So, I grew up in the 80s and had a pool in my backyard - I used to lay out all the time, with baby oil (hah!). I'm a natural blonde, with blue eyes, but I do tan to a nice golden color, and my "natural" color is light golden (fair, but not super white).
However, I gave that up years ago as the skin cancer campaigns popped up. In my early 30s, I had 2 melanomas removed and now I am maniacal about putting sunscreen on and covering my skin. My neighbor recently chuckled at me as I was applying sunscreen at a neighborhood cook-out when I was in the sun maybe 20 minutes.
This past weekend, I saw someone (randomly) from high school, that I hadn't seen in probably 25 years since we graduated, and she'd just come back from the beach. Honestly, it kinda grossed me out, as she was so tan - it was just really unattractive to me. I had introduced her to my husband as someone I went to high school with, and as we walked away he asked me how many years ahead of me she was. I explained we graduated together and he was shocked at how much older she looked - she was pretty wrinkled. Obviously, I have no clue what kind of lifestyle she leads, but it looked like a lot of sun damage and she did mention they "go to the beach all the time."
I'm always amazed when we take cruises at how much people just lay out in the sun by the pool, oftentimes sporting a nice sunburn but still out laying in the sun.
So, are you still laying out tanning? Do you try to keep sunscreen applied, or are you actively trying to get a tan?
Wow after reading this I'd start staying away from the sun more often and apply more sunscreen! Since the summer started I've been tanning almost everyday just laying by my pool with my friends. My friend even caught a sunburn haha
I also do not wear sunscreen when I run, which is 2-4 times a week. I do apply sunscreen at the beach and most other times that I know I will be out in the sun for a long time. I actually wear sunscreen less than I used to - I think it caused me to be dumb about being in the sun, like I'm invincible or something. Instead, I rather just cover up with clothing or sit under an umbrella.
I say its a good balance between taking care of my skin and also being slightly vein as I enjoy looking a bit golden.
I'm in the UK so our weather isn't great, but I grew up with memories of sunburn as a kid, and in my teens. I am much more careful with my children (factor 50 slapped on), and don't allow them to sunbath, I don't sunbath and the most I gather in the summer is a 't-shirt tan' as I ride horses so end up with tan arms and chest / face neck.
I'm also naturally blonde and blue eyes.. but can get a deep tan abroad - don't go abroad anymore. my girls are all the same so always been careful with them.
I don't like the sight of a deep tan and have noticed people think I'm younger than I am (I'm 43) and women my age are often showing more wrinkles around the mouth / eyes if are regular tanners.
No, I crisp. I have the complexion of a redhead and burn very quickly. I'm good for about 15 minutes without sunscreen before I start to turn pink. Pink goes to red VERY fast. I had a couple really nasty sunburns as a kid.
My husband is one who generally tans just from being outdoors. Sometimes he'd burn which would turn to tan. I'd suggested for many years that he use sunscreen. He would occasionally but not often -- and would never re-apply. In the past couple years he has had all 3 types of melanomas removed and is now willing to partake in the daily slathering on on sunscreen.
Really interesting! My husband is a runner, too, and he doesn't wear sunscreen when he runs (or when he mows the yard) so he has that t-shirt tan, too. Hah!
I have to admit, when I was a teenager I loved to sunbathe - I found it so relaxing to fall asleep in the sun and then jump in the pool to cool off and start all over again. I used to get obsessed with my tan lines, hah!
I actually dye my hair strawberry blonde now, so it looks better/more natural to be fair-skinned, since no natural red-head tans! I'm still more golden than a natural red-head, but I've fooled a lot of people.
My neighbors teased me a couple years ago when we went on a 2-week Caribbean cruise, and went diving in almost every port, that I "came home paler than when I left" - LOL!
I don't wear sunscreen because I don't like the ingredients in most and I have a severe vitamin d deficiency. But I also avoid a lot of sun exposure because I'm allergic to the sun (medication side effect) and it causes me to break out in hives where I used to get sun burned. It's really bad this summer so I quit wearing shorts and I usually wear a thin long sleeve top if I'm spending a lot of time outside. I haven't quite figured out what to do about my face, though, because I can't stand wearing hats so I generally stick to the shade as much as I can. Luckily I live in a place where trees greatly outnumber people.
