On a recent family vacation, while my kids were playing in the pool, I enjoyed one of my favorite past-times, people watching! I noted several woman, about five-years older than me (but looking 10 years older than me), sunbathing with a tan darker than I’d ever achieved as a 20 year old tanning-bed user. I shook my head, wondering why woman would allow their skin to become so sun-damaged for a few seasons of a dark tan. Surely, in 2015 we all know the risks of sun-damage, yet for some it hasn’t quite made an impact.
Experts recommend staying in the shade when you can, and wearing clothing that covers your skin, along with a hat and sunglasses when possible to all help reduce the damaging effects of UV rays. However, when you’re at a pool or other area where you can’t do any of the above, ensure that you’re using a broad spectrum sunscreen (which means it’s effective against both UVB (skin-burning) and UVA (skin aging) rays with SPF of 30 or higher, and reapplying every 2 hours or whenever you’ve been in water.
My sun-tanning days came to an abrupt halt when, at 26, my doctor recommended I have a suspicious mole removed and then after that – get mole mapping done on my entire body. My ethnicity seems to make me more predisposed to moles (beauty marks, as I tell my daughter) but they’re nothing to mess around with. Careful attention should be paid to them for suspicious changes, and sunbathing is an absolute no-no since my type of skin puts me at a greater risk of melanoma.
Now, I’m adamant about applying sunscreen and ensuring I watch for changes in my skin. Sun protection doesn’t have to be costly either – frugal me is always on the lookout for a great product at a great price – so Life Brand Sunthera3 Continuous Spray SPF30 meets the mark.
And so, while I watched these women tan in the sun, I happily sat at a table in the shade, with my sunscreen well applied for the occasional dips in the pool with the kids (or, let’s be honest, jaunts over to the pool bar) completely satisfied with my lack of suntan. At thirty-eight, I suppose I’ve outgrown the need for the dark tanned skin and instead prefer a sun-kissed look from a self-tanner, and certainly want to avoid the pain of a sunburn (who wants sunburned shoulders with kids climbing on them?)
I’m really pleased about all the UV education in the media nowadays, but of course many still won’t listen and will do anything for a tan. I myself use a self-tanning product which gives a nice glow without the sun damage. It’s hard to believe that in the 90’s a lot of people were frequently using tanning beds or suntanning outside only covered in baby oil with no protection whatsoever.