Health Poll: Sun Goddess or Vampire???

[lindrusso]

As I start baring my pale legs during this spell of warm weather (80º and up in May is VERY unusual for Indiana), it got me wondering about your habits when going out in the sun. Do you worship the sun or do you cover up??

A lifetime ago I used to sunbathe, but my skin got so that it was too sensitive to the sun and I'd break out in rashes. Now that society, in general, is more aware of the harmful effects of the sun, I'm almost glad that I became sensitive - it probably saved my skin, literally!

I notice that a neighbor of mine, who is within two years of my age (I'm 34, almost 35), looks older than I do and I'm pretty sure it's because she lies out in the sun. Added wrinkles and leathery skin is enough to keep me from sunbathing, much less worrying about the risks of skin cancer.

Do any of you put on sunscreen every day? I'm not that vigilant (though I did just buy a facial moisurizer with sunscreen)- I put it on when I know I'm going to have prolonged exposure, but I'm not fanatical about it. Experts say that we should even put it on in the winter, but I really don't think the short walk from my car, bundled up in my parka with my face barely showing, will do any real damage.

So I guess I'm none of the above - I exercise caution and try to never burn, but I have to admit, I like the little bit of extra color that I get in the summer.

[SandyM]

I'm pale, pale, pale. Go figure - my mom and dad tanned, but I'm the lone holdout. My dad was a farmer, so of course now he has to go in every 6 weeks to have moles & other various growths removed from his ear, shoulders, back, etc.

I've gotten a few bad burns in the past (over 10 years ago); the last 5 years or so I've been diligent in using 35+ sunscreen.

I was diagnosed about 6 months ago with rosacea, and it has been a nightmare. I'm not happy with the treatment I've been getting with my current dermatologist, so now I'm scouting out another one. I know it cannot be cured, but it's getting worse, rather than maintaining. This is adult onset acne, and sunlight aggrivates it, along with alcohol - I could never figure out why my face would instantly turn scarlet red with that first sip of wine. Now I know.

In answer to your question, I slather on the sunscreen, and while I hate the looks of my white legs and would prefer a darker skin tone, I know I'm far better off this way.

[KValley]

I'm a fair-skinned redhead with freckles aplenty. I burn easily and burned quite badly a couple of times as a child. I went through the tanning bed phase in college for a couple of years. My single-greatest health fear/risk is skin cancer. I have started yearly checkups with my dr. to examine my moles.

Now I am pretty religious about sunscreen on my face year round (Clinique City Block 25 SPF oil-free) and I'm getting more obsessive about putting on sunscreen on exposed body parts (Neutrogena Sensitive SKin UVA/UVB 30 SPF) and wearing a hat.

Last year I started using a Neutrogena self tanning spray and I have been very happy with the results- a soft, natural-looking tan.

[phantomcg]

Well, I wouldn't call myself a Sun Goddess, but I'm closer to that than a Vampire. I love being outside in the summertime, and I spend a lot of time in our pool, but I am really good about wearing sunscreen and I am lucky enough to have skin that rarely burns. If I'm going to have skin cancer and other problems it will definately be from my actions as a teenager. I used to lay out in the sun with baby oil on! I think that using the sunscreen has kept my skin from turning to leather. I will be 38 in September, but people often think I'm only in my late 20's.

I do have to say that, while I love being tan, I would be outside in the summer even if I didn't tan -- I just love the warm weather (in fact it's common for me to be cold when it is 65 degrees and I live in Michigan!!).

Cheryl

[hka]

I'm also fair-skinned with light colored hair and blue eyes, the perfect candidate for skin cancer. As a teenager, I did my share of laying out and swimming but as an adult, I've been obsessive about sunscreen. I've been wearing a moisturizer with sunscreen for many years now and whenever I know I'm going to be in the sun be it, for gardening, a bbq, etc I put sunscreen on all exposed areas. Needless to say, I'm quite the white girl! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif I don't know if skin cancer runs in my family, but I don't want to find out. The only other thing I need to get going with is getting my moles checked. I don't have ton of them but it would make me feel better you know?

I've been reading a lot lately about self tanners. I may have to give the Neutrogena one a try.

[Vanessa]

After living walking distance to a caribbean beach I grew up loving the sun plus you get sun even if you try avoiding it in the caribbean. But I wore sunscreen (thank godness!). After moving to US I burn rather than tan. I have been staying away from the sun for some yrs. I think I have become more sensitive to it.When I garden I wear a hat and suncreen. Actually even long jeans (makes sense to ward against cuts, ticks etc). My advice (mom kept telling me this for yrs) is wear a hat, sunscreen sunglasses and be careful skin cancer is on the rise.

