Do you avoid the sun?

[mary poppins]

I like hot weather and love sunlight but take precautions when in the sun, or just avoid it. While growing up, I tanned easily and spent all day at the pool or beach or playing outside without a problem. In my twenties and early thirties, I laid out, went boating and generally enjoyed activities in the sun. In my mid-thirties, I became sun sensitive. Since then, too much exposure to the sun leads to results ranging from a rash and loss of energy to potentially serious harm to my organs, particularly the kidney. 



For daily life, I use a face moisturizer containing sunscreen every day, sunglasses, a wide brim hat, and pants or skirt. I minimize my sun exposure during the hours of 10-2. For extended exposure, particularly between 10-2, I wear light weight long sleeve shirts, light weight long pants (really they are pajama bottoms that are loose and flowy) Anthelios by La Roche Posay on my face, hat, sunglasses, shoes with socks, and a UV umbrella and fingerless gloves from Coolibar, a company that sells sun protection clothing and accessories.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

I definitely do not avoid the sun. You might even say I''m a sun worshiper. I do wear my sunscreen every day and I tan vs burn. I don''t drink, smoke, do drugs, and I exercise regularly. I figure my love of solar radiation can be my one vice if practiced in moderation. I don''t tan and really the only time I spend a lot of time in the sun is in the warm months.

 

[dragonfly411]

I enjoy laying out and reading or taking a nap in the summer with some nice cold tea. I tend to wear quite a bit of sun screen and am always the whitest of my friends, but I enjoy being out there and lounging. So no I don''t avoid the sun.

Unless it''s 102... then I might wait till later in the day.

 

[princesss]

I love being outside, so the sun is an unavoidable fact of life. I do love sunscreen, and while I''d like to be a little darker than I am now, I don''t have the patience to lay out solely for the purpose of getting tan. If I happen to tan while I''m doing something fun, like going out on the lake with friends and swimming or hanging out on the beach/at the pool, fantastic. If not, I''m not going to stress about it. But I also don''t have the patience to actively avoid the sun.

 

[JSM]

I am outside as much as I can be, I like playing sports and staying active. I do wear sunscreen if I am going to be outdoors, which is a lot this time of year! I tend to get heatstroke with too much sun and heat exposure, but I''m learning to adjust to my new surroundings, and get as much shade and water as possible.

 

[artdecogirl]

I have had 3 basal cell carcinomas removed, the first when I was in my mid 20s, scared the crap out of me! I lived by the beach as a child and we grew up spending every summer day at the water with no sunscreen in site. Since my 20s I have not tanned, sunscreen if I am out or just avoiding the sunlight altogether. I am fairskinned with aubern hair and now if I get even the slightest sun I get a rash? I do like to be warm though and miss that intense hot feeling!

 

[yssie]

I'll admit it, I love the sun!


I'm never going to sunbathe for the sole purpose of toasting myself, but by the end of the summer FI tells me I'm the colour of coffee beans! Usually with stripes all over my shoulders and back from different tops - and that's after sunscreen

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

I LOVE the sun! I was raised in Arizona, Florida and Hawaii growing up, so you can''t avoid it, and I learned to love it. I was so naturally tanned when I was in Hawaii.

I''m more careful now, but I have to say, I do love my beach vacations and I don''t normally use sunscreen on a daily basis (though I lather up on SPF 60 when at the beach). I do need to start taking better care of my skin from now on though.

 

[AprilBaby]

I loved the sun when I was younger but about 5 years ago I started getting hives from going out. THANK GOODNESS! It keeps me in line. I see so many of my patients come in with leathery mottled chests from sun exposure. And my DD had skin cancer at 19 on her leg. Those of us with fair Irish skin just can''t go out!

 

[ksinger]

Date: 6/18/2010 6:24:44 PM
Author: AprilBaby
I loved the sun when I was younger but about 5 years ago I started getting hives from going out. THANK GOODNESS! It keeps me in line. I see so many of my patients come in with leathery mottled chests from sun exposure. And my DD had skin cancer at 19 on her leg. Those of us with fair Irish skin just can''t go out!

Yep. I crawl under the rock with the other redheads. My husband''s friends are always asking if I sail with him, and I just gaze calmly back from my freckled/white face, head covered by a hat, and calmly respond, "Do I LOOK like a fun-in-the-sun girl?" They go, "Well, now that you mention it....NO."

 

[Iowa Lizzy]

Date: 6/18/2010 10:45:51 AM
Author: monarch64
RaiKai, I''m like your DH--sun-whore here!

I love the sun. I don''t worship it and I seldom have the time to lay out and just bake, but I would if I could! My summers are spent mainly outdoors and weekends at the lake are the best. I grew up with no cable and am just used to being outside as much as possible so there is no avoiding the sun for me! I wear sunscreen when I know I''ll be in direct sun for long periods of time, otherwise I don''t worry about it.

Mmm. Sunshine. I love it. I even love it when you can get a few precious super bright winter days and you turn your face to the sun and even though it may be 10 degrees outside, you still have to smile and feel a bit of warmth on your cheek. Oh how I love the sun.

