Do you tan with factor 30?

[sharond101]

I am naive and want to get a bit of a suntan on holiday in a couple of weeks. All I have in is factor 30. Will I get a suntan with this or will it block out the rays?

[Onykahonie]

Yes, you'll still tan.
We use factor 25/30 early in the season (or after a week in high season after using factor 50 first). Obviously the paler your natural skin colour, the higher factor you need.

[13Stitches]

I only ever wear factor 30 and tan like you wouldn't believe (on my back & arms, legs stay pasty ).

I only use 6/10 hour stuff too.

I don't even know why they make other factor stuff.

[addictedtosugar]

It depends how quickly you'd tan without.
Factor 30 means you could stay out in the sun 30 times longer than with no protection - so if you'd normally burn in 1 min, you can stay out form aprox half an hour with factor 30 on.

[Bunbaker]

I don't change colour at all if I wear factor 30. If I want to tan, but not burn I have to wear factor 15. DD doesn't change colour either with factor 30. We use Boots Soltan BTW and it has a 5 star rating and is a very effective sunscreen.

This is to illustrate that we are all different.

[specialsubject]

yes - if your skin tans anyway.

of course tanning makes leather (And skin cancer). But you are going away at near peak UV and even in the UK you should be wearing sunscreen.

attitudes are gradually changing and sunburn does now shout 'idiot' to many people.

[Creamycoolerwithcream]

I do, but I usually wear factor 15 and 30 on my shoulders and nose.

[Bunbaker]

"and sunburn does now shout 'idiot' to many people."

It does to me. I can never understand why fair skinned people don't wear sunscreen when they need to to. Surely everyone knows by now what happens in hot, sunny weather?

[PickledMoomin]

I think it depends where you go.

I never burn....Am on holiday at the moment and have been wearing factor 50. Temperature is in 30s. I've burnt twice and have had to use factor 50. Have still tanned though.

[Onykahonie]

The times longer you can stay in the sun=sun cream factor, is theoretical, depending on several other factors, mainly the amount of sun cream you apply and how often you apply it.

www.skincancer.org/prevention/sun-protection/sunscreen/sunscreens-explained

[42notTrendy]

I agree it depends on your skin. If I wear anything less than spf25 I burn. Which eventually goes brown, but then quickly peels! I gave up long ago trying to get a tan. I settle now for going more freckle-y and looking 'well' I do change colour but it's not what you'd call brown

[MostWicked]

Tanning IS burning. It is a sign of permanent damage to the skin.

Skin cancer rates are higher than they have ever been in the UK.

[MostWicked]

Tanning IS burning. It is a sign of permanent damage to the skin.

Skin cancer rates are higher than they have ever been in the UK.

[JellyTipisthebest]

Depends where you are going, I have to ware factor 50 or I burn. My kids wear which ever I grab so sometimes 30. They have been fine. We are in New Zealand

[YoureBeingASillyBilly]

"Tanning IS burning. It is a sign of permanent damage to the skin.

Skin cancer rates are higher than they have ever been in the UK."

^^this.

If you normally tan then a factor 30 will increase the amount of time you have to stay in the sun to do enough damage to tan. Factor 10= less time and so on. If you dont tan then no factor is going to help you there.

But tan is skin damage!

[tabulahrasa]

It depends on your skin and what it normally does... I stay exactly the same colour with factor 30, I've a friend who burns even with factor 30 on within about twenty minutes.

[specialsubject]

Do remember that temperature is utterly unrelated to UV strength. The only effect of temperature is that we expose more skin in hot weather.

[SooticaTheWitchesCat]

You will tan, don't worry. We use factor 30 throughout our holiday and we all get really good tans.

And to the person who said about suntan shouting 'idiot', there is no way apart form staying indoors that my skin wont tan, I can be outside for 30 minutes and I go brown, I don't have to sit sunbathing it just does it. Really I think making generalisations like that is a bit silly.

[YoureBeingASillyBilly]

Sootica you have read that line wrong.

Also- i find wearing long sleeves and trousers/skirts (long) outside prevents a tan

[YoureBeingASillyBilly]

And there is no way of knowing that OP will tan. You dont know her skin type.

[SooticaTheWitchesCat]

Sorry, yes I did read it wrong

Sunburn is silly - yes.