I may have spoken about this before but I am wondering if it is now getting out of hand. We have officially entered winter and yet here I am still paranoid about absolutely any sun exposure. I used to laugh at peole who said they were like vampires but I think I may well be turning into one of them. lol. I know that sun protection should be worn all year round but I am still paranoid and actually hate to see the sun out when I have to be outside. Anyone else like me?

It is easy to understand where this paranoia stems from. In my opinion very few people find the whole lightening process easy - be it hard to lighten in the first place or to maintain long term. This means that any lightening, which from your post, you have achieved, is extremely valued. So anything that is going to put a stop to this or make you go backwards is going to be viewed with a bit of fear. I am not saying you are right to be paranoid but it is totally understandable. It is good anyway to maintain some sort of sun protection all year round anyway. just dont' t make yourself miserable during the process.

Lol KIM before I came on board here I wss not even fully aware of using sunblock religiously but I get where you are coming from. I don't wsant to revert back and am conscious about the sun too and really do not want to go any darker. I am feelling way too good to go and spoil it lol

you have both made me feel a little better. I really thought I would have calmed down now winter is here. I spent all of the very hot summer ducking and diving and thought things would get easier. I know before you know it summer will be here again wreaking havoc with my skin. On a good note though, it has been snowing where I am, so even though I know the snow reflects uv, as it is cloudy I am having a paranoid free day today !!!!!! lol

Well the snow has been a good excuse to stay indoors. I am not happy about this darkening one little bit. I am so tempted to go and buy some HQ right now though I'm still a bit apprehensive. I did want to go for a natural lightening method. Though I wonder how natural are steroids lol

I am totally paranoid. My friends think I am so boring because when they invite me go to the beach I make up some excuse as to why I can't. I don't want to get darker than I already am. There are so many activities that involve being outdoors that it annoys me so much

I feel like a total party pooper sometimes too. But I just remember what is more important to me. It can take a couple of hours to undo what may have taken months to achieve. Till I find a sunscreen that I know is totally bullet proof to the sun, then I will lurk in the shadows lol

Haha so I am not the only boring one out there !!!!!!!!! Some days I think everyone is out enjoying their life and I am being really lame. I hope I don't regret it. The hardest thing is when someone says " Do you remember when xxxx did that thing?" and I know I can't join in the conversation because I was not there. Any suggestions for sun screens then?

I think it is important to try and strike the right balance. You still have to have a life otherwise you are making yourself gorgeous for only you to see and not really living. Now I won't be out in any kind of scorging heat but as long as I have covered up well and have my sunblock on I need to be enjoying life too. Get a big sunhat, oversized uv sunglasses and pretty boleros for the arms etc.







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But it is hard when everone is wearing next to nothing and you're the one all covered up. People start asking questions . Everyone automatically think that if you are dark skinned then you should not have any problems in the sun but my skin gets ashy as well as super dark

I agree it is so difficult. That's whay I love autumn and winter and the fact that I don't live some where that gets blazing hot!!! I am always covered up and sweating buckets as a result. I get very good at making up excuses why I can't go out when it does get hot but rather that than gettying depressed because I have darkened. Keeps you young anyway !!!

unlucky me because it is hot for the majority of the year over here. You can't get away from it. I wish I could move all the time

I see how things can be very hard when the weather is up against you. It has started hotting up where I am and it makes me very mindful of how I do my day to day routine. I try and juggle things so that I am not out when it is very hot, so I am generally up very early or do things later in the day. Even before this lightening I was never a fan of the sun anyway but I tended to take less precautions like with sunscreen or hats. I am glad that I understand more about the damaging effects of lack of proper protection.

I don't have much control of when I have to be out and it tends to be in the mid morning and early afternoon and it can get so hot. Most people are in minimal clothing so it is quite hard covering up without standing out and getting strange looks. I have to sometimes wait at the bus stand and there is no shade which really annoys me.

That is why I thank God for trees, tall buildings etc because it can be murder out there. It can be really awful when you look like the only one who seems to be hiding from the sun so any natural cover always helps. I think that if I lived somehwere with extreme tempertaures that I would be more confident to put that umbrella up or that big hat on. Don't anyone test me though!

I have only ever seen asian people get away with the umbrella/parasol without getting a second look.I know I couldnt do it myself lol

sometimes even wearing a sun hat can bring unwnated attention. It's like everyone should be worshipping the sun. I see Mums allowing their babys to be roasted in the blazing heat. I wish people were more sun aware like they are say in Austaralia. Even though our climate may not be as aggressive I have seen on myslef the damage the sun can do. I have a permanent tan on my arms thaat I doubt I will ever be able to correct.

Imagine being a man and putting an umbrella up !!! Michael Jackson may have gotten away with it but somehow I don't think I would be able to pull it off !!! lol

I avoid the sun as much as possible and the hardest thing was my daily jogs. I just switched it to an early morning jog or late evening one. I've said before but I'm a big exercise person, mainly palates and I'm able to do that in my home or at a gym.

During the summer I mostly stay indoor next to an A.C. lol

Oh there are many days I wish I didn't have to go out but most of the time I have no choice unless I am going to pull a sickie lol. Lucky you that you can hide away until it is all over. I am not looking forward to the summer in the slightest. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad if like mentioned above, covering up and using parasols wasn't such a big deal

I think the reason asian women get away with it is most people know that proper skincare has always been a big thing in most asian countries. It may have more to do with culture.

Where I am no one uses any sort of visble protection and being dark most automatically assume that the sun should not be a problem for me and I should be loving it. None of my friends apply sun cream and I know that they would wonder why I do seeing as I am darker. it's one of the reasons I need a sun cream that does not leave any white marks because I would get more questions

Well people have said neutrogena works well but some say there are a few of their sunscreens which leave a white caste. I've used various sunscreens and so far haven't gotten that white look.

quiamontana wrote:Where I am no one uses any sort of visble protection and being dark most automatically assume that the sun should not be a problem for me and I should be loving it. None of my friends apply sun cream and I know that they would wonder why I do seeing as I am darker. it's one of the reasons I need a sun cream that does not leave any white marks because I would get more questions

You know if they do start to question you then you could say that you are working on the anti aging abilities of protecting your skin in the harsh sun. There is nothing worse than sun damaged skin that could have been easily avoided with proper protection even on darker skin tones. I wish my Mum had used sun cream on me when I was younger and I wouldn't have this permanent tan line on my arms