 

[brazen_irish_hussy]

I am a pale, freckled girl who wishes she was a real readhead. I was careful as a kid as my mom was, but not overly so. I knew my grandma died in her early 40s from cancer, but it wasn''t until I was 18 that I learned it was skin cancer. I wore sunscreen all through high school, but that was a real wake up call. I usually wore lightweight, long pants and walked in the shade since I get hot easily, but after that, I always wore a brimmed hat and kept my arms covered. It has been 7 years since I really had any sun exposure, and I now wear a really strong sunscreen that is full spectrum and I carry a powdered one with me at all times that I sue for hard to reach areas or to reapply often. If I am out too much, I get flu like symptoms for about 24 hours, but no rash.

 

[Amethyste]

I don''t avoid the sun - but I don''t spend a whole lot of time in it.
i try to be mindful of its necessity and aware of the damage ravaging the skin if taken in excess.
A balance is what i aim to achieve...

 

[Cehrabehra]

Nope, I avoid it about 98%. I am very fair and here it''s quite popular to be fair and I have women fawning all over me all the time, "you are so white, it is so lovely" and I''m in heaven. In the states people are like dude put on some shorts you''re gonna blind someone. Here I am like a queen

 

[Mara]

add me to the ranks of the sun-whores...i love it. it makes me happy to feel the warmth on my face or arms. i wear sunscreen, rarely burn and take very good care of my face, but our best vacations are those where we just sun ourselves and swim, eat, sleep...etc. it''s so relaxing.

 

[loriken214]

I''m allergic to the sun now thanks to having SLE Lupus. So, yes, I avoid the sun as much as possible or else I''ll get sick.

Growing up, I had the most gorgeous tan. We were always outside and went to the beach as much as possible. In fact, I used to coat myself with baby oil to enhance the tanning process.

Lori

 

[pinkstars]

Absolutely.
I have caramel colored skin, black hair. Haha, I try to remember to put sun block on, but I cannot stay out in the sun without my skin being covered. If I do, my skin gets red(not a burn...yet) and super hot. It''s pretty uncomfortable, and my skin stays hot for awhile afterward. I got some nice thin sweaters that work pretty well, plus I bought a few light-weight scarves that are perfect for even covering up my head if I don''t have a hat.
I''ve actually been looking for a new huge floppy hat to wear outside. I love to fly kites, but I hate the sun being right on my face like that.

 

[yssie]

Date: 6/18/2010 9:45:59 PM
Author: Travel Goddess


Mmm. Sunshine. I love it. I even love it when you can get a few precious super bright winter days and you turn your face to the sun and even though it may be 10 degrees outside, you still have to smile and feel a bit of warmth on your cheek. Oh how I love the sun.

That's exactly what I remember my childhood in Wellington (NZ) to be like - brisk, but sunny, and we had this big field with honeysuckle and I would choose a spot to lie and just bask

'course, there was a lot more rain than sun, but I don't seem to remember it..

 

[blackberry16]

I do! I am pale with blonde hair and freckles. My mother always pressed the importance of sun screen. Plus I don''t like being hot and avoid going outside in the heat whenever possible.
If I hadn''t already felt that way watching my high school boyfriend''s dad die from skin cancer was terrible! They didn''t even know anything was wrong until he went blind one day from the cancer that had gone from his skin to his liver, lungs and then to his brain.

 

[packrat]

I used to lay out a lot and go to the salon often, for about 7 years. Once I got a good base, I went once a week or so. I always covered my tattoos w/sunblock before getting in the bed-bit ironic eh? I never got overly dark or weird looking, no matter how often I went.

The year after we got married I quit going. I hate being fish belly white, but my Gramma has had several cancerous spots removed, and her brother lost his nose several years ago to skin cancer, and that scared me enough.

JD likes me tan, and I love it too, but not enough to risk it. People laugh, but you know, sometimes what you do to your body *now* doesn''t show up for 30 years-and then what? I don''t want to end up w/skin cancer at 60 and maybe not see my grandkids b/c I look good with a tan. And the wrinkles-oh my lord I have seen some women where you can just tell that they''ve been in the sun non stop for years. That''s what made me quit smoking too.

Been up on the roof for 2 days helping shingle, and even tho I covered myself w/sunscreen I did manage to get a few pink spots. Still, I try to avoid the sun late morning to mid afternoon. I''m more scared of getting on and off the ladder at this point!

 

[katamari]

I hate the sun--too correlated with heat. I am very pale and have sensitive eyes. Just doesn''t work for me. I also do not want one beam of natural light getting into my bedroom or my office. Maybe it is because my work schedule is varied, but I hate working in changing conditions. Natural light is just too variable. I like my work environment very controlled and uninteresting. I made my boss at the job I am starting this summer think I was a total weirdo for asking for an office that does NOT have a window.

 

[oddoneout]

Hell yeah I avoid the sun. I'm so pale that even with the strongest sunscreen/sunblock I still get burned. I'm sensitive to the heat/humidity too so even though I like a lot of outdoor activities I still try to take it easy.

