bogo54321

This is a great board. I have wanted lighter skin since I was a little kid. I did not explore skin lightening until just recently (I'm in my 40's). Currently, I am just using glutathione soap and Gluta-C cream, while I learn about other options.

I am almost obsessive about not exposing my skin to the sun (arms and face mostly). If I do, I wear long sleeve shirts and a very large brim visor. I am always sticking out like a sore thumb when I do this.

I have not read any threads about what people do to cover up outside...or do you? I look at people that wear tank tops during the summer, or not wearing a visor and I so wish I could do that!

LightenNLift

I usually wear my big shades and throw on a baseball cap and twist it at the direction of the sun to block out its rays when im outside. Since i have short ceasar style hair, it doesnt get messed up even when its styled by the cap, and I wear SUNBLOCK as well, so thats great protection.

Eternal

I try to avoid it as much as I can. I'm always slathering sunblock spf 85 on my skin and try to go out when the sun is not too bright.

blackgirl111

I started avoiding the sun this year. it's boring sometimes, I wish I could just get up and go out like I use to. but all these years I didn't protect my face from the sun gave me a 'mask', a dull and darker complexion on my face than the rest of my body (not pretty). my daughter is 4 years old and we had to wait 4:00 PM to go to the park, 'cause in Texas Dallas it's incredibly hot in summertime where we live. way hotter than in congo Africa where i'm from believe me.

Eternal

I know what you mean, it can get kind of boring and a sacrafice. Sometimes I just want to do all of the fun things I like out in the sun, but I know I would not be happy with that choice afterwards...lol

bogo54321

Thanks for your replies so far! I have never been able to talk to anyone about this before, as no one I know has been self-conscious about getting darker, or wanting to be lighter. I am of Okinawan descent and very dark for an asian. Doesn't help that we recently moved to a pretty much all-light-complected area! For example, we went to a 'Pumpkin Patch' yesterday for my son - it was hot and sunny and I was wearing a long sleeve shirt and my big visor. I could just feel people looking at me. I know I shouldn't care but I do. Oh, and I also have heavy melasma on my face to add to it! Looking forward to learning more on this board...

LightenNLift

for ur melasma try tri luma, works wonders

Checking

Anybody tried Rit Sun Guard?

karenannev

No, but now I remember hearing about it ages ago and then forgot about it. I always feel like the sun is getting through my sleeves, etc. It will be summer here soon so I am going to try it. Thanks for reminding me about it. Here is a link if anyone else is interested:

SunGuard: SunGuard Sun Protection

US shipping only . I will have to try to find it in Australia.

blackgirl111

those living in Canada like Ondine are lucky LOL .. i heard it's always cold overthere.

but you know what? even though we need to stay away from the sun because of the creams we use... too many days without seeing any sunshine is depressing.
i like to enjoy the sun early morning or just before the evening in summertime. in winter i put my SPF30 on and go out, I enjoy all the bits of sunshine we can have I don't care. LOL it's so mild on the skin.
What about you guys? when do you sun bathe it's healthy after all, but not too much of course.

EggoMini

I think I will avoid it from now on... I'll be 40 next year & I've taken enough sun for several lifetimes, I'm sure.

__________________
'Do I love you because you're beautiful,
Or are you beautiful because I love you?'
~Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, Cinderella

Manay

omg i know how it feels!!! i'm 17 and in San Antonio TX it was like 107 everyday!!! i was bummed and my friends were going to outlet malls and the pool and i had to wait till like 8pm to go out. i had to make up stupid excuses as to why i couldn't go out! i was sooo bummed!

bogo54321

Manay, I just recently started telling people exactly why I turn down invitations to go certain places (beach, amusement parks, boating or places I wouldn't be able to escape to shade)...that I don't like being out in the sun because I don't want to get darker than I already am. My dear friends just accepted it without even blinking, and I probably should have told them sooner. (Or they had probably figured it out years ago anyway because of all my excuses.) Newer acquaintances have mixed reactions. Most are a little puzzled at first, but then don't care or judge. One lady thinks I'm weird and now avoids me LOL. I think I am getting too old to worry about what people think.

SweetTee

I avoid the sun as well as much as possible, however I use sunblock and limit my exposure. Besides when it's 95 plus outside it's just tooooo HOT for anyone to be out.

I do indulge everyone once in awhile can't live in a bubble.

ondine

YES!

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karenannev

I completely avoid it. I've become more and more paranoid over the years because of the damage it has done. Even daylight lately especially when I haven't got sunscreen on like first thing in the morning. I'm probably excessive but it doesn't bother me. I'm really an indoors person anyway. If I'm out, I'm totally covered up.

By the way, something I've been meaning to mention for a while now: Do you all take a Vitamin D3 supplement? I ask this because at my last check up my Dr said I was very deficient. She also said that no matter how much calcium I have in my diet, none was being absorbed as it needs D3 for it to absorb. I told her I didn't want to go in the sun so she told me to take a supplement. I take my little 1000mg pill every morning. Easy, and problem solved! .