What do you think about the sun? (tanning)

[cali]

few red heads can tan, and I am one of the many that cant lol. its just the skin type that comes with having red hairvery pale, burn and freckles only, cant tan lol my skin is actually pink so I dont look white as a ghost

[popcornbird]

YLL, OUCH!!! That looks soooo painful!!!

I have never gotten a tan and never will. Whenever I go out, all of my skin is covered except my hands and face. My hands and face never got burnt though.......no matter how long I was out in the sun. I think fair skin tends to burn more easily than tan/darker skin.

I wouldn't want to get a tan anyway...I don't want to get darker.

You know what I find really funny? People tend to wear shorts and sleeve-less clothes in the summer so they feel cooler. Wearing such clothes does not make you cooler. It exposes your skin to the hot sun, and not only makes you feel hotter, but also burns you. Wearing *lighter* clothes, but clothes that cover much of your skin actually keeps you cooler in the summer than shorter, more exposing clothing.

[cocker_luva]

i go to L.A. Tan and go into the stand-up tanner. also i tan outside on my porch, without lotion, to add some color to my skin.

[Tonya]

I work outdoors and everyday before work I put on waterproof SPF45. When I'm not pregnant, I tan at tanning beds twice a month during the summer though. Tanning in the beds helps to condition my skin where I don't get burned. Even with SPF45, I get burned otherwise. Also, I hang my arms out the booth and cover my neck and face. That gets rid of my spiffy farmer's tan from work.

If I want an actual tan, I use the spray booth at the tanning salon. It is expensive ($15), but it is safe and works great.

[Karen]

Don't do it! Don't go to the tanning place! There is no such thing as a safe tan. A lady I know died of skin cancer. Once Paul and I helped a childhood friend of mine move a big piece of furniture. I've known Krys since we were in 6th grade. Afterwards, Paul said to me "What happened to her skin?" I asked what he meant, and he said her skin looked so much older than mine, and I said "Oh, Krys was a lifeguard for two summers when we were in high school. She used to get really tan." I didn't, and it made a huge difference in our skin by the time we were 32.

I wear sunscreen, or I burn badly. I often burn even using sunscreen, but it's very mild. I have absurdly sensitive skin, the sunblock I use without getting a rash is the highest SPF I can find, hypoallergenic unscented sunscreen made for babies. But hey, it works!

[MariaM]

Karen, my skin burns really bad too!

YLL, I had a burn like that once on my chest!

I also had it on my back, shoulders and legs. IT WAS PAINFUL. I know how you feel. This year I got it BAD on my feet, very painful, but only because I didn't put sunscreen there and I put it everywhere else (YAY I FOUND ONE THAT WOKRS!! Lol I'm still happy)

When I got my bad burn though, I had blistering shoulders, hurting legs, and a peeling back. The line of sunburn on my chest didn't go completely away for about a year and a half.

[heinz57_79]

I'm a red head with freckles... I can't tan, even tho I'd love a little more colour to my pasty skin. Unfortunately, I burn, then I freckle. If I could just turn myself into one large freckle then I could at least give the appearance that I was tan!

[Desert Arabian]

Yeah, my dad's friend Lynn is a nurse, she said my sunburn will be here for many years- I sure hope not.

[Doggirl]

I don't tan, my Mom told me all about tanning and now when I want a Tan I use Neutrogena Instant Bronzer. I love it!

[Kona & Oreo's mom]

We've heard a lot about how tanning is dangerous. But people should be aware that even non-intentional, everyday sun exposure is dangerous, too. Wearing high SPF sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB rays every day and getting skin cancer screenings as part of your annual exam are so important!

I have fair skin and brown hair. As a teen I would try to get tan. I stopped that nonsense at 16. Six years later, I had my first skin cancer at age 22. I got a second skin cancer at age 30.

My dermatologist said that the damage of sun exposure doesn't show up for many years, which is why it is so hard to discourage people from tanning--the harmful consequences are not immediate.

I apologize that this sounds like lecturing. I just try to share my experience in the hope that others won't go through it.