Super tanned people everywhere!

[LostInClothes]

So, everyone seems to have a deep tan here right now, young, old, whatever.
Wherever I go people are looking more tanned than I have ever noticed before.

A lot of it looks very even so I presume not fake?
If so, is tanning increasing again or did it never go away?
I am talking quite deep tans here, all over, so if they are fake then they're pretty good quality - if I use st tropez it comes off in patches within days

I even wondered if sun bed use had started to increase again.

AIBU to think most of these tans are real and here I am stuck inside or slathered in sunblock trying to be mindful of skin cancer??

Nasals 100%. Can spot the tans from them a mile off, not a good look plus unsafe.

Nothing wrong with a bit of sun as long as you are not out in it all day, every day. As kids - in the seventies - we were out in it all summer - nobody had skin cancer. It isn't like we live in Australia.

As kids - in the seventies - we were out in it all summer - nobody had skin cancer. It isn't like we live in Australia.

I thought skin cancer rates were increasing every year & particularly amongst older people who didn't know about the dangers when young?

OMG I can’t believe you wrote this, you are so wrong.

You sound quite naïve @Scarylett Australia has higher rates of skin cancer than the UK, but there are more deaths here than in Australia.

I'm quite surprised about some of the attitudes on this thread particularly when skin cancer is one of the most preventable cancers. Contrast it with a UPF thread where MNetters won't even eat a crisp 😆

I'm so incredibly sorry to hear that and I can understand why it would make you feel really fearful about the sun. I've also had a parent with skin cancer, thankfully not melanoma, and it made me avoid the sun for a while. I've also had a parent die in a really horrible way from a disease so I'm not at all dismissive of your experience💐💐

I do hope you won't go too far the other way as a result of your experience though. All the research suggests that we do need a decent amount of sunshine to thrive. In that article I shared they talk about intermittent exposure being potentially the really harmful thing - i.e. avoiding the sun for ages and then going all in occasionally. Building up a gradual exposure is really different to that. It doesn't have to be extreme. Sensible sunshine exposure appears protective against various cancers and and may even reduce melanoma mortality (also in the paper). I hope this doesn't sound hectoring or patronising.

It is thought that skin cancer is more likely with the intense bursts in a year rather than a bit of sun every day. That might be why office workers actually have higher rates of melanoma.

Skin cancer rates are also higher in the northern countries of Europe versus southern countries. It’s very complicated but I don’t think hiding from the sun is the answer.

Sadly the people I have known with melanoma were not sun worshipers at all.

Cross post but agreeing with @Jet2holiday . Gradual, every day, safe exposure is seen to be healthy. Hiding away indoors for most of the year then getting a blast of sun for a week on holiday seems to be the problem.

If I see people with a perfect, even, all over tan I know it’s fake tan.

Thanks @Jet2holiday, no I don’t feel patronised.

I hope I haven’t given the impression I sit indoors all the time- I don’t! I live near the beach and I have often been down there in the last couple of months- but in the evenings- it’s still sunny and warm but safer in terms of UV. It’s also quiet in the evenings so it’s perfect. I also sit in the garden in the daytime- I do have to mostly sit in the shade because I burn very easily.

@DelatronThe problem with gradual daily exposure is that it isn’t possible in Britain! Yes, this summer we have been able to have gradual daily exposure over a period of 2 months, but for most of the rest of the year, our opportunities for that daily exposure are limited to non-existent.

I really never worry about having a tan and I dont think anyone I know does. Burn is another matter. I think there is alot of skin cancer these days due to past behaviour. My DH’s auntie told me the story of going to Spain (probably 80’s), not wearing suncream and being covered in blisters in excruciating pain. She thankfully hasn’t had skin cancer but I don’t know anyone who would ever consider going abroad (or spending the day in the hot sun in the UK) without suncream. We used to lay out in our teenage days with baby oil on 🙈 and I never remember wearing suncream to school. My kids wear it every day in the Summer.

I think most people would say a normal tan from being outdoors, enjoying life in the sun, exercising, wearing suncream, not getting burnt, is worth it. Same anything - im not going to stop having a couple of glasses of wine at the weekend as I enjoy it (even though it would be better for me not to drink at all). Everything in moderation.

Unless you have the skin type that never tans, you would have to have tried very hard to not have some colour this year.

Well no, they didn’t then but they did in later life
my friends dad has a huge dent in his head from having skin cancer removed
my mum had skin cancer removed from her arm
they’re both in their 70s

That’s correct. But that’s also why at the merest hint of sun I strip off and sit in my garden for 20 minutes. So I do make a conscious effort. Whereas others may avoid the sun.

I remember listening to a programme about Australia and the success of the Slip, Slap, Slop campaign. It's older people (over 60s) who are getting skin cancers more - those with the wrong (north European) skin for the climate to had lots of sun exposure in the 70s.

This is a good explainer.

Why does Australia have so much skin cancer? (Hint: it's not because of an ozone hole) - Cancer Council WA https://share.google/wdneSe5iB1kiRFlMa

Yes and likewise if I go abroad somewhere hotter I'll avoid the strongest sun (11-3) completely, at least for early days, even with sunscreen, and try to build up gradually that way. I basically try to mimic the behaviours of people in the distant past.

Not the 80s though - I may be broadly "pro-sun" but everyone was frankly a bit deranged back then 😅

Acccording to cancer research melanoma is rising in all age groups, I'm surprised about the below tbh.

Rates are also rising for young adults between the ages of 25-49, with a 7% increase in incidence in the last ten years.

I think there's a real difficulty with public messaging about the sun, because it's not nice and simple. Like, with smoking, the message is simply "don't". With sunshine, the message is "get enough, but not too much, and don't burn, and the right amount is determined by your skin colour in combination with local UV levels". It's not exactly pithy.

The 80s were nuts. We’d go on holiday abroad and the highest factor my parents took was a 6 then we’d drop to a 4 then 2 oil! We did get burnt. It’s a worry!

I do use factor 50 on holiday and avoid the midday sun. But I’ll try and build up a base tan here before going.

I’m a fan of spring and autumn sunshine @Delatron and am lucky to live somewhere we get a fair bit of it! Unlike now, I can actually spend a fair bit of time in April or Sept/Oct sunshine ‘cause I’m much less likely to burn then so I can actually sit in it for a while which is lovely.

Sounds lovely! Definitely more pleasant than sweating in the hot summer sun.

I was at Secondary School in the late 90’s/early 00’s and as I mentioned above, we were not aware of sun safety at all. We slapped baby oil on our legs in break and other than holidays abroad and beach days, I dont remember ever putting sun cream on or my parents particularly worrying about it.

We are always outdoors at weekends but the suncream/hat has been on since probably late April and we all have deep tans (had a week abroad aswell).

It wouldn’t surprise me at all if there is an increase in my age group (early 40’s) but hopefully this will decrease in time when attitudes towards suncream/enjoying the sun safely changed.

wtf. Would you say people look better with less colour?

@Lauralou19 I googled it, it's to do with increased sunbed use (34% of 16/17 yr olds have used them) & nasal sprays/injections (never even knew these existed!) plus awareness about going to the doctor.