[emilycat]

I suppose I'm not very diligent about taking care of my skin -- I don't like putting anything on my face that even feels like it's clogging up my pores. I should wear it when I do long runs on the weekends (I'm out running during the week before the sun even comes up), but I don't. I have a permanent racerback tan -- looks really sexy in a cocktail dress http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

I seem to only wear sunscreen if I'm at the beach or if I'm going to be out in the sun all day, and sometimes, if I'm not wearing a swimsuit, that red light doesn't go off and I forget.
My mom always made us wear sunscreen when we were younger, so I never had any really bad burns, and I've always found laying out to be dreadfully boring. I don't tan or burn easily (my legs seem to be invincible to any sort of coloring)I do get sun poisoning if I'm out there for days at a time.

I don't really know what the point of this is -- hm. Guess I should be more careful http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by emilycat (edited 05-02-2001).]

[Kerri]

I love the sun! I know I shouldn't, but I love sitting out by the pool and just feeling the warmth while reading a good book. No, I don't put on sun screen everyday, but if I do know that I am going to be outside for any long period of time, I do put on sunscreen. I am tan, but no where near a "bronze goddess." I do try to be careful, and I lecture friends of my who fake tan about the dangers of skin cancer. Still, I love the sun.

[donleyk]

I lived on the west coast for years, spent as much time as I could at the beach. Working very hard now to undo it. 40 is 16 months away. I have had bad burns in the past, to boot. Now, when I am out in the sun and have to deal with humidity I get terrible skin rashes. It's awful and it itches. I just wish I looked better in hats! Oh well.

[csmcnamara]

I love the sun and being out in it!! I don't burn and I tan very easily. I don't use sun screen, but I don't use oil anymore either. I know I am bad!!

[SusieO]

For the last couple of years I have been intending to, and putting off, going to a dermatologist for a baseline checkup. I know it's important, but I can't seem to make myself go.

[hka]

I'm with you there SusieO! I'm kind of chicken though, I don't think anything is wrong. It's just a scary thought that something COULD be wrong you know? The other part of that is, if there is something wrong, and you catch it early, that's a good thing. Ah well, we need to do it don't we? http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/frown.gif

[Kristine]

I am extremely pale and burn very very easily...and I hate being sunburned! So as you can probably guess, I usually wear sun guard and NEVER lie out. Even at the beach I usually have on a t-shirt or sit completely under a towel. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[KValley]

Originally posted by emilycat:
I suppose I'm not very diligent about taking care of my skin -- I don't like putting anything on my face that even feels like it's clogging up my pores.

Emily- I hate putting anything on my face, too. I really recommend the Clinique City Block for your face- it's oil-free and very light and you can even put it on the sensitive skin underneath your eyes.

In fact, I just stocked up on my last visit to Dunwoody- went to Macy's at Perimeter Mall- right near chez toi, I believe http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[HARRYET]

I guess I should be more diligent in my sunscreen usage, but alas I hate that greasy feeling! I do use a moisturizer and foundation w/spf 15 in it, so my face is always protected.

I don't sit out in the sun to sunbathe, one reason, it's to darn hot here (100 the last 2 days, yikes!) when I do go out to the pool I usually sit under cover. It's hard here in Phoenix, since we have something like 300 days of sun a year, but my family does avoid sun burns, as my DH is a redhead, and my kids take after their dad, we always load the 3 of them up with sunscreen, it's like breathing for them!

Ann

[cdm]

I always put sunscreen on my face in the morning, and when the weather turns super sunny, I do use an spf 30 on my arms. Im not a sun worshiper, summer is my least favorite season. I buy sunscreen from a website called www.cosmeticscop.com. (http://www.cosmeticscop.com.) I also use alot of her makeup and skincare stuff. What I like about her sunscreens are she has two formulas, one for dry and one for oily skin.

[Gina O]

I grew up with a swimming pool in my back yard, I love being out in the sun, and lay out on occassion. I also look 200% better with a tan than without. (I will be 35 soon and get carded regularly, and am frequently told I look much younger than 35.)

I was at the dermatologist about a year ago because of a painful mole. I had her check out everything I was even slightly concerned about and was told there were no problems.

I wear sunscreen when I am going to be out in the sun for long periods of time, but HATE putting cheap sunscreens on my face. Coppertone in particular always burns when I put it on. I am headed to the dept. store soon to find some good stuff, as Clinique is recommended here, I will for sure give that one a try in the store.

Every year I say that this will be the year I won't care about getting a tan and succumb to a pale life, but every year I find a reason to tan. This year it is a trip to the Virgin Islands next month. Maybe next year....

