How much sunbathing do you all do??
 

Just wondering if all you lucky people down under spend much time sunbathing? I know that if we book a holiday for 2 weeks we are out in it all day (with lots of sunscreen on!!) Does the novelty of the sun and getting a tan soon wear off?? Is there anyone out there that's still got an english rose complexion??

Re: How much sunbathing do you all do??
 

Most people I know spend their time staying out of the sun and the phrase "skin cancer" is far more common than "getting a tan".

Re: How much sunbathing do you all do??
 

Think you'll find lots of Aussies avoid the sun as skin cancer isn't a good look! Big hole in the ozone over Aus, hence the high rates of skin cancer!

Re: How much sunbathing do you all do??
 

The Sun's at full radiation strength down here... Most seem to try and avoid it like the plague...!

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Lots of people look very tanned and some look very pale. So I guess it is a personal thing. I love being out in the sun but I am a lot more careful than I used to be - then oil now a factor 30. I tan well but because the sun is strong it fades rapidly here. I remember it was the same when I was in Sydney a long time back - would spend the weekend on the beach and be black on a Monday but would be pale by Friday!

I have seen lots of Aussies sunbathe here and some use oil and low factor stuff. Interestingly many use sunbeds also. Those that don't sunbake have admitted to using fake tan - like a couple of people at work yesterday - I was amazed.

But yes if lying in the sun is your thing it is still legal and I always feel better with a touch of a tan. Does beg the question though - why the hell do people come here if not for the climate and lifestyle????

Sue

Re: How much sunbathing do you all do??
 

I see quite a few sunbathers around here. They are usually pommy migrants. Some look like Egyptian mummies with skin like an old shammy leather.

Re: How much sunbathing do you all do??
 

I'm one who does like the sun though won't go out in anything less than factor 30+. Living in Australia is very different to your 2 weeks in the med though! I used to start off with factor 15 and after a couple of days be down to factor 8 (or less :ohmy: ) But because you get a lot more sun here you do become a lot more "sun aware".

Trying to fit in a part time job and looking after three children and getting all the chores done does not leave much time for sunbathing though! If it's nice on the weekend I'll maybe laze by the pool for a couple of hours watching the kids play but life is too busy to focus on sunbathing! We do so much outdoors anyway that you tan nicely without having the discomfort of getting hot and sweaty lying in the sun! Having said that, when we get the opportunity I am more than happy to while a way a few hours stretched out on the beach!

B

Re: How much sunbathing do you all do??
 

I see quite a few sunbathers around here. They are usually pommy migrants. Some look like Egyptian mummies with skin like an old shammy leather

MMMM! attractive;)
just like that woman out of the film "Something About Mary", where she uses sheets of aluminium to reflect the sun.
Can't say its a good look, but I know what you mean
bec:)

Re: How much sunbathing do you all do??
 

0% of my time is spent sunbathing. I'm a fair skinned, freckled, redhead so I avoid the sun. Morning routine consists of 3 minute shower due to water restrictions, dry off, slather on copious amounts of sunscreen, get dressed, go to work. When ever I go outside more sunscreen goes on my face and any other exposed skin.

Re: How much sunbathing do you all do??
 

Same here. We've been here just over four months and the only person I have seen sunbathing was a pommie who happened to be staying at the same motel as us. Just too bloomin hot to go out in the sun. Even when we've been down to Tannum Sands of a weekend there are people about usually having barbies or bodyboarding etc so have wetsuits on. No one just lounges about in the sun.

Mx:)

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When we were there on hols last year (January - QLD - Hot!) loads of people and nearly all the children on the beach wore "rashies" - the sunblock tshirts. They were brilliant - kids ready for the sun in about 5 mins as opposed to the usual 20 minutes rubbing in Factor 40 routine!

I was really surprised at the amount of fake tan in the shops, and loads of beauty salons advertising spray-on fake tan! :)

Re: How much sunbathing do you all do??
 

None. You get a nice colour just by going about your everyday business.

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No sunbathing for me ("sunbaking" seems to the local phrase) ... I seek shade where at all possible (especially parking the car ... the wife taught me that one quickly!).

The most sun I get in any one day is if I play cricket ... and that is MORE than enough sun ... slip, slap, slop ...

Re: How much sunbathing do you all do??
 

Yes we avoid the sun like the plague. Never sunbathe, too dangerous here, what with the high skin cancer risks and ozone layer.

I would like to have a good, long, youthful looking life thankyou.

Re: How much sunbathing do you all do??
 

:eek: Depends on how old you are and if your skins is a bit hardened.

Personally, I like the sun but I only sunbath a bit the rest of the tan is fake. I didnt let myself get suntanned when i was younger but once into my forties I stay in it a bit longer.

