tanning

[david p]

Would sweating a lot prevent skin cancer? I used to sweat a ton mowing all of that grass and I wonder if a coating of sweat might have prevented it?

[Karen]

Would sweating a lot prevent skin cancer? I used to sweat a ton mowing all of that grass and I wonder if a coating of sweat might have prevented it?

Hee hee - dunno about that, but I know that olive-skinned people are less likely to get it than we pasty white folks, but there are myriad factors involved. I'm just one of those people whose general description matches the list on all those posters:

fairskinned? - check
blonde or red hair as a child? - check
pale or blue eyes? - check
burn easily? - check
freckles? - check
Frequent sunburns as a child? - check - despite the best efforts of parents and sunscreen!

And Paul, despite having dark hair, matches all the rest of these, plus has a history of skin cancer in the family.

[david p]

Hee hee - dunno about that, but I know that olive-skinned people are less likely to get it than we pasty white folks, but there are myriad factors involved. I'm just one of those people whose general description matches the list on all those posters:

fairskinned? - check
blonde or red hair as a child? - check
pale or blue eyes? - check
burn easily? - check
freckles? - check
Frequent sunburns as a child? - check - despite the best efforts of parents and sunscreen!

And Paul, despite having dark hair, matches all the rest of these, plus has a history of skin cancer in the family.

Guess what, Karen. When I was a kid, I was blonde which turned dark brown, (now grey!)

[Karen]

Guess what, Karen. When I was a kid, I was blonde which turned dark brown, (now grey!)

Yes, but you got your Dad's olive skin tone - which counts a LOT, apparently!

My hair is what we call jokingly "the transmogrifying Peterson hair" - When I was little I had blonde curls, bright strawberryish blonde, big curls, Between Christmas and Easter when I was four, it not only turned darker - brown, to be precise, it went straight. It stayed straight for a long time, but would always get reddish or blonde streaks in the summer, and by the end of summer the ends of my hair were pretty light, especially compared to the color it was when it started out! Then it got to be kind of wavy, and now, after years, it is fairly curly if I don't blow it dry. It still gets streaks, if I am out in the sun much. My nieces have been warned this could, indeed, happen to them! Niece #3 actually straightens her hair at the present time - trying to delay the inevitable I guess!

[Miss Z]

I am a fan of sunbathing, and only ever in the sun. I've never been on a sunbed (by which I mean a tanning booth, as I think you guys across the pond call them ), and I never use fake tan. I hate the streaky effect and the smell of those products. I suppose can't shake off the memories of the girls in my teenage days who looked like they bathed in Tango every morning, either!

I don't believe that I have any lineage that would lend me 'olive skin', but I don't usually burn and go brown quite quickly. I of course still use high factor suncream and moisturise my skin when I come out of the sun. I definitely don't want to end up like a leather satchel!

I actually find that I work very well when out in the sun, and by work I mean revision, going over notes, writing essays, etc. Last year in April, the weather was glorious here, and I spent all my time in the garden sat in my sun-lounger revising for my exams, and got so much done. The weather wasn't so kind this year, and I found it a lot harder to keep the concentration up. The sun has only recently showed its face over here, and I spent the weekend out in a quiet corner of Hyde Park writing my 2nd year lab report. Again, got way more done than I ever would sat at my laptop in my room. Perhaps I am just more relaxed and motivated when outdoors in the warmth, and less prone to distraction.

Perhaps it is partly a British thing, too. The high sun is a fickle friend over here. As quickly as he comes, he's gone, so I suppose we take full advantage in that short space of time!

[carole]

I am another pasty white person (i am scottish after all) got the freckles, so i don't look that white, and i do not care, that is what i was born with and i am happy to stay that way, sure a tan looks healthy, but we all know in general it is not.

We in NZ have one of the harshest suns in the world, and even though i have kept out of it, i see my aunts and uncle when they come over from scotland who are older than myself and they have hardly a wrinkle, so everyone should remember getting a tan is just skin damage and it does age you prematurely.,and it does not matter what type of skin you have you are still damaging your skin. I know had i remained in Scotland i too would have that beautiful lily white skin,however i do know a lot of Brits go to spain and get tanned these days.Personally there is nothing more beautiful to me than a peaches and cream complexion.

When i was younger i tried to get a bit of tan, but only resulted in freckles, so i gave up, maybe just as well, they seem to fade with age, then you get other ones like on your hands and age spots which i detest, and can do nothing about,despite staying out of the sun, GRRR...

Trouble is because i am so scared of getting skin cancer i now have to take vitamin D every month, due to the fact i do not spend much time outside,catch 22 really.