[Laura]

I don't want to think about the damage I did to my skin when I was in high school. I tan relatively easy but always put 15 on my face, and 35 if I expect to be out in the sun for any length of time. I like the sun however, so I don't avoid it, I just use a minimum of 15 and often 30. I use Estee Lauder bronzer/self tanner on my face and everyone always comments on my nice "tan!"

For the past 3 years I lived above 6000 feet. The combination of dry air and stronger rays has made me very diligent about using a facial moisturizer plus sunscreen every day.

[This message has been edited by Laura (edited 05-02-2001).]

[m4star]

Let me just sing the praises of SPF for the face! Ladies you absolutely MUST use at least SPF 30 on your face daily if you want to avoid skin that looks like an old shoe later in life. Living in Texas where it does get incredibly hot and where you can get a tan in January, I have seen more than my share of tragic women who did not discover sunscreen early enough in life. Take a look at Tina tomorrow night on Survivor and you'll see what I mean (that woman is only 40!!) There is no way to reduce the damage already done but please treat your skin preciously from now on!!

OK- now that my rant is over let me be the first to say that I've not always been this way. I was a total water baby and spent every summer of my childhood in a pool. I've got large freckles covering my shoulders from terrible burns of the past. I do use sunscreen all year round on my face, neck, ears and shoulders. However I am a little bit more relaxed about my arms and legs during the cooler months. I love the sun-kissed look, so thank heavens there are so many great self-tanners on the market now. But I avoid actual sun bathing without sunscreen like the plague!

[This message has been edited by m4star (edited 05-02-2001).]

[Gail]

Raisin checking in for duty.

First of all, I should point out that I live within walking distance of the beach. And though I wouldn't classify myself as a sun worshiper, let's just say I'm not terribly religious about using sunscreen. Yes, I will use it on my face (another rosacea victim here) and I frequently wear a hat in hot sun-- but unless I'm in the tropics, I've got that kind of skin which tans easily, so I guess I'm guilty of some degree of skin-abuse. Shame on me!

Moisturizers and drinking extra water are essential during the summer months. After all, I don't want to look like some of the pieces of leather walking around Malibu!

[This message has been edited by Gail (edited 05-02-2001).]

[SusieO]

Although I'm not as good as I should be, I try to wear sunscreen if I'm going to be outside for more than a few minutes. And my makeup is SPF 15. Since I live in Florida and drive a convertible, I keep sunscreen in my glove box, just in case. I like to tell people that pale skin is fashionable. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[BosunsWife]

I was a total sun worshipper. Now, I don't lay out in the sun - I don't really have the time. I am outside a lot though. Doesn't help that the last 10 years of my life (my 30's) I have lived in beach type areas. I wear a 15 on my face and when I am going to spend more than an hour outside in the heat of day (10-2pm) I wear a sunscreen all over. I especially became more conscious of wearing sunscreen when we moved to Hawaii. I will add that I don't usually burn, and tan fairly easily. Although I did get some bad burns when I was a teenager (using baby oil) and have the freckled shoulders to prove it!

[KathrynY]

KValley - I'm another fair-skinned redhead with freckles! I went through the same tanning phase in college as many of you, and it scares me now to think of the damage I may have caused to my skin during those years. My red-haired grandfather has had extensive skin cancers removed from his head, face and hands (he is an avid gardener), so I'm realizing I need to be extra vigilant.

Count me in as a Vampire these days. I avoid the sun during peak hours, and try to do any gardening in the early morning or late evening with plenty of sunscreen. My daily moisturizer does have sunscreen, but I'm sure I could do more to protect my skin.

Thanks for starting this topic, lindrusso - it got me thinking about a very important subject!

[Susan]

Another vampire checking in! I am very fair with blond hair and blue eyes. I do love to shed my winter palor in the spring/summer though before I start the sunscreen ritual on all the exposed body parts. I always wear sunscreen on my face (Oil of Olay moisturizer with SPF 15). I am in search of a fragrance-free suncreen for the rest of me. Any suggestions?

~~Susan~~

[crlykat]

I love the sun. I usually never burn. When my parents moved us from Illinois to southern California, they bought a house with a pool and I was totally hooked on the tanning and warmth of the sun.

However, I noticed while we were in Maui last year on our honeymoon that I got a brown spot on my face. It just looked like there was a higher concentration of pigment in that spot. Now when I go out in the sun, that spot "comes back" and is darker than the rest of me. This really upset me and I started thinking about all the stuff I'm doing to my skin when I'm out in the sun. I think I'm going to be more careful from now on. I have been using a spf 15 foundation.

