Toast or be toasted

One of my closest friends is a plastic surgeon Rosie. I have had the "cover up" lecture so many time now that I NEVER reveal more than I need to on the beach. If I swim, I cover up immediately that I come out and rub the suntan and after sun oil in well to both myself and anyone in striking distance! I don't sunbathe at all. I do sit outside in the shade though. With a cool drink and my old straw panama.

I am one of those few lucky ladies who rarely burn so I will sit and tan. I have a pool that I will sit out in for hours with no sunscreen. I may end up with a slightly red nose but thats it. And I will tan up nicely im so lucky lol.

I choose to tan - I always put sun tan lotion on though and when it gets too hot, I sit in the shade.

I hadn't tanned since I was 26 - but then, I started working with children after school, and we went outside every single day that we possibly could, so I was ending up in the sun, like it or not. I decided that at my age, screw it. Bring it on. I mean, at that time, I was in my forties and I figured that if I got a few wrinkles from it, then fine, they could feel at home with the other ones. I have really good skin, to be honest, with very few wrinkles and I don't mind the thought of them. I've earned every one I've got. The only one that I really hate is the fissure between my eyebrows, my frown wrinkle. It's so prominent and I hate it. I've been using eye cream on it recently, trying to lessen it, but it's probably a futile effort. As much as I smile, and I've got a freakin frown wrinkle! Anyway, these days, I spend a fair amount of time outside, in my garden, or in the big yard, doing weeding and things like that, so I tend to get very tan in the summer and I like it. I like being brown. It looks good, I think. At the moment, I've got some color, but my legs are still white. That'll change, though - I'm always out on my bicycle, and with wearing skirts and shorts, they'll tan, no doubt. Yup, I choose to tan. I won't lay out and bake like a potato, but I don't shun the sun or wear big hats. Oooh, and I won't go to a tanning place, nope, I don't like that idea at all. Just natural sun, natural brown skin. Nice.

I used to tan in the beginning of nicer weather and I would get bored with it after about a week. So, as a result, I am very freckely and will likely have to watch out for skin cancer as I age. Now, I don't lay out. I do go to the park close to work during my lunch hour and I sit on the baseball field bleachers but, only my arms and the part of my legs that my shorts don't cover, get any sun. I hope it won't still be too much. I haven't burned and, am only out there for just under an hour. I do like a little color on my arms and legs for the summer. But, not like I used to. Now, if I ever get to go to a beach for vacation again, all bets are off. I will take a sun block but, I will lay out and try to get a little color. But, now that I am a bit older and have read about the damage the sun does, I am careful.

I seem to burn, not tan, except on my arms. So I choose the shade and/or a hat if I have to be out in the sun for any length of time. I remember one time when I was younger, being so determined to get a tan, that I spread oil all over and basically cooked until I was blistered. Then I got a tan after the skin peeled. But it wasn't worth it, so I have no intention of ever doing it again. I was just young and stupid and trying to be like everyone else. I have since realized that being myself is much better.

Sweetie, I don't tan, I fry. I have to use PABA free sunscreen or I burn even faster. My brother had huge blisters on his back one year! We are very fair skinned. Even with sunscreen, I keep a hat and shirt handy. My nose has burned many, many times. I don't like the pain and I don't like the lobster colored skin. Even my scalp will get burned. No tanning for me, thanks.

I am a shade sitter. I am too white to tan and burn and peel? So I stay white, but have too much cancer in my family to chance a burn! I'll stay white! OR wear a HIGH rated sun BLOCK..not screen! and always in the summer, I wear a wide brimmed hat if I have to be out.