AIBU to be shocked by the sunbathing advice?

[Doman]

We are in Tenerife in an apartment complex around a pool. It's blazing hot. Yesterday lunchtime a woman came to the poolside with a microphone and announced that she was the 'suncare advisor'. Call me naïve but I expected some half sensible advice about avoiding the midday sun, wearing hats, reapplying cream after swimming etc.

It turned out that she was selling a range of products. That's fair enough, I guess, but the 'advice' she gave was unbelievable. Don't use sunblock, you only need up to SPF15, anyone can get a 'healthy tan'. She was telling freckly fair-skinned women they had ' good base tans' and anyone with olive skin that they 'won't burn anyway'.

I was truly shocked that anyone would be allowed to dish out this dangerous twaddle in 2018. AIBU?

It’s the exact opposite of the study done by kings this week that says we should be wearing a minimum of 30!

Was she a chancer? Can you complain to management so that she can’t get back in, or is it just open to anyone?

There is no such thing as a 'healthy tan' IMO. Sun tan is skin damage.

Not v relaxing with a woman and a microphone around the pool...

Did they hire her from the 1950's?

How odd, was she from the holiday company or was she like an independent? What brand was she selling?

There is no such thing as a 'healthy tan' IMO. Sun tan is skin damage.

Agreed, but lots of people still peddle the idea that a sun tan is a healthy thing. You see it on here, "the kids have healthy tans" or "look lovely and sun-kissed" after a day at the beach, for example.

You don't have to burn and blister to damage your skin. But then I get looked at weirdly for wearing long sleeves in summer!

It’s worth remembering that a tanned skin is a damaged skin.

I’d be really cross at such nonsense and would probably challenge her or complain to the hotel.

They’ve been at all the TUI holidays we’ve been on in the last 3 years. They talk crap, go on about a healthy base tan, tell you they can get you a golden brown, safe and healthy tan with no burning, if you are res they can miraculously save you, and that they can advise you with anything. First time I saw them I thought with their SUNCARE ADVISOR tshirt and chair it was to help kids and parents but no it’s to flog you crap! I’ve complained many times but they don’t care.

Saw this in Tenerife too - they are so misinformed it is terrifying!

This is a mlm thing I'm sure. We had a very similar situation last year in Cyprus.
The "advisor" was useless and just really trying to hard sell her products.

I lugged in to her conversation with some gullible sunbathers and they same nonsense was being said.

@LeighaJ

LOL ... that's what I thought! I couldn't believe my ears.

Was she working for TUI? That's horrific and disgusting that they don't take notice of complaints. Skin cancer kills people. The sun is so strong in Tenerife - very or extremely high on the UV index. It's a lot nearer to the equator than mainland Europe FFS.

And no, not 'anyone' can get a healthy tan. I'm very pale and tan very minimally and using lower strength sunblock won't change that. I'll just burn quicker.

DP and I were one of the few people not burnt to a crisp on the plane last time we returned from Tenerife. This was in May and most of the week had been cloudy/partially sunny, but the last couple of days came out full sunny and the difference was really noticeable. People need to take responsibility for themselves, but fools like this woman make it harder. Disgusting.

Apologies for the rant, but a relative of mine died of skin cancer at a tragically young age.

@ThePrioryGhost
From the look of it she's a regular. She had a table set up by the lifeguard station.

@Amanduh
Did you complain to the 'advisor', the hotel or the travel company? We're here independently so don't have a rep or anything like that.

@fuckthisforfun
I walked past her a couple of times and could t believe the drivel. 'Some children only need factor 8' was one of the most gobsmacking. Wish I'd said something now.

suncarecentral.com/Pages/Careers.aspx This is them!!

It just seems all a bit out of date now. I thought it was all about fake tan etc now. Does anyone even use factor 8 these days?!

no such thinig as healty tan-fact

go and complain its completely wrong advice and dangerous

Surely they shouldn't be marketing themselves as suncare advisors if all they are doing is selling products? A genuine suncare advisor would be telling people to cover up and stay out of the sun and use high factor sun protection when they are outside.

@BarbaraofSevillle
No need to apologise for the rant. It's totally irresponsible. I might ask a random rep if they know where she's from or what the deal is.

The sad thing is there are lots of people here with really red sunburn (and don't get me started on the unprotected babies and toddlers) so this kind of rubbish advice is actually dangerous.

They often appear at AI type hotels.
Why the assumption that everyone wants a tan? I love a pool / beach holiday but I slap on F50 and sit in the shade.
On our recent return from a week in Fuerteventura a guy at the airport commented on the fact that all four of us were so white

So is this person employed by TUI? OP you should go and ask her! If so they need shaming on as many social media sites as possible.

@Amanduh
Yup, that's them!

@missyB1
I do y think they are employed by Tui, they just happen to be at hotels where Tui travellers stay.

Not sure if they’re actually employed by TUI. They’re at a lot of all inc package hotels.

Their website says
‘For over twenty six years Suncare Central has provided its services to many Major British Tour Operators’ I complained to the hotels directly, but it didn’t get me anywhere.

My mum has had skin cancer and she still talks about people getting a healthy tan

On my third skin cancer, there is NO safe tan, any could change wether it is red or brown is skin damage.
There is NO such thing as a base tan
This is from my skin specialist

In 1988, I went to Mauritius. I bought Piz Buin in a combo pack. It had spf 6 and a larger spf 10, combined. I remember thinking “good grief, I’ll come back like a ghost!” I crisped to a cinder. At least I had the excuse that it was the ‘80s.

This is dreadful, OP. I’d write to the holiday company.