Another reason I avoid too much sun is because my mom's whole side of the family, including my mom, have had some level of skin cancer. But they are also from southern California so whether it's genetic or environmental or both I'm not sure so I don't chance it.
Last edited by LovelyLeah; 07-07-2015 at 04:55 PM.
I love sunbathing, and I know it's bad. I've always been a beach bum, but we only go for one week during the summer and occasional weekend trips (my aunt and uncle live by the beach).
I try to apply sun block pretty regularly, but I can be lazy about it and like to rely on my base tan to protect me from the sun when I can. I used to be more diligent about it when I enjoyed the sun just for the feeling and not for the tanning effect. The tanning part didn't start until I began working on a farm and would get a hardcore farmer tan. I started tanning at the pond as a way to even myself out. I make sure to apply sunblock to my face and areas that turn pink or feel like they are burning or are exposed a lot, though. (I also used to take handfuls of dirt and rub it on my arms and shoulders on the farm on really hot sunny days out of desperation, haha)
I'm a redhead with blue eyes, so I can burn pretty easily but also tan surprisingly well. I got the hair from my mom (irish) and skin from my dad (polish). My dad always gets pretty tan during the summer and hasn't had any skin issues. My mom on the other hand will freckle but not tan and has had a couple of melanomas removed. I'm only 21, so negative effects have yet to pop up.
I really appreciate this post though. It's a great reminder for what the sun can actually do. And here I am in bed with a painful sunburn I really wish I could pass out in the sun and not worry about it.
Last edited by RetroRabbit; 07-07-2015 at 10:54 PM.
I tan whenever I walk outside… I have a natural olive complexion (mums family from the south of italy). I'm Australian but live in Ireland (there's not much sun here!) and I manage to have a year-round tan without trying. Otherwise, no, I wouldn't lie out in the sun, skin cancer is way too common and it's best to prevent it if possible. As they say… a tan is skin cells in trauma. And I think fair skin is so lovely, beauty is embracing what you were born with
Also, RetroRabbit, "base tans" do nothing to protect you. Use care.
Melanin serves as protection from the sun, though. I'd imagine it's costly to produce, otherwise we wouldn't only have tans when we've been exposed to sunlight. If it's costly to produce, then there has to be a purpose for it, and that purpose is sun protection. Obviously it's not enough to keep a white person sunburn-free in an area where native humans have/would have had darker skin tones, but it definitely helps.
The areas of my body that are exposed to sun a lot (upper back, upper arms, the front part of my thigh from my knee to my short line) definitely have better protection than the pale areas. I can get away with not putting any sunblock on those spots and not have them burn whereas the other areas will fry in 20 minutes. Of course, it's still good to be wary, but those tans make a huge difference!
Also, getting a tan necessarily isn't damaging. It's excessively doing it that is. Tanning for me is inevitable unless I were to wear long sleeves and pants everywhere during the summer, which, with my job, would lead to heat stroke. It's similar to microfracturing bones or microtearing muscles, it is damage, but it leads to stronger bones and muscles. Sunlight is also the best source of vitamin D and is linked with preventing certain types of cancers, including breast. The key is moderation and to seek shade as soon as something starts turning pink (and, of course, keeping oneself hydrated all the time to prevent skin from drying out with age). The only problem is it feels so good to lie out in the sun and it becomes hard to move and easy to pass out, haha
Last edited by RetroRabbit; 07-08-2015 at 12:22 PM.
I don't tan, always found it boring. I also use sunscreen whenever I am on the water or at a lake. I haven't been good about using sunscreen when I garden or walk though. Now I have skin cancer. It's not the worst thing in the world, but it's not a whole lot of fun either.
Do you "tan" (lay out in the sun)?
No, I crisp. I have the complexion of a redhead and burn very quickly. I'm good for about 15 minutes without sunscreen before I start to turn pink. Pink goes to red VERY fast. I had a couple really nasty sunburns as a kid.
I really wish I could pass out in the sun and not worry about it.
