tanning

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Jorf
Jorf Member Posts: 498
edited June 2014 in Life After Breast Cancer
tanning
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  • Jorf
    Jorf Member Posts: 498
    edited December 2007


    OK, I know it's bad. But here's the story - I'm headed to Brazil in 2 weeks  for a month. Unfortunately, for sun exposure I'm doing it backward - spending the first week in the city/ on the beach and then going into the interior to do some hiking and exploring. It's majorly the middle of summer there and we'll be at about 10 degrees from the equator. Last time I went I really killed my skin and I DON'T want to do that again (got a second skin chance with chemo and it's much better now). So, really, is there any truth at all to starting to tan now (I'm still a little dark from summer - have tan lines anyway)? I have olive skin and tan easily but will burn in circumstances like I described.

    Thanks.  

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  • iodine
    iodine Member Posts: 4,289
    edited December 2007

    Congrats on the great trip!  I spent a week in Rio in my single AF days and wow! 

    If you build up a tan you will have less chance of a burn, IMO and the burn is worse than a few trips to the tanning booth.

    I would guess you could get away with this as a one time thing, but sure would NOT make a habit of it.

    Of course you already know to use the highest sunscreen available(All the time), hats, long sleeves, etc. etc.

    Again, that's just my humble opinion. 

    Have a terriffic trip!  And watch out for that pepper sauce they serve with the amazing beef steaks down there---it'll burn you up (pun intended)

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  • LisaSDCA
    LisaSDCA Member Posts: 2,230
    edited December 2007

    A whole month in Brazil in the middle of (our) winter! How delicious!

    I agree, even if you choose to gradually get a base over the next two weeks, and even if you have an olive complexion that tans easily - get the best wide spectrum sunscreen (both UV-A and UV-B) you can find (and plenty of it!) to take with you. For the face, I like Clinique's Super City Block. I's non-greasy, doesn't clog pores, doesn't run in your eyes and sting, etc.

    And have a fabulous time!

    Lisa

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  • snowyday
    snowyday Member Posts: 1,478
    edited December 2007

    I was diagnosed in May and all the Doctors and Nurses warned me to stay out of the sun. So I bought light cotton tunics, put on sunscreen every day.  After surgury and SNB I was really paranoid about the sun causing lympedema because I was told a sunburn on my arm could cause it.  Was I being to paranoid and will I have to do that next summer, I really was sick of wearing long sleeved shirts all summer, they were pretty but I look like yuck now. Just wondering did anyone else get this nervous about the sun and lymphedemal or am I really just to nervous.

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  • sharebear
    sharebear Member Posts: 332
    edited December 2007

    The chemo caused changes in the way your skin reacts to the sun.  Once you've stopped chemo and it cycles out, you should be O.K. to go into the tanning booth and sun without the sun reaction you would have had during treatment. I'm going to Hawaii at Easter and also asked about the tanning booth. Of course my onc. would rather nobody tan but said it would be O.K. to do for my trip. He still recommended even with a tan sunblock when outside for anyone.

    Sharon

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  • 2up
    2up Member Posts: 1,358
    edited December 2007

    tanaholic over here ............ colour of a beer bottle all year around lol!

    i tanned at a salon twice a week during chemo (have been a sun worshipper for 25 years) and routinely visted the keys and the mayan peninsula throughout and post treatment ............. i use carrot oil in the 'real' sun and 'helix' by california tan in the salon and my colour is fantastic all year round, plus i feel pretty damned good ......... i have joked for years that UV light is my psychiatrist!

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited December 2007

    Like shel, I tanned throughout chemo AND rads (my rad onc couldn't believe it!). The tan I got at the salon was different from what I'd get in te sun and, so, whenever I went to the beach, I'd burn a little on top of my "regular" tan. I still don't get it. Anyway, I agree that, no matter what, you should make sure to use a good sunscreen.

    Have fun, Jorf...I'm SO jealous!!!!

    ~Marin

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  • Jorf
    Jorf Member Posts: 498
    edited December 2007

    Oh, good, you guys make me feel better. I did it last night for the first time and it was pretty wierd - like little stingy lightening bolts all over and I felt really strange when I got out. Of course, I had just worked out and I was Really Hungry since it was 8 and I hadn't eaten since lunch. Guess that could have been part of it.

    Anyway, I visualized Brasil and all was well in the world. My DH is already there so I see him wandering around.

    I'm putting sunscreen on my face and my reconstructed breast/scars for the salon tanning. I have a good 15 spf moisturizer that I'll take along. I can't take much since it's all carry-on baggage but I will take that. (Yes, I am going for a month with one carry-on. Last time we went for 6 months with a bit more and really just used the suitcases for packing up the stuff I bought there - tops, panties [the best!] skirts, shoes....) Can buy stuff there for the rest of my body. My problem is that when I put on 8 spf (or even 4) you can see the hand mark if I don't spread it on well enough. Just a little bit and I'm bright white. I don't want to look mulatto like I did when I was there last time (everyone is a mix of black and white in Bahia and I fit right in after a few weeks - everyone thought I was a Bahiana) but I don't want to be total pasty tourist either! 

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  • iodine
    iodine Member Posts: 4,289
    edited December 2007

    May I suggest you wear a top or wash rag over your mast side during tanning--Unless you're going to the topless beaches.

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  • sharebear
    sharebear Member Posts: 332
    edited December 2007

    12 years ago when I had my first bc, I use to tan topless in the tanning beds. When I was diagnosed I had a lumpectomy and rads and chemo. The radiologist kept looking at my skin daily in amazement waiting for it to burn, split, peel, crack, something....nothing. He was amazed that I had no visible reation to the rads at all. He use to laught about telling all his bc patients to tann topless for a while before their rads!

    It also got me free tanning at the salon I use to go to. They thought I was great advertising!

    I'm looking forward to some color before we go to Hawaii at Easter!

    Sharon

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  • Poppy
    Poppy Member Posts: 405
    edited December 2007

    I am TOO jealous!!

    I am a tanner too. Right now I'm pale as a ghost but if a trip popped up I would be at the tanning place in 10 minutes. I know it's wrong but if I don't build up a tan then I burn and get stripey. This year was the first year I actually got a tan in the sun and I did it slowly and with sunscreen. Couldn't believe it worked but alas, now it's gone. I don't know for fact but I would think that burning is worse than tanning gradually and never burning. I like to think that as often as I am scanned and inspected these days that if something suspicious popped up, my oncologist would find it!

    Have a super trip!!
    Erica

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