My eldest is very fair skinned and cant get a tan for love nor money, she doesnt even go red!! My two youngest are little ozzies from the elbows and knees down, once clothes off they look like lego people all white, and my 9 year old is very sun aware and uses skin cream every day after her bath! (Even my 17 year old is too lazy for that routine). I have noticed my skin soaks up any creams like a sponge, its well worth investing in good face creams . Seemingly Perth is not too good on the old skin as it drys it out, Brisbane is better keeps the skin moist (heard that from a beauty consultant)....

We in Perth do have the biggest ozone hole over us:eek: :eek:

Re: How much sunbathing do you all do??
 

Never sun bathe, find it incredibly boring to just lie there getting hot and sweaty (unless I'm having a little snooze) plus I don't like have to coat myself in suncream. I get a bit of sun on the way to the bus stop to work and back home again (about 2 mins of sun) and if I have my lunch outside a bit of sun then too. And that's enough to keep my skin from looking fluroscent white, so I'm happy.

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Absolutely none. It's just not worth the cancer risk. You can get burned quite easily here just by being outside so there's no way I'd deliberately lay out in it.

Re: How much sunbathing do you all do??
 

When out and about here in Aussie, you can generally spot visiting Poms and Northern Europeans a mile away. They are the ones sitting in the full sun, either whilst eating or just relaxing, Whilst most locals will deliberately seek out a shady area to sit in.

The sun here is not only a killer but ages one dreadfully.

Re: How much sunbathing do you all do??
 

I spot the British tourists on the lookout... they're the ones who are lobster red, wearing a strappy vest or in the case of the men, no top at all, and they're still not wearing sunblock or covering up from the frying they had the day before. <shudder>
It's absolutely hideous.

I don't sunbathe here. I didn't do it in the UK either.

There's a resurgence of teenagers sunbathing now without sun protection and they just don't care about the skin cancer. Sadly they're going to be the victims of the future.

If I'm in the sun, I have sunblock on, usually a long sleeve cotton or linen shirt over the top, plus a hat. If I wear a vest top, I usually put a very fine cotton shirt over the top too ... plus sunglasses.
Paranoia is the way to go imo. :)

When I first got here my sis asked me on the phone 'did I have a tan yet?' ... to which I answered 'What for?'
It's fairly pointless when you live here. Be different... stay pale. :D

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When we visit England next week I just know that the first question from a couple of different people will be along the lines of "so where's your tan?" :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

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I've got one, but it's from doing the day to day walking about that I do here. It's a 20 minute walk to my daughters school, then the same back. I do that twice a day.

I went to the beach last week and spent about an hour sunbathing, this week i'm peeling all over :( I don't get that from just the day to day stuff.

Holidays to Greece I'd sit in it all day, but I think when you live in the sun, sunbathing just isn't important. I'd rather sit in the shade rading or drinking beer ;)

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We used to get that every time we got back from holiday here. Well, duh! It's Winter! :rolleyes:

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I haven't subathed ONCE in 4 years. I just don't do it.

It's not my thing.

My brother thought we would all be brown. I did get a tan from backpacking gradually but it was quite subtle and was acquired slowly.

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I suspect that I've got slight 'colour' on my arms and face, but this is from walking the dog and running.... with hat etc. I am probably a lot browner than I ever have been, but won't know until I compare myself with my family. Certainly my arms are much darker than the lily whiteness of the rest of my skin.

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Indeed - everyone - look under your watch bands. I'm doing it now and can see I do have a bit of colour, infact. This is from mowing.

I admit to not using lotion for a quick mow, but I wear a long sleeve shirt and Akruba. Anything more than 20-30mins like a big chainsaw session then I use lotion.

Photos of my brothers' visit show my face the exact same colour as his.

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It's true, I don't sunbake but I have a lilly white patch where my watch goes. I reckon if I were to go to the UK tomorrow I'd look like Bob Monkhouse in comparison to the locals.

... or George Hamilton

http://wohba.com/blogimages/georgeh1.jpg

Re: How much sunbathing do you all do??
 

Rather different for me. I use the local tanning salon for measured doses of sun to tan with and then use 30+ nuclear protection sunscreen when out and about and would never consider actually sunbathing. The sun is simply too strong.

For any in the UK please remember that the sun in Australia is incredibly strong even when compared to the week in Spain hols etc.

Australia may not be number one in everything but it is No 1 in the skin cancer incidences world wide......

Slip slap slop.

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The sun here isn't the dapply gentle kind you get in the U.K...it is fiercer and you can feel it drilling into your skin within minutes. Sunbaking is frowned apon and thought of as foolish.....slip, slap, slop is the motto. Suntan lotion is sunscreen/block and eye cancer something I'd never even knew existed. The sun is the reason you don't see too many people out and about, and just as restricting as a freezing wet day. Alot of Australians have sun damaged skin....sagging jowls and patchy pigmentation...Think of the 'Wiggles' weird complections and you'll get the idea....I was shocked at how many skin cancer clinics there were. Instead of an umbrella and a cardigan 'just in case' you'll find you'll be taking sunnies, hat, a bottle of water and sunblock instead.

