Layri is right. When I was a teenager, I hated my milky white skin...but now as an adult, I consider it one of my defining features. I even accentuate it's whiteness by wearing a lot of black or emerald green, and painting my nails dark Elvira burgandy. No, I don't look great in short shorts being white skinned, but I can look pretty chic wearing black capri pants and some cute, funky sandals!

It is basically about learning to play up what you were born with. My daughter is part Native American, so she naturally has a golden glow about her with dark hair and eyes-she can naturally go for the bronze goddess look in a few more years...but if that is not what your natural inclinations are, it is best to go with what you were given, and play those attributes up instead.

When I was in my early 20's I was a person who would lay in the tanning bed in the morning and then head to the beach in the afternoon for so long til I would fall asleep. I tan easy as my father has Indian in him so I naturaly have a lil darkness to my skin but with tanning & the sun I got real dark. I slowly grew out of that way of tanning and just went to the salaon a few times a week until a couple years ago I got a scare with what appeared to be skin cancer (just showed up one day) but thank God after lots of test & praying it wasn't skin cancer and for that I no longer lay out or go to a tan bed if I don't get it from sports, swimming, fishing etc than I just don't get it.

I have decided not to tan, Thanks to all who have commented. I looked at the price of tanning and decided against it. also for all that commented on sunsceen. I often use a ver4y high spf and still burn...don't know what that is all about.

Thanks again!!!

Many people don't realize, but you have to reapply suscreen/sunblock every few hours. If you apply it once in the morning, and are gardening all day in a tank top, then you need to be sure that you reapply it every 2-3 hours. That might help.

Move north far away from the cruel bright sun. Just kidding. I am fairly dark but learned to respect the sun from a couple bad burns when I was in the tropics. I do tan but I don't like laying out very much. Sports type sunscreens tend to stay on better. Watch the contacts if you use them though. My husband is very fair he uses neutragena with the highest spf we can find.

This is a tricky subject for me...I am a normal looking Caucasian when I don't tan...But with Indian and Hispanic ancestry, well...LOL.

My skin is a medium tone when I don't tan...But when I do, my ethnicity shines (which I can't deny...it makes me feel good turning that dark golden color).

I rarely burn. Never in the tanning bed (I start off with 10 and work up to 30) I admit..I use the tanning bed a couple of weeks out of the year to build up a base...It takes hours in the sun for me to burn. I have always loved being outside, and have had the luxury of being able to use low SPF suncreens.

I would just suggest to know your skins' limits. Never burn yourself to get dark. It's painful, and the dead skin that peels is not attractive.

Yes, but even those who tan well naturally and rarely burn-STILL get sun damage, and it still advances aging, etc.

My husband is Oglala Souix, and my kids are have darker skin tones. However, they still all wear 30+ sunblock when they are outside playing. If you ever go out to the reservations and see the elderly folks...well, let's just say it isn't pretty. It seems to happen all at once, too.

I've been reading the posts again and I just have to make this observation. Lots of you say you won't use the tanning bed but will get tanned "naturally". You still get damage to your skin, natural or not. Farmers have a very high instance of skin Ca from being in the sun.

I agree with what aphil said too about playing up your fairness. It took me a while to come to terms with it, but having fair skin makes my eyes look even darker brown than they are (at times they looks almost black) and my lips also stand out. I also tend to blind people when I wear shorts, but at the same time my bf said he thinks it's gorgeous that I am pale. So it all works for me. As for sunscreen I have to re apply constantly because I will burn without...I can burn in 5-10 minutes depending on the day so I make sure I'm covered. Usually brand wise for sunscreen I stick with Banana Boat, they have always done wonders for me

Correct. When I stated above that my mother has had skin cancer removed from her face, she had done both tanning beds and sunbathing over the years. However, my father and grandfather have both had skin cancers removed as well-and it was only from outdoor exposure-fishing, yardwork, etc.

I can admit that I tan in tanning beds. I only do it during the Spring so that over the summer I look decent. I live in Florida - it's very, very, common here. I know that doesn't make it less dangerous, but like my diet center says...we all make our own "adult decisions." Alcohol can be dangerous too, and plenty of people drink...etc

I used to tan in tanning beds (and the beach, of course, because I LOVE the beach). I didn't tan excessively, just to keep my legs from looking too white. I've always felt much better with darker skin, and I tan easily. But a couple of years ago I had a skin cancer scare (turned out to be nothing) but the thought of it was enough to scare me straight. Now I use spray tans and lotions. If you get the good stuff, it looks fairly natural.

I know it's bad but I do tan...last year I started with the tanning beds for a month and then when the pool opened I could not stay away! This year will not be as severe but I do plan on tanning because I have a wedding coming up and I want to look decent and not have to wear panty hose. I just think I look better with a little color.I know what I am doing to my body with doing so but right now...not worried about it.

FrouFrou - you might not be worried about it now, but what about 20 years down the road - if you continue to go tanning, and your skin is all weathered and tired looking from having too much sun on it? You might look beautiful tanned on your wedding day, but is it enough to look gross 20 years down the road like most sunbathers look?