[Lynn B]

Great topic! Thanks!

This is a subject that I take very seriously and have really tried to educate myself on! I am 43, very fair skinned, and green-eyed. I CRINGE when I think of how I used to abuse my skin, searching for that golden tan that I just can't (physically) achieve! I actually used to bake for hours on that silver tanning "blanket" and even use a sun lamp! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/eek.gif

But, those were the days before I knew any better! Now, I wear a sunscreen EVERY DAY, summer or winter, rain or shine. I do this because all sun exposure is cumulative, and even "small" increments add up! Also, even though it may be winter, or raining, you never know what the day will hold, (it could clear up and you could be invited on a walk at lunchtime, or whatever!) It's just part of my morning routine, like brushing my teeth.

It is also important to use a sunscreen w/ UVA AND UVB protection... something w/ zinc oxide, titanium dioxide or avobenzone will provide the maximum protection. SPF is important (I wear a 15 or 30) but if it doesn't have one of those ingredients in it, you are not getting as much protection as you could!

I love the beach, summer time and the sun... I just strive to enjoy it safely. I do this for the same reasons that I exercise, eat healthy, wear seatbelts and don't smoke!

Lynn

[ebobbitt]

I just hate the thought of getting wrinkles that aren't necessary (ok, I don't know when they are necessary, but anyway) so I use sun screen. My job dictates that I'm inside Monday thru Friday but weekends are spent with the horses so I definitely use sunscreen on my face. I can't stand riding in shorts so my legs are usually very casper-like all summer. Guess there are worse things!
Elizabeth

[lindrusso]

Originally posted by Lynn B:
I do this because all sun exposure is cumulative, and even "small" increments add up! Also, even though it may be winter, or raining, you never know what the day will hold, (it could clear up and you could be invited on a walk at lunchtime, or whatever!)

Good point!

[Leslie w]

I too was a sun worshipper in high school but when I turned 20 (16 years ago!) I started to heed the reports about sun damage and since then have been extremely diligent (almost to the point of being obsessed) about staying out of the sun and covering up at all times. This can be a real pain as we have a boat and love the water. I had a basal cell removed from my face several years ago and go in for periodic skin checks. And don't think that if you tan or have dark skin you're immune to skin cancer. Anyone can get it.

[SandyM]

As an added note, May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month.....lets all please take heed, and take control today.

[funnybone]

I have always been "Casper" and always will be. I'm 37 but have been told I look much younger.

We go on vacation every year to the Carribean or another sunny place, yet come back looking as if I never went there. I enjoy being in the sun and doing things, and not sitting and baking in it.

[Danielle]

My mom had skin cancer when I was a little girl. She had all her large moles removed and luckily never had a reoccurence of it. Because she had it that increases my chance 50 percent of getting it, so I'm very diligent about wearing sunscreen on my face, neck, and ears at all times (Clinique) as well as make-up with screen in it. I also use a sunscreen on the rest of my body, especially when I know we'll be spending time out in the sun.

I tell this story to all my friends who like to worship the sun: A few years ago I worked as a writing intern during my summer break from college. My father worked in the same office, along with a good friend of his that belonged to our church. At one time this man was diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer (the worst kind), and had a number of cancerous moles removed from his arms and back. His doctors told him that if he did not have a reoccurence of the melanoma in five years, he would be considered in remission. Four years and eleven months later, one month away from his remission date, they discovered a small cancerous mole on his upper back. But it was too late--the cancer had spread throughout his body, and this wonderful man died less than a year later. He was only in his early 50s.

It is never too early to start protecting your skin. I urge everyone to wear sunscreen all the time, even if you sit in a office all day long and your only exposure to the sun is going from your car to your office and then back home again. Wear it on the back of your neck, your ear lobes, your face, your hands. Have your doctor check your moles once a year during your physical exam. Ask a loved one to exam the areas of your body that you can't see, like your back. Look for changes in ABCD (Assymetry, Border, Color, and Diameter). Do it for the beauty of your skin and your health!

[This message has been edited by Danielle (edited 05-08-2001).]

[food girl]

Originally posted by m4star:
Take a look at Tina tomorrow night on Survivor and you'll see what I mean (that woman is only 40!!)

LOL! Tina is from my fair city, and I stood next to her at the Trideltathon a few weeks ago. She is the color of chocolate milk!

I wonder if being tan is more of a fad in some areas than others. As I look out of my window, from the CANCER center no less, I can see 2 tanning bed parlors! Employees here go on their lunch hour!

I am the blue-eyed blonde wearing the baseball cap and t-shirt(extra spf because the t-shirt is only ~20 spf!) at the beach.

Lisa