The perfect tan

[GracieMae]

Yesterday my ex SIL came into my place of business and sat in my section (it was good to see her)

She has been tanning and is DARK! She wants to get darker yet.

My question is with all the information about how damaging the suns rays can be is it worth tanning to this extent?

Now only are the UV rays harmful it makes the skin almost like leather in apperance.

[Clio]

There is no "perfect" tan. Not having a tan at all is actually perfect.Tanned skin is damaged skin. People proud of a tan might as well be saying "yeah, well my skin is more fucked up than yours, jealous much?".

There is nothing more gross than someone with leathery elephant-like skin which happens to EVERYONE who tans. All the more mature US tourists we get here it's quite obvious who lives in the sunnier climates. It's not a pretty sight at all.

[GracieMae]

I have never been a sun seeker. I don't handle heat well and have never been into tanning. I use sunblock when I am in the sun for more than a few minutes.

I agree with Clio. IMO very dark tans are unattracitve because of the way they prematurly age and damage skin.

[eva]

Agreed. Plus, is it worth dying over? I don't like being super pale in the summer, though. It makes me feel self conscious for some reason.

[IdahoMom]

I embrace my paleness!! But at the same time I HATE the way sunblock lotions feel on my skin. Any other NON-sun-worshipers have any sunblock recommendations for me??

[Jory]

Tanning is soooo out. Pale is in. I have a natural "tan" anyway, but my pale tan tends to look very sallow, so I use the self tanner to look a little bronzier instead of gray green.

[OnederWoman]

Would that tanning were good for skin. I'm pasty, pale white. I do like the look of tans, so I get a spray tan every once and a while. But other than that, it's so not worth it to me.

I have a sister coming back from vacation who had her second allergic reaction to the sun. Her legs are red and swollen and she can't touch them against anything else but to rest them. It takes her 15 minutes to get in the car. It happened to her a few years ago, and her legs turned blackish-purple.

My sisters were all sun-ers and now they have dark blotchy patches on their faces. No way baby, not worth it to me.

[mommymushbrain]

For me, I prefer a light tan... I am still very ghostly and pasty compared to most tanners out there. I am still of the firm belief that not spend all my teenage years in a tanning bed like everyone else has helped me retain my youthful beauty. :howling:

[Jasmina]

I don't tan on purpose, we use sunscreen whenever outdoors for any length of time.
It just isn't safe or healthy to tan, IMO. We do end up with tan skin by summers end, even though we use sunscreen religiously, the sun is just really strong down here I guess. My kids where wetsuit style swim suits in the pool to get added protection.

When I lived in Florida there was a girl my age that sunbathed all day everyday of the week. She was dark! I only saw her from a distance since my kitchen window faced the pool area. One day I met her up close and my goodness! Her face looked like a leather handbag! I can't imagine how her skin must look 20 years later.

[Ihavecontrolofu]

The sun scares me...I might melt or burst into flames or something :lol:
I try to stay out of the sun as much as poss. seeing how hot it gets here anyway and when I am out in the sun I dont tan I get freckles on my shoulders and I have more than enough of them!
done self tanning a few times but personally I like milky white skin.

[mom2burgess]

nope, I don't tan. I tend to tan a bit though, even with sun block. So do the kids

[Diva]

I'm with everyone else, it's so not worth it to me. As a teenager, I did the sunbaking thing, but I wised up pretty quickly. Over here, being so close to the south pole (and the hole in the Ozone layer) the sun is really harsh, much harsher than in Europe where I used to live. My every day facial moisturiser has SPF15 built in, and if it's a sunny day and my arms or legs are going to be exposed I wear SPF45. The girls get slathered in SPF45+ on a sunny day, they do not wear sleeveless tops to minimise sun exposure, even their togs (bathing suits) have sleeves and legs, and they never leave the house without sunhats. It's just basic good sense to me. I worry myself sick over my little sister in summer, she worships the sun and has been known to lie on the ROOF of dad's house slathered in (SPF0) oil (yes, OIL!!!! :eek: ) baking until she sizzles. She is heading for leather handbag skin at the very least, skin cancer at worst, but no amount of talking can get it through to her teenaged head that it's a SUPER bad idea. :(
I DO however like the look of a light (fake) tan, so I wear a bronzer - on my face all year round, and on my arms and shoulders in summer (and legs, on the rare occasion they are exposed). I am actually kind of olivey toned, but my legs are terrifyingly white. My arms tan and freckle, even with sunblock on, as does my face, but nowhere else on my body does. I'm glad I'm not naturally inclined to show off my body because I'm really not a fan of the pasty white skin look, and I REALLY can't be bothered with the whole fake tanning scene these days.

[Michele]

I am anti sun. LOL Seriously I prefer to not be directly in the sun for long periods. I don't enjoy the feeling that I am melting. Ew. Beyond that, some sun is good for you, too much is not.

I'd rather be really light skinned and wrinkle free, then tan and leathery.

[Melinda-Q]

I'm bisque and love it.

I am not into tanning and I hate the leather look and am very into keeping my skin healthy as opposed to conforming to a "look" that some like.

I do get some color even with block. We we were at Six Flags all day yesterday and I burned, even with reapplying SPF 45 several times. In a few days it will be a light golden brown. I'd prefer it not, but that is what it is.

I like my skin best in winter anyway, when it has the porcelain doll appearance. I like being paler:)

[GracoLineLazer]

I get a free tan, but I hate it. I work out in the sun everyday. But I never go without my Bullfrog. :Booty: lol My skin has not turned to leather yet. I hope like hell it nevers, but probably pipedreaming on that one.

[Beelzebub]

Very hot where I am.

[Beck]

I like to be tan!!

I'm not a sun whore, but I like to have some color to me. This year (since I'm staying home and DD and I are in the pool amost constantly) I am soooo much darker than I have been since I was a kid myself.

I do not want to get dark .. dark, but I like my tan this year. Hell, even my legs have a tan!!!