Sex.co.nz

The average life span of a porn star, according to some estimates, is 18 months.  Sharon Mitchell of the Adult Industry Medical Health Care Foundation says that today’s porn stars can expect 3 years of work in the industry, tops, before she’s booted out for a younger model.

So what do porn stars do after their star has started to fade?  Do they become a kindergarten teacher, like Janine Lindemulder?  Do they become a director, like Devinn Lane?  Or do they end their life, like Tiffani DiGivanni?

A lot of porn stars enter the business hoping to become the next Jenna Jameson.  But the industry has changed since Jenna made her mark.  There’s a lot more competition, and the internet has changed the porn landscape for good.

Today’s adult actresses need to manage their brand as carefully as their career if they want any sort of longevity at all.  Building a fan base through an official website is a good start, as fans are loyal even when the studios stop calling.

Like athletes, porn stars need to invest wisely when they’re young and flush with money, or else they’ll find themselves broke and unemployable by the time they reach the end of their 20s.

Porn skills aren’t easy to transfer outside the industry.  Jenna Jameson and Sasha Grey aside, few porn stars are able to make the leap to mainstream acting, and even Jenna and Sasha will agree that there’s always a stigma attached to having appeared in adult films.

No wonder so many porn stars remain in the industry by directing, producing, or running a talent agency.

Christy Canyon has a tip for all the young porn stars out there: start investing now.  When her porn career ended in 1997, she had enough invested that she didn’t have to work for another twenty years if she wanted.

Without the kind of success Christy enjoyed, however, saving enough to never have to work again is unlikely.  Most porn stars realize that they need a new career, pronto.  Many go back to school and get degrees.  According to CNBC.com, many former stars go into nursing.  (Others go into Sex Rehab with Dr. Drew.)

And there are always a few ways to bring in some extra cash, like writing an autobiography filled with scandalous details and sexy photos, or maintaining a subscription website.

Regardless of what a porn star chooses to do after her porn career slows (become a museum curator, anyone?), one thing is certain: she’ll have to figure out some way to explain what mummy used to do to her children, or explain her CV to future employers.