SPF 20, SPF 15, SPF 8, Aftersun, Johnson's Baby Lotion, Long sleeves, collars, hats.... (Travel Health in general)

Member Name: scottish20

Product:	Travel Health in general
Date:	15/09/01 (161 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Sunshine - healthy looking tan

Disadvantages: Sunshine - burned, blistered, red skin

Just a few things you must take if you are off to a hot country - leave the baby oil behind.

People's attitudes to the sun are changing- my mum tells me that during the 70's girls wouldn't leave the house on summer days without slapping on the baby oil. During the 80's sunbeds were incredibly fashionable but in the 90's it became more acceptable to be milkbottle white - just look at all the super models.

I am lucky because I have a fairly dark skin and take a tan quite well but no-one is immune from burning. The rest of my family have the same colouring as me and burning was never really a problem for us on family holidays but my eyes were opened when I went abroad with my blonde, very fair boyfriend for the first time last year. But he is sensible - he reaslises that he is fair and quite prone to burning and is very good at constantly applying sun lotion. But I am amazed at the number of people who just don't seem to care.

I have just come back from a week in Rhodes and I was stunned by the number of bright pink bodies lying on the beach. I admit that when on holiday, there seems to be some sort of desparation to get a good tan (in my family there always seems to be some sort of competition!) and it is especially hard to sit inside during the 'best' hours of sunshine while there are girls wondering around with amaxing all over tans. But it is not worth it!

Something to remember - the tan that takes the longest to get, last the longest. Many of you will know what a miserble summer we've had up in Scotland in terms of weather so when I arrived in Greece I was as white as a sheet. But within a few days I had a healthy glow and when I arrived home, I have to say, I had a pretty good tan. But now, just 5 days after leaving Greece, my back has totally peeled and my chest is speckled as my tan fades unevenly. So really, getting a tan should never become top of the priority list. And when I
say a healthy tan, I should really say 'unhealthy' as a suntan is really a layer of damaged skin cells.

But as I said, boyfriend Ross was very good at getting me out of the sun during the midday hours and reminding me to reapply my sun cream. And yes, we both avoided burning. Wish I could say the same for many of the others on the beach this year.

Some points to consider...
* Choose an appropriate SPF sun cream - I used 12 at the beginning of the week, reducing it to 8 and then used 4 on my arms and legs on the last few days. Ross however, stuck with the 12 all week.
* Don't forget to put lotion on your face (especially nose) and tops of your ears - and also the tops of your feet and the back of you knees...sounds obvious but easilly forgotten.
* Part your hair in different places or wear a hat - yes, I have burned my scalp many a year and it doesn't matter how gorgeous your tan is if you have a horrid dry, flaking scalp!
* Reapply sun lotion every 1-2 hours... you can still obtain a good tan whilst wearing suncream but you reduce the risks of burning
* Reapply lotion after swimming - waterproof lotions are designed to protect you when in the water, not when you have dried and are back on the beach.
* Don't me afraid to cover up...I felt overdressed on the beach wearing a tankini!
* Don't fall asleep in the sun - if yo have just arrived and are tired from the journey, have a snooze before hitting the beach.
* Apply aftersun in the evening to rehydrate and moisterise your skin

Another interesting point for the ladies - sunbathing topless increases your chances of getting skin cancer 3 fold! I know nobody likes big white lines but I'd rather have white boobs that cancer. And besides, you can get a strapless bikini top or just slide the straps down.


Baiscally, be sensible! If you get burned on the first day of the holiday, it ends any hopes of a decent tan - an
d remember, white is far, far better than pink! Too much sun on the face leads to wrinkles in later life so get that hat out and buy some bronzing pearls! And if all else fails, there is a fabulous range of self tanning products available...really the safest tan, is the fakest!


PS _ I have recently discovered the bestest fake tan in the world - a spray by Loreal, expensive but so so so worth it!

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