 

[bee*]

I love the sun. We get it so rarely in Ireland that when it does arrive, I am out there enjoying it. I would love to love in a country that gets the sun more.

 

[Demon]

I avoid it as much as I can, being another pale redhead who can sunburn in 20 minutes or less!



By the way, Kenny - while we're waiting to see if a picture of the Chihuatzu gets posted, if you do a Google search for a Chihuahua Shih Tzu mix, you'll get some decent pictures. Now some of those dogs are also obviously mixed with pugs, poodles, etc., but some look similar to your dogs.

 

[Callisto]

Date: 6/18/2010 12:31:44 PM
Author: thing2of2
I don''t really avoid it but I definitely don''t lay out or fake bake. I''m somewhat fair-skinned but I do tan easily. Typically I''ll get a little bit of a tan even when I wear sunscreen. I definitely wear sunscreen when I know I''ll be out in the sun for extended periods, but I don''t wear it on a daily basis. I''ve tried to use a couple of different daily facial moisturizers with SPF but I haven''t found one that is moisturizing enough for my skin yet.

It''s not a terribly expensive or high grade mosturizer but I really like the neutrogena face lotions and I LOVE their sunblock. I have pretty sensitive skin on my face so if you have an issue with that at all maybe try their lotion. Their mosturizer comes in spf 15 but the Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunblock comes really high, I have 55 and 70. Many sunblocks will make my face burn but this one is awesome and doesn''t make my face feel greasy at all.

 

[missy]

I love the sun and being outdoors but have extremely fair skin and always used sunblock even when I was a little girl due to my dad being so strict about that as he is pale as well and knows the value of protecting oneself from the sun's harmful UVA and UVB rays.

To complicate matters I developed rosacea in 2006 and PLE (polymorphic light eruption) last year and it is ultra important for me to protect myself from the sun even more now. However, I do not allow it to control my life and I am still as active as ever and my dh and I long distance bike ride all the time. Finding the right sunblock and reapplying as often as necessary is key. I use Vanicream for sensitive skin spf 60. It is a physical sunblock without any sensitizing chemicals which I tend to react badly to. I also know the value of a beautiful parasol for strolls along the boardwalk.

My dh loves the sun as well but has a totally different skin type and color and is always nicely tan in the warmer weather which goes well with his blonde hair. While I remain pale with my very dark hair. I sometimes feel I look anemic in complexion next to his but I embrace the contrast happily.

 

[4ever]

I avoid the sun. I wear sunscreen on my face daily, even in winter, and anywhere exposed in summer or if I''m spending a lot of time outdoors. I''m a semi-ginger with very pale freckly skin so the sun is not my friend. During the summer I will only go to the beach and swim before 11am or after 4pm when the sun is not too harsh and there is much less chance of getting burnt.

 

[bebe]

In my teens and up to just a few short years ago, I spent quite a bot of time in the sun.
Loved discovering tropical beaches.
Not any more.

This past Feb. I had a squamous cancerous tumor removed from my scalp. It was the size of
an almond. Started as a bump, then grew in size and changed shape. 2 different dermatologists
both said it was nothing - a Pilar Cyst. WRONG !!!!!!

A surgeon removed a portion of my scalp the size of a silver dollar. The tumor was in my
hair - so one would wonder just how a skin cancer, supposedly from sun, develop in your hair.
Who knows, but it did.

I now have to be checked every 3 months. Scary.
I now wear 70 SPF on my face and neck. I also use
a 100 SPF spray on my arms, but I don''t think the spray is that effective.

 

[PinkTower]

Date: 6/20/2010 9:17:40 PM
Author: bebe
In my teens and up to just a few short years ago, I spent quite a bot of time in the sun.

Loved discovering tropical beaches.

Not any more.


This past Feb. I had a squamous cancerous tumor removed from my scalp. It was the size of

an almond. Started as a bump, then grew in size and changed shape. 2 different dermatologists

both said it was nothing - a Pilar Cyst. WRONG !!!!!!


A surgeon removed a portion of my scalp the size of a silver dollar. The tumor was in my

hair - so one would wonder just how a skin cancer, supposedly from sun, develop in your hair.

Who knows, but it did.


I now have to be checked every 3 months. Scary.

I now wear 70 SPF on my face and neck. I also use

a 100 SPF spray on my arms, but I don''t think the spray is that effective.

Bebe,
My husband is a blue eyed blonde. He has had many SC''s removed, but only one squamous. They closed it up with a "pocketbook stitch" Would you please share where you found an spf 100 spray?

I found a 70 spray at Walmart- their store brand. That is the only 70 spray I have found.

Thanks,

-Mel

 

[zoebartlett]

I''m not a sun-worshipper, but I don''t avoid it either. I have days when I like to lay (lie?) out by the pool or beach and other days when I find other stuff to do. I''m fair-skinned, and while I do tan a little, I burn a lot if I''m not careful. I only apply sunscreen or sunblock if I know it''s a pool or beach day though. Some people wear SPF all the time but I haven''t gotten into the habit.