Wait... So you're telling me the sun is hot?

[I-Jo]

If I could be. I would. I love being pale.   I get MORE than enough sun just driving to and from work. I think currently I'm too tan as it is. 

 

That being said- I can't live in a super cloudy environment- it depresses me.  I NEED sunshine.   Love hate relationship. 

[AverageFish]

Yeah, I do the same if it's all the same price.  As you pointed out, more often than no it is all the same price.  I have had a few times though when they've priced SPF 45 like 2 dollars a bottle more than the 15 and 30.

 

I also used the spray on stuff once when I borrowed some from a friend when I forgot mine. (Seriously, how does an albino forget sunscreen.) I found that stuff stains clothes.  Thankfully I was wearing junk clothes because I was helping them with some yard work.  Just wanted to pass on a word of caution.

I've found that even lotion-style sunblock stains white shirts. Beware!! Anyone have ideas to get the stains out?

[AverageFish]

Personally I'm of southern Italian descent, meaning once I get a good tan I get asked if I'm Puerto Rican. I'm not being racist here, it has has happened on multiple occasions. At the beginning of the year I use SPF 30 once when I go down, and if I'm there for at least 2 hours during the peak time (12-3), I will reapply once and reapply after I swim and dry off. Once I get a good base tan I only put 30 on the once then rub the 15 on as a reapply after swimming. That's about as good as I get nowadays as I don't have enough time in the sun, but back as a teen about 3 weeks into the summer I no longer had to put on any sunscreen and I wouldn't burn.

That said, I've been a moron and not put anything on in the beginning of the season multiple times and have gotten burnt really badly. One case was 2 years ago during a Phillies Spring Training trip down near Tampa. Anyway, aloe vera helps keep the skin moist and decrease the severity of peeling later. Other than that, stay the hell out of the sun and eat ibuprofen like it's candy.

Ibuprofen is a good for decreasing both pain and inflammation, but please don't eat it like candy. High doses are killer to the kidneys. And your stomach.

[ChrisMatt]

Well thanks for the advice everyone, but I don't think I'm going to be staying inside and avoiding the sun.

I'll try and wear sunscreen and reapply often, but if I get burnt, I get burnt. I'll try and heal it as fast as possible and deal with the pain, but the pain won't stop me from going outside and loving the outdoors. You gotta live a little.

Sun does good things for your skin too. We weren't designed to be cave dwellers.As with everything there is a sweet spot between too much and too little.

Agreed

[stevembk]

First burns of the summer can be bad. Base tans do help. That is why some people go tanning before they go on vacation, so they dont spend the whole time burnt to a crisp.

 

Ive also read to use a lip balm w sunblock because the skin there is one of the thinnest parts on the body. Ive never used it myself or have gotten burned there though.

[guest439437484421]

i ahve to be in the sun for over an hour before i start turning red.  i just don't burn easily but i don't get a dark tan either.  i blame my farming ancestors (dad, grandpa, etc.)

[UberTumbleweed]

Sun does good things for your skin too. We weren't designed to be cave dwellers.

If only I could go back in time and tell my genetic ancestors this.  My sweet spot is only about 20 minutes and only before 8am.  Otherwise, sun only does nasty painful things to my skin.

 

As to the OP: Don't scratch or pick at the burn.  Keeping it moisturized will help.  Studies have shown that aloe vera does NOT help with sunburn more than a placebo (here's one abstract) although it does help with other burns.  So if you don't like aloe, you're not stuck with it!  Personally, I use an oatmeal moisturizing cream that I kind of glop on because smoothing it on usually hurts too much.

[I-Jo]

Well thanks for the advice everyone, but I don't think I'm going to be staying inside and avoiding the sun.

I'll try and wear sunscreen and reapply often, but if I get burnt, I get burnt. I'll try and heal it as fast as possible and deal with the pain, but the pain won't stop me from going outside and loving the outdoors. You gotta live a little.

Agreed

Implying that because I avoid sun I don't live at all is rubbish.

I just hate getting burnt.  which means I hide EVERYWHERE when I'm out side- but believe you me- I work 3 jobs- and I have several hobbies- I live life up.  

 

You can practice safe sun and not tan and or burn and still live life- it's not an impossible feat or even something that far reaching.  LOL

[KAllen]

Being a Ginger, I don't tan, ( we also have no soul, but that's a diff thread).  I usually get the higher number sunblock, and as long as I keep up w/ reapplying it I usually do pretty good.  That being said, if you have a buzzcut like I do now (sometimes shaved bald) don't forget your head!!!  it's bad...really bad when you do that!!!

[Guest Dirty Deads]

Here in the PNW we don't tan, we rust.  I use to use as strong of an spf as I could get, but now I mostly avoid the sun which isn't hard living here. I still get the vitamin D I need regardless of cloud coverage.

[ChrisMatt]

Implying that because I avoid sun I don't live at all is rubbish.

I just hate getting burnt.  which means I hide EVERYWHERE when I'm out side- but believe you me- I work 3 jobs- and I have several hobbies- I live life up.  

 

You can practice safe sun and not tan and or burn and still live life- it's not an impossible feat or even something that far reaching.  LOL

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply anything about you. I was speaking based on the way I live. I just love being outside and swimming and stuff like that, it makes me happy. And also you weren't the only person who's advice was to avoid the sun. So sorry if I offended you or anyone else or implied that you don't live life to the fullest.

[I-Jo]

nah it's cool- I just wanted to you know- throw out that nuggest that avoiding the sun doesn't = hiding all summer.

 

 

Example... I ride my motorcycle a lot through the summer- but I'm covered head to toe in leather- so it's different- and highly protective against lots of things LOL

[Guest asdf]

Just remember in the future that you should appy sunscreen about once every hour if you are just sitting in the sun, that you need to wait 15 minutes after applying it before getting into the water, and that when you come out of the water that you probably need to put more on. I went to bermuda last summer and got an ok tan and everyone picked on me for putting so much lotion on, but I was also one of the few people on the beach who didn't look like a lobster at the end of the day. And like already said, bring a hat and something to provide shade such as an umbrella.