'Ooo you've caught the sun!' No, haven't. That's just

[margaritasbythesea]

the colour my skin IS.

I am dreading having this conversation again this summer. I have it every year. I am a red head. My skin is very thin. My chest and upper arms are permanently red. I hate it. I have tried skin make up and fake tan, aveeno etc. I use factor 50 every day, even in winter to stop it getting worse (which it easily does).

Is there anything else I can try? I hate my salami skin! And I am fed up of hating it.

This happens to my husband all the time! His face is pink. I get very defensive on his behalf.

After lots of antibiotics and other potions from the GP, he got referred to a dermatologist and diagnosed with rosacea. There's certainly been some improvement, but I think he'll always be moderately pink. Using sunblock and properly moisturising does help, and I've noticed improvement since he stopped using his asthma inhaler, so I do wonder if long term use of that could have been had an affect.

My brother is like this. When we were kids, he got 2nd degree burns at the beach. He hates summer and always stays indoors. He has rosacea too and is always slightly pink.

I'm just milky white/ pale blue and burn in 5 minutes.

Thank you father for your genes!

Hmmm maybe time to google rosacea. Does your DH have a medication for it?

The annoying thing is that I don't actually burn THAT easily (for a redhead) I just always look like I am burnt.

Is your skin sore red, as in it feels irritated ? Could it be very sensitive in which case you'd need to look at what your putting on it or if you have any allergies etc.

Better to try & find out the cause, but in the meantime, you could contact the charity Changing Faces, who should be able to refer you to a make up person for camouflage make-up.

No it's not sore. It's just skin. Thank you for the idea about the charity, but I would probably just continue to cover up rather than bother them. It's not on my face. And it's not that bad it just looks like a bit of sunburn. I just had rather it didn't.

I do have sensitive skin and see a dermatologist for other areas. She has never said, 'ooo you have rosacea,' (and she searches me pretty thoroughly) so I have always assumed it isn't.

Althoug I am not actually seeing her at the moment....

I am a red head - in my forties now and the same thing is happening to me mainly my chest and the skin over my collar bone.

People say exactly the same thing to me in the summer. Now I shrug and say: not sunburn, it's age.

I think the skin has got thinner. Once it catches even a tiny amount of sun, that's it. I have found that wearing high, round neck t-shirts during the day when I know I'm going to be in the sun helps as well as applying and reapplying factor 50 to that area more than any other.

I wasn't so red last summer because I tried really hard to cover up even though it was a pain. It meant I could expose that area at night time when I went out and not feel like the contrast to the rest of my pale skin was so noticeable.

I'm fair with high colouring on my face and neck. Gets worse after exercise, alcohol, stress, coffee, etc. I don't like it but I had my colours done and that has made a huge difference. When I wear the right colours I just look OK, not overly red faced. The right colours make my skin look smoother, less blemished and my eyes amazingly blue. Being a redhead, I bet you've got fab eyes!

Oh lord! I hadn't even considered age. I'm early 40s. huh.

my sis and I are similar. If she tans, she goes red-brown (permanently not just after being out in the sun) and everyone asks whether she's burnt. I stay out of the sun and use fake tanner or gradual tanners. Is the red on your chest sun damage or rosacea? If so, speak to a derm about IPL/laser? My DM has had laser for rosacea and found it effective. I have rosacea on face and things that make it worse include: wine, sun, anything not geared at super sensitive skin.

I think my skin is just thin. I wear factor 50 every day and dont expose my arms. I am guessing that as my dermstologist didnt say rosacea it isnt that although she was treating my hands.

Does wearing a hat with a decent brim help? Sounds to me like you need to minimise sun exposure. You could buy some nice ones to wear whenever you're outdoors in spring/summer.

how obvious is the redness on your arms and chest? Your derm may not have noticed it, especially if it was covered? Is it redness or mottling like salami?

Salami, I think.

Does it make a difference?