If you start feeling like one thing is taking over your life or you’re putting it ahead of important everyday things, it might be wise to talk to someone. Reach out to a friend or consider counseling for help.
For Patricia Krentcil, her obsession brought her sudden fame. She started tanning when she was younger, and it became a big part of her life. In 2012, Patricia became a sensation online when she faced accusations of taking her daughter to a tanning salon, though she wasn’t convicted.
Today, she takes a more careful approach to tanning, but it’s had a big impact on her life and appearance.
Patricia began tanning heavily at 23 years old in New Jersey, visiting City Tropics salon in Nutley up to five times a week for 12-minute sessions. She paid $100 monthly for unlimited tanning.
“I’ve been tanning my whole life, going to the beach, tanning salons and so forth,” she said.
But it wasn’t her tanning that made her famous online in 2012—it was something else entirely.
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In May 2012, Patricia Krentcil faced serious accusations of putting her 6-year-old daughter in a tanning booth, which led to burns on the child, as reported by CBS New York.
Patricia denied these claims, saying it was all a misunderstanding. She insisted she never took her daughter, Anna, to the tanning salon.
“No, not at all, not at all, not whatsoever,” Patricia said.
However, the Nutley Police Department arrested and charged Patricia with child endangerment. They alleged that she had brought Anna to the tanning salon, where the girl suffered minor burns.
According to ABC News, New Jersey law did not allow anyone under 14 to use tanning facilities. Teens aged 14 and older could go with parental permission.
The controversy started when a school nurse asked Anna how she got burned, and she replied, “I go tanning with mommy.” Patricia countered that Anna got burned while playing outside in their backyard.
“She’s 6 years old. Yes, she comes with me to the tanning salon, but not into the booth,” Patricia explained. “The whole thing is ridiculous!”
After the incident, Patricia Krentcil gained the nickname “Tan Mom” in the media. Her story went viral online, and pictures of her were shown on TV and in newspapers worldwide.
The incident also brought attention to a controversial issue called tanorexia, where someone becomes obsessed with tanning.
“When you look at this, it seems like someone who has a problem, probably a condition called tanorexia, where they don’t realize how tan they are,” said New York dermatologist Doris Day to ABC News.
“There’s really no good reason to take a young child to a tanning salon,” she added.
“Going to a tanning salon is like smoking for your skin, and the younger you start, the worse the effects can be over time,” experts said.
Health experts agreed that Patricia’s case was very extreme. Dermatologist Dr. Joshua Zeichner told the NY Daily News, “In all my years of treating patients, I have never seen anything like this.”
“Going to a tanning salon 20 times a month is very risky, especially with all the warnings about tanning beds and skin cancer,” he added.
“Tanorexia,” or an obsession with tanning, could be a serious issue for Patricia Krentcil, according to experts. Dr. Zeichner mentioned that she might need help not only for her skin damage but also for psychological reasons.
Using indoor tanning beds can increase the risk of melanoma, a type of skin cancer, by four times, says the Skin Cancer Foundation. These beds also emit much more UV radiation than the sun itself, which can be harmful.
Dr. Zeichner also suggested that Patricia might have body dysmorphic disorder, where a person is never satisfied with their appearance. He explained that people with this disorder often undergo many cosmetic procedures, like surgeries or Botox, and some become addicted to having tan skin.
Despite facing up to 10 years in prison if found guilty, Patricia insisted that she never let her daughter into the tanning booth in 2012. She claimed they were outside in a kiddie pool on a sunny day, and her daughter, who has red hair, got sunburned.
Patricia also argued that tanning was her own choice and didn’t harm anyone else.
“I didn’t do anything wrong. Is there something wrong with getting your nails done, or someone who smokes a lot, or someone who eats too much?” Patricia Krentcil questioned.
“If this was such a big issue, why didn’t they say something years ago?”
In February 2013, Patricia was cleared of child endangerment. Prosecutors said a grand jury decided not to charge her.
Even though legally she was in the clear, mothers across the country continued to criticize her parenting. Patricia responded by calling them names like “fat” and “ugly.”
“There’s always been someone out there who doesn’t like me because they’re jealous, fat, and ugly,” Patricia said, as reported by the Daily Mail.
“Instead of focusing on me, they should look at themselves in the mirror. I’m sorry I like being tan. It just makes me feel good. But these moms need to back off and leave me alone.”
The mother of five became famous online, but it turned into a nightmare. Reporters and photographers followed her everywhere, and she was made fun of by celebrities like Kim Kardashian and in sketches on “Saturday Night Live.”
It all became too overwhelming. She started drinking, and her family decided to move to Tampa, Florida, to start over fresh.
In addition, Patricia Krentcil revealed that her teenage children Ashley, 18, Alec, 17, and Austin, 15, faced bullying at school following the incident.
A year after the charges were dropped, Patricia, known as “Tan Mom,” decided she wanted to take control of her own story.
She told In Touch magazine that she planned to star in a movie to tell her side of everything that happened. With thousands of dollars in legal bills to pay and her husband Rich unemployed, she saw an opportunity to capitalize on her newfound fame.
Alongside the movie, Patricia hoped to launch her own line of tanning lotion called “Real Tan Mom Healthy Glow” and write a book. She also claimed to have received numerous modeling offers from cities like New York, London, and Paris.
“It’s far from over,” she said about her time in the spotlight. “Everyone wants a piece of me. I have many other opportunities, so I’m trying to decide where to move my family next.”
Then, in June 2019, “Tan Mom” faced a life-threatening situation.
Patricia Krentcil’s friend Adam Barta shared with US Weekly that she was in critical condition due to pneumonia complications. The entire family moved to Florida to support her during this time.
“As of now, she’s still on life support with a tube to help her breathe and is asleep with medicine to help her heart and lungs get stronger,” Barta said.
“Her lungs are clearing up and she’s getting better today, but she’s not out of danger,” he added.
“They’re giving her strong antibiotics to fight the infection, so her body is taking a big hit. I think last night was the most critical point, but she made it through, so she should keep improving. The plan is to try to remove the tube and wake her up tomorrow or Tuesday if she keeps improving like this,” he said.
Later, it was revealed that Patricia had a heart attack and was diagnosed with pneumonia, pancreatitis, and a lung infection.
Fortunately, Patricia recovered, and today she appears happier than ever. Her Instagram photos show her smiling, although the damage from her tanning days is still visible.
In April 2021, she spoke to the NY Post about her past, saying that the incident regarding her daughter and the tanning salon isn’t anything she dwells. Instead of trying to hide, she today embraces her “Tan Mom” identity.
She also said that she still tans twice a week in her own tanning bed.
“It doesn’t bother me anymore. It’s two separate people,” Patricia explained to The Post.
“There’s Tan Mom, celebrity, and then there’s Patricia Marie, Mom.”
What do you think about this story? Do you think tanning salons should be legal, or should they all be shut down? Give us your opinion in the comment section.