Are you "tanorexic"?

[Fenris]

Poll question: Are you "tanorexic"?

That's the term David Sedaris used to describe his sister. Do you have a tanning addiction? Apparently the UV rays from tanning beds have a calming, relaxing effect on the tanee. Sort of like getting high from dangerous electromagnetic waves. According to the folks on CNN Headline News, tan addiction is becoming an epidemic.

[Reverend_Smitty]

1. David Sedaris

That guy writes some damn funny books, in fact I just took a break from reading "Naked" to post on DU, and I just bought his new book and I plan on reading it next

[Liberal Veteran]

2. No. Tanning leads to premature aging of skin and cancer.

No thanks.

[GOPisEvil]

3. I have never artifically tanned in my life.

I see no reason to start.

Lay out under the sun, like normal people. :D

[Fenris]

4. Why aren't people proud of their pasty whiteness?

Come on, pale people! Sing out!

[Lavender Brown]

7. I'm pale and I'm proud!

SPF 45 baby!

[Fenris]

8. Say it loud and say it proud, baby!

Pale girls rock!

[Coventina]

19. pshah! I'll see your SPF 45 and raise you....

I use SPF 70!!!!

Specially formulated for vampires like me!
:D

[Lavender Brown]

22. I wear a HUGE hat to protect my face from the sun

I swear, if it didn't make me look like a freak, I'd carry a parasol around like in the days of yore.

[Coventina]

26. I've found myself wishing for "days of yore"

So I could carry a parasol and wear bonnets to protect my face.

Maybe we could be trendsetters!

Goth girls with parasols! The latest hip fashion statement!

[Screaming Lord Byron]

29. And courtiers would bleed themselves to look paler

[mrboba1]

31. You do know that SPF 45

is only about 10% more effective than SPF 15 right?

(15 is the magic cutoff of effectiveness)

[flamingyouth]

12. I'm half Swedish and half Welsh

What more do you want from me, huh? What more???

[GOPisEvil]

14. Ohhhh...in your case...you're perfect!

Our guru needs not the sun! :D

[flamingyouth]

17. I'm sorry - I'll have to rule out devotional trips to Texas

Unless it's in January or something.

I can't take the heat.:(

[GOPisEvil]

25. Spring in Texas is gorgeous!

Come for South by Southwest! Perfect timing! :D

[Xithras]

5. I'm so pale I'm practically vampiric

Last time I took off my shirt at a beach, I blinded everyone within 100 feet :)

Strange thing is, I'm actually in the sun quite a bit. I don't often burn, but even when I do my skin reverts back to its pasty whiteness after the red skin subsides. My wife thinks I have some kind of odd pigmentation issue, but I've never talked to a doctor about it (hey I'm Irish, pale skin, reddish hair, and freckles are just part of the package).

[Political_Junkie]

16. Same here, Xithras,

I do burn though, then turn white again. Maybe it's a redhead thing?

[sus]

6. nah. i'm white. i don't tan.

besides, it accelerates the aging process.

[HallowsEve]

9. I LOOOOOOOVE THE SUN

I am no fool when it comes to sun exposure, but I am no vampire. Vitamin D is critical for organ and immune system functions. Our bodies are capable of making their own Vit D. through skin exposed to the sun. I theorize that colds and flus are more common in winter cuz we are all so bundled up (in addition to the other ideas like indoors more often etc etc). Sun is a primal energy and our bodies need it.

[Taverner]

10. If you wanna look tan, get the bottle!

Today they make tanning cremes that look pretty real, and have none of the dangerous effects that real UVA and UVB rays have.

[flamingyouth]

11. I'm blindingly pale

Have sunglasses handy.

[supernova]

13. No, I make sure to wear sunscreen

all the time now if I know I'm going to be out in the sun. I wear sunscreen on my face as a moisterizer and under makeup.

It's just not worth the damage to my skin.

[TrogL]

15. I'm firmly addicted

I was out tanning over lunch when I should have been working.

The neighbours think I'm insane and some scream homophobic insults (which just eggs me on).

Without tanning to look forward to, I doubt I'd survive the winter.

[Guy Fawkes]

18. I'm so white, I make Michael Jackson look tan!

[DemBones DemBones]

20. Some of us are genetically programmed to be pale.

It's really not something you can overcome.

[trof]

21. You mean like in one of those well lit coffins?

yuck
I like the real stuff.

[MrSlayer]

23. I avoid the sun as much as possible.

I hate the sun and would like to extinguish it.

[prolesunited]

24. I have a medium-complexion

with brown hair, so I'm not a "burner" unless I'm like on a lake in a boat or something.

I'm out in the sun a lot on my bike, but I do wear sunscreen. That said, I do have an interesting assortment of tan lines. My shoulders and back have an interesting assortment of stripes, from racer backs to thin lines to tanks.

My feet and the tops of my ankles are white, and the line there looks a little funny when I where sandals with shorts and skirts.

[geniph]

27. I'm a redhead, boys and girls

I don't tan, I just freckle. I'd prefer not to die of malignant melanoma, thanks.

[redwitch]

28. I don't tan, I stroke. -Woody Allen

Blistering sunburns year after year finally convinced me that this redhead does not tan. I always feel sort of ugly in the summer months since tan skin is such a fashion necessity in our culture. I used to self tan with all that spray on crap but who has time for that?

[Dogmudgeon]

30. Like the Dukes of Stratosfear said ...

"Pale and Precious".

--bkl

[scarlet_owl]

32. No way. I already have all of the risk factors for skin cancer.

I have tons of moles, a family history, AND a pre-existing skin disorder. Tanning would be a very poor choice for me.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

33. I was born tanned