Tan - no burns......

[Fergus]

Just wanted to throw in my two cents worth.......I'm on my way to a work-in visit at the dermatologist to have what I believe is a cancerous spot removed from the BACK of my ear. I burned frequently as a child - back then, you burned during the day and sprayed that whatever it was spray at night. Then when it started blistering and peeling, you just wore a t-shirt at the beach. I was diagnosed with my first skin cancer at age 26. I had it removed immediately, lost the baby I was carrying (my first) within a week, then had a recurrence in the last weeks of my next pregnancy - I had Moh's surgery when my baby was 3 weeks old. Ended up with a 1/8" hole in my nose and then had several reconstructive procedures to correct it as much as possible. I wear sunscreen every day, both in my moisturizer and my makeup. When cruising, I double and triple apply it and stay out of the sun as much as possible while still having a good time - I just know my limit, and that is way before I start to LOOK red - way before. (By the way, you CAN still burn when you are sitting in the shade because of reflected sun, so still apply sunscreen even if you are under a cabana or hut.)

 

I urge you to take the risk seriously......I am 46 now and have had numerous pre-cancerous "things" removed, but this is the first one that I've really thought was serious. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's not. Tan-in-a-can IS your best friend!

 

Libby

 

P.S.: Sorry for being a downer, but I do want everyone to take this seriously - it can follow you for your whole life if you don't. :)

[Sandgnat]

This is not something to play around with. We just lost one of our nurses, diagnosed in early Jan. dead by early June last year. Very sad. I would rather be pasty white then dead. My best friend just had melonoma cut out last Thursday. Remember your sun screen, if you are snorkeling remember your upper thigh's lower buttocks, easy to get sunburned.

[harum-scarum]

Ah all you lucky naturally pale people. I tan like no other so I wear spf 50 to stay pale.

[Lucky Cruiser]

Don,t Forget The Lips. I Did While I Was In Cancun. I Looked Like One Of Those Hollywood Stars That Got The Lips Blowed Up. I Never Forget The Lip Balm After That Experience.:d

[rgwiazdzinski]

just got back from the western carribean on glory and got totally fried in roatan. i normally use spf 30 when we go to the beach and never have a problem. used spf 30 in roatan and was in the sun about 4 hours and got burned to a crisp on my shoulders. i would advise using strong sunscreen and even wearing a shirt while in the water if possible.

[bluejeans]

I, too, use the tanning bed before a cruise. This year, in St. Maarten, shoulders got a little red, but I used 30 SPF 1 hour before going to the beach, and lathered it on every 1/2 hour or so. The sun is very strong in the Caribbean, but nothing prettier than a Caribbean tan. I also am checked every year by my dermatologist.

[poptart]

The KEY is to put sunscreen on 30 minutes before going outside!! My DH swears by the 30 minute rule and it always works for him.

 

 

That is the secret right there. It needs time to sink into you skin. Put it

on liberally 1st thing in the morning and let it sink in before you dress or put on your swim suit. Then you can use the spray to re-apply after getting wet.

 

I use the Hawaian Tropic Water Babies lotion too. 11 cruises and I've never burned.

[smoothecruz]

That is the secret right there. It needs time to sink into you skin. Put it

on liberally 1st thing in the morning and let it sink in before you dress or put on your swim suit. Then you can use the spray to re-apply after getting wet.

 

I use the Hawaian Tropic Water Babies lotion too. 11 cruises and I've never burned.

That's some good advice and info. Do you burn easy without the sunblock? I burn easy, I'm ver fair, light hair and eyes and I'm still afraid I'll burn with sunblock down in the Caribbean. When we get to St. Thomas I plan on spending a good portion of the day on the beach.

[bankerbabe]

I really like the Neutrogena line of sunscreen products. Our recent trip to Puerto Vallarta we used the spray for our bodies and a cream for faces.

 

The spray seems to go on more evently (when properly applied) and doesn't clog pores as badly as other sunscreen products. I have very sensitive skin - both to pore-clogging creams and to the sun - but this worked very well for me, except for where my husband completely missed my entire arm. That's the last time I let HIM spray me.

[Fern Crest]

Someone said ...

"Nothing prettier than a Caribbean tan" /sigh

That tan-in-a-bottle is pretty enough, and MUCH less damaging! Yes, yes, the annual with the dermatologist is essential, but so often the mole is diagnosed and the person is gone within 6 months.

So very sad, and so very preventable.

/pasty white New Yorkers all 4 of us, hope to stay that way!

//whaddya mean, there's no 1000 spf?!?! ;)

[Glama]

I'm a strawberry blonde, I gave up on tanning a couple of years ago when I went to the tanning booth before a cruise and still got burned. A few weeks later, I noticed so many more wrinkles on my face, and I know it was from the tanning booth. Never again. My father, a red head, has had several basil cell carcinomas removed from his skin, so I'm done taking chances.

 

I'm fair skinned, sit in the shade, and am proud of it. I use SPF 30, and I also use face moisturizer with SPF 15 (if I use sunscreen on my face I break out, I just use the Oil of Olay moisturizer, even under make up).

 

Sure, I wish I could have a wonderful tan like so many people I see, but I'm not willing to risk my health for it.

[cookc61462]

Do any of you have tattoos? What do you do to protect them?

 

I use a high SPF sunscreen, but didn't know if I needed to use something else on the tattoos.

 

Cathy

[seiffann]

I generally use "Water Babies", as I burn, burn, burn. In fact, I have 2 colors, red or pale white. My dh and kids tan like nobody's business, and yes, I pour the sunscreen on them too.

 

However, I'm allergic to pain, so I tend to cake on the sunscreen and reapply, reapply, reapply.

 

Fred, I have not heard about blue lizard, I'm going to CVS today, I'll pick some up for dh to try.

 

Oh, they were sold out of the camera, but are looking for one we can pick up at the Miami store when we get there. Thanks for the advice!:D

 

Is water babies safe for the coral reef? I am planning to try snorkeling, and I read that there are certian types of sunscreen that won't hurt them.

[faeriechick]

Do any of you have tattoos? What do you do to protect them?

 

I use a high SPF sunscreen, but didn't know if I needed to use something else on the tattoos.

 

Cathy

 

I only use a high SPF on my tattoos, and none of them have faded in years of being on my body. You should be fine. :)

[funone2]

I tan very easily ... always have and rarely use tan lotion (ok people ... please no lectures) ....

 

Anyway ... my approach is to get up early on the ship, go to breakfast, then start my 'tanning' process early in the morning around 9:00 or so. (Easy to find a lounge chair at that time too). I hang out in the sun about 2 hours, and then head inside for lunch, etc. I go back out around 2:30 or so (lounge chairs available again because people are getting sunburned and are done for the day) and hang outside another 2 hours ... and then I'm done for the day.

 

The reason is ... that once you start sailing south, you are getting closer to the equator and the sun is directly above you. It is much more intense than being out in the sun back up north. Anyway, the sun is the strongest, most direct between the hours of around 11:00 to 2:00. So I just avoid it at that time. Most people think otherwise and head outside at that time ... and then wonder why they burn!

 

I'm telling you all ... this works ... I tan very easily ... this is my secret to share with you all!

 

Good luck! :p :p