Jan

Re: How much sunbathing do you all do??
 

You do acquire a nice ambient tan just from day to day activities. I have got a sort of colour from being here a year. But like everyone else here is saying, skin cancer is rife! Thee is no way I am going to "sunbathe" This particularly hit home recently whilst visiting a dermatologist for another skin problem, and saw the horrific skin disfiguration some people have, even if they haven't actually got cancer. Got talking to one nice old guy, who looked in his 70's and turned out to be only in his late 50's, younger than me, and his right arm was a mess. This was due to years of truck driving with his arm on the window. I saw several people coming out with dressings on their noses, and the markings on the rest of their faces was awful. Not always older people either.
Yes one of the many reasons for coming out here was the climate, but appreciate that it can make life so enjoyable in many ways without cooking yourself to death.

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We've been here just over 4 months and my 5 year old has got it sussed.He sais "Dad I'm going in the shadows"
One of my mates daughter was at the beach all day and didnt re apply the slop after swimming..Or wear shades.Her eyes were burnt..I mean the whites of her eyes.The next day she looked like she had gone 3 rounds with Mike Tyson..You gotta be carefull .

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Eye cancer ?

Neither did I.

I wear glasses, so can't wear sunglasses. This may be a worry !

Re: How much sunbathing do you all do??
 

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Re: How much sunbathing do you all do??
 

No sunbathing for me. I'm fairly pale skinned and I find it boring and then I start getting too hot and irritated. If I'm going out in the sun has to be at least 30 factor sun cream, and hat. I love the heat but not the sun, can't even sit in it for too long, a nice big umbrella or a shady spot for me. I wish parasols were still in fashion:D they'd be just the thing for me:D

Dolly:)

Re: How much sunbathing do you all do??
 

Many opticians advertise two pairs of specs for the price of one, so spectacle-wearers usually take prescription sunglasses as their 2nd pair.
The Cancer Foundation also sell sun glasses. These are wide enough and deep enough to go over most spectacles. They're shaped so the the sun doesn't get in over the top or down the sides; they're not trendy, but they're the safest glasses on the market.

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Duly noted.

Thank you.

Re: How much sunbathing do you all do??
 

When we spent our 6 months in Perth we didn't sunbathe - both hubby and I are very pale and covered ourselves in factor 30+ whenever we went out. Also I have lots of moles which I have to be careful of.

There were a few times when bits of skin got missed - Mr. MP missed a patch on his shoulder about the size of a 50p and he blistered horribly. He still has a scar and this was after just 20 minutes of sun. And one time we drove down to Margaret River and I had my arm out of the car window - it wasn't even really sunny but I was very pink when we got there! After a few weeks further north in WA (Kalbarri) I actually found myself with a bit of a tan but it looked a bit strange, being a redhead.

My teenage cousins have grown up in Perth - one is pale and freckly and the other is olive skinned. Both wear sunscreen ALL the time yet they still have a light tan because they do so much sport outdoors. Neither of them sunbathe. My friend (also a born and bred aussie) is the palest person you will ever see. Her skin is so white it's almost translucent. She looks so beautiful (and ten years younger than her age of 29) because she never lets the sun blink on her.

Pale and interesting - that's the way to go.

Re: How much sunbathing do you all do??
 

I do love lying in the sun but only really on holiday as thats what its for but from april onwards i will get used to not jumping in the garden at the first sign of hot sunny weather.
In england its the only thing thats bad for you that you can do freely with out getting taxed on eg smoking , drinking , driving , even eating now , so i wonder how many poeple worry about skin cancer and still smoke 20 a day i bet there are a few.

oh well il still enjoy the sun in oz and id wouldnt swap it for manchesters grey depressing sky ever

Re: How much sunbathing do you all do??
 

Both cataracts and macular degeneration, not to mention solar retinal burns are all linked to some degree to UV exposure. It is vitally important in this climate to wear 100%UV blocking sunglasses to help prevent these conditions. Cataracts can be safely removed and the vast majority of us will end up with them in our lifetimes anyway, but macular degeneration and retinal damage are permanent. My children and I do not ever go out without UV protection on our eyes as well as our skin. Any sunglasses sold in Australia have to meet the 100% protection guidelines, so whether you pay $10 or $1000 for a pair they will protect you the same. Your best bet is the largest ones you can get that protect your entire eye area and if you can find them, the ones with the side shields are best.

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It had never occurred to me that eyes can be at risk, so I'm glad this has been brought up and advice offered.

If we ever get to Aus I shall invest in some suitable sunglasses to go over my glasses.

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Untinted, yes I said untinted, hi density plastic lenses offer plenty of protection from UV rays. I've been wearing bins all my life, and have had plenty of chats with optomotrists about this subject, especially as I worked outside for the first 16 years I was here. Sunglasses would have prevented me from reading meters effectively. Check with your optometrist when you get here.