I know it's bad for you and can cause real health problems but bloody hell, aibu to think everyone looks better with a suntan?

Nope. My Celtic ancestry means my skin is milky white and I embrace it. And at nearly 42 I have zero wrinkles because I hide from the sun like a vampire

I’m sure the 4 women that I knew who died of skin cancer thought they looked better with a tan at an earlier age too. Didn’t live long enough to reflect on that

I'm pale as hell as happy that way thank you. I don't think I would look better with a tan. I wouldn't anyway because I don't want to look older than I am. I think what you have said it quite rude and a bit pathetic. We all come in various shades. How tan should one be in your opinion? Is there an ideal colour? 🙄

I believe everyone should be free to look like their natural self without fear of judgement or need to change their skin to suit others' expectations or requirements for acceptability. Some people are resorting to using injectables or tablets illegally bought online in order to look darker-skinned, because they feel embarrassed about how they look or judged for their skin tone not meeting current fashion trends.

Of course being judged for being too pale isn't comparable to being on the receiving end of racial discrimination, but I still don't think either type of product should be encouraged, let alone advertised and pushed by perfect-looking social media influencers etc.

You may feel better with a tan. But to judge others for having/ not having a suntan is horrid. And shallow.

No.

I'm happily fair skinned, and at 60 I'm not all wrinkly.

No. Everyone looks better if their skin looks free from sun damage! If you want to look darker than your natural tone, use spray tan and also use factor 50 sun cream,

I'm a redhead and even I look better with a tan. For me this is white with a hint of gold rather than white with a hint of mauve though. I envy those who get natural bronze tans.

No. I think heavy tans look awful because you know what damage its causing. Just like people smoking really.

Out of a bottle is fine.

I don’t. I hate my face tanning, and use spf50 and anto dark spot serum.

We need to get sun on our skin to make vitamin D which is a vital vitamin for bone health. Even the NHS says so:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-d/

There is a difference in baring lots of skin, sunbathing for hours and getting burnt to a crisp though. I never use suncream or put it on my DC unless we are going to be in a beach or by a pool for an extended amount of time. I put a tshirt or rash shirt on them in midday sun. They have never burnt and the ones who have eczema have lovely smooth skin in summer. A light tan is healthy and needed for vitamin D.

Sunscreen is full of chemicals and can cause issues in itself.

www.breastcancer.org/risk/risk-factors/exposure-to-chemicals-in-sunscreen

Generally I might agree but I met a woman the other day who was so dark, she looked weird. I dont think I have ever met someone and thought they had gone too dark with their tan before.

I love to sunbathe in summer. I feel so much better (must be the vitamin D), and it prevents me from having psoriasis (could also be the change in diet last year combined with the uvb) which would always come back in winter.. Also like being a little tanned.

I mean I know I personally look better with a tan

How very Enid Blyton. "You're getting fatter (in a good way), and you're getting a really good suntan."

In Mumsnetland however, anything that carries the smallest risk is absolutely verboten, especially if it's enjoyable. We're not allowed to enjoy the sun when it's out, because a sunny day means "extreme heat" and climate change, and won't someone think of the NHS who are now overwhelmed treating those who have dared to get a natural suntan.

YANBU, by the way. The summer is so short, this year we have waited soooooooooo long for it, and loads of people wish it away at once.

I hate the way I look with a tan. I’ve got very dark hair, my eyes are light-coloured and my natural skin tone is extremely pale. A tan just reduces the contrast in my features and makes me look really boring!

My niece is the only other person in our family with my colouring. She had a spray tan once and although it was really well-applied by a professional and looked totally like a natural tan, it didn’t suit her either and she didn’t like it.

As a red head who has avoided the sun and used sunblock.I am due to see the plastic surgeon later this month due to a basal cell carcinoma skin cancer on my face which will leave a significant scar on my face .
Think carefully before sunbathing as it's so risky for skin cancer

I've got sallow yellowy undertones in my skin which make me look a bit ill sometimes- with a tan I go a nice golden colour so I look much better.

Do you include all ethnicities, OP?

Also my mum had melanoma on her upper arm despite not showing them, and only being abroad three times
This was her natural colouring so as a redhead I'm not risking it

It’s just fashion.

Yup

Bronzed is in

I can't tan so don't know. Very pale, blue undertones, got a lot of "she's very pale" from doctors as a child
I take vitamin D year round otherwise I'm massively deficient despite being a redhead who isn't meant to be vitamin D deficient

The rest of the family is incredibly dark, olive toned, looks at the sun once and has a tan for the rest of the year

Well if your tan gives you melanoma as it may well do you might feel that the stoma bag you need (after immune related colitis caused by side effects of immunotherapy needed to save your life when the cancer spread to your lungs) is actually not the ideal look. Nor is the three stone weight gain from long courses of steroids. But maybe that’s just me. And fwiw I was never a sunbather but was outside a lot with my horses and got melanoma on my forearm.
Fake tan is the only safe tan.

A light coat of paint over a dodgy wall

Perfect description of a tan for me (knocking 60, blue eyes, with blonde/grey/white hair) It colours over the scars, bumps and bruises and just seems to even everything out!

I usually spray tan my face neck and arms very lightly a couple of times a week in the summer, then I can get away with less make-up. I definitely look better for it.