You won’t find this blonde worshiping the sun. With so much evidence about how damaging too much sun can be, I’ve adopted a Scarlett O’Hara attitude of protecting my skin.
O’HARA AND CHANEL
Tanning is a relatively new phenomena. In the civil war epic, Gone With the Wind, Scarlett O’Hara prized her magnolia-white skin and carefully guarded it against the hot Georgia sun. Having a tan was a sign you labored for a living.
Suntans did not become fashionable until the 1920s when Coco Chanel came back from the seashore bronzed and beautiful. As the fad caught on, tans took on the reverse meaning. They became as a sign of leisure and luxury; a sign you had the money and time to pursue a sun-kissed look.
I remember as a child seeing women my mother’s age having tanned, leathery skin from years of sunbathing.
While attending the University of Miami, I realized how damaging tanning could be, so I stopped. Still, my years of sunbathing as a teenager, riding my motorcycle in halter tops, and not always using sunscreen are starting to show on my skin.
Don’t misunderstand. I could never abandon my life in the sun. I still scuba, ride my Harley, sail, drive a convertible with the top down, and get out in nature. However, I never leave home without SPF 30 sunscreen on my face and SPF 15 on my arms. I also wear hats and sit in the shade when possible.
There are a wide range of choices in SPF or sun protection factor, so it’s easy to find one that fits your skin type or sun style. SPF ranges from 2 to 100. If you use an SPF of 15, you can stay in the sun 15 times longer than without sunscreen before you burn. So, apply, wear, and reapply.
Dermatologists say everyone should use at least a 15 SPF. If you’re fair or burn easily, you need a higher SPF. Also make sure it protects against both kinds of ultraviolet rays — UVA/UVB.
I alway wear sunscreen. If I am riding my motorcycle, I wear at least a 50 SPF and long sleeves.
Read part part one of this series: Young and Immortals Still Sunbathing
And the next in this series: more reasons to be ambitious about being safe in the sun, because Any Tan Is Skin Damage.