I'm a faker

I talk frequently about my body image issues on this blog. But usually it revolves around weight or muscle. There are other things about myself that I used to wish I could change, other than my thighs, I mean. But for the most part, I have gotten over them. The color of my skin, for one.

I'm white. Not just white but pasty. I always wished I had that olive skin tone that makes Mediterranean women so beautiful. So I would tan. Well, actually burn. But if I baked in the sun often enough, eventually the burns would turn into beautiful tanned skin. I can't count the number of times I had pretty serious sunburns as a kid. It wouldn't be uncommon for me to blister and peel several times over the course of a summer. My parents owned a cabin on the lake and I would spend my summers there, practically living in the boat. Really great for my waterskiing skills, not so great for my skin.

When I think back to all the damage I have done to my skin it makes me a bit nervous. Especially since I have two rather large moles. So I've been seeing a dermatologist on a yearly basis to ease my worries. So far so good. In fact, on my last visit, I was complemented on my skin.

I'm typically the girl who gets comments like, "Oh my God you are so white!" or "You need a tan!" so the fact that I was being praised for being "so white" was new to me. She basically gave me a big pat on the back and said congratulations for NOT being tan. And it made me feel a little bit better about being the pasty girl.

Of course I'd still love to be tan. But baking in the sun daily to get that way just isn't worth it. Eventually, (and quicker than I'd like) the tan fades and all I'm left with is pasty sun damaged skin.

We all know that a tan is a good way to hide flaws (like cellulite) but did you know that you are actually making it worse by tanning? Sun damages your skins elasticity, which means it won't be as tight and all those lovely ripples are going to show even more. Not to mention how much you are increasing your chances of getting skin cancer. Self tanner is a good way to fake a summer glow. I've tried the wet wipes and the spray and the lotion. I prefer the lotion that adds gradual color. It doesn't get too dark, which on my pale skin, can look more orange than brown. They used to have a horrid smell but they have gotten better over the years. I've gotten pretty good at applying to it where I can avoid streaks. Some people call it "fake" but what is a tan - it's fake! It's not your natural skin color. Call it what you want, I'll take my fake tan over malanoma any day.