Patricia Krentcil, who has made headlines since she was charged this spring with child endangerment for allegedly letting her young daughter use a tanning booth. Given the chance to speak, however, she is eager to defend herself.
“She would have been fried from head to toe, and would never put my daughter in there," said Krentcil, of Nutley, NJ, about 6-year-old Anna, one of her five children.
Krentcil, who used to tan frequently but says she has stopped for the last six months, came to Westchester MMA Fit in Mount Kisco on Friday as a guest for the launch of Westchester author Dana Ramos' book, The Skin Regime: Bootcamp for Beautiful Skin.
Ramos touts the Skin Regime, which has been helping Krentcil, and involves washing and cleansing to repair damage done from the tanning (you can see how it's working here on Ramos' website). She describes the method as involving affordable products from drugstores or online, and one that can be done on a do-it-yourself basis.
The author is also a staunch supporter of Krentcil, describing her as kind, witty and helpful.
“That’s the Patricia, not whatever the media tried to paint her as.”
Krentcil is frustrated with how her situation has been portrayed.
“It was the most ridiculous thing.” She hopes that the case against her will be dismissed.
Krentcil has made other lifestyle changes, including more exercise, meditation and taking time for herself. She also plans to come out with her own line of body lotion.
Ramos, a writer who lives in the Katonah area, feels a personal reason to help people, saying “I care very much about skin protection.” She lost a friend not too long ago to melanoma, which she said wasn't diagnosed initially. She also wants to give a portion of her proceeds to charity to help out and to honor her friend.
The author also discussed her enthusiasm for skin care, which began 20 years ago when she had skin problems that included wrinkles. Ramos, who moved from California to New York, eventually met Mount Kisco dermatologist David Bank, whose background also includes cosmetic work. She has been a patient of his for about 15 year and he wrote the foreward for the book.
The book party included an array of promotional merchandise and a raffle for prizes from local businesses. The launch party also served as a fundraising event for the Skin Cancer Foundation.
