Pale Skin - Is it really that bad?

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  • Jain
    Jain Posts: 861 Member
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    I always say that I'm pale & interesting.

    I'm a redhead with Norwegian blood. I don't tan, I burn, peel and go back to being pale. I'm just glad I can get factor 50 sunblock easily nowadays, back when I was little my Mum had to get it from the Dr's. And yes I am that old.:laugh:

    And all the sun dodging has had an extra plus. I'm going on 50 and people tell me I look 10 years younger.:bigsmile:
  • shaynak112
    shaynak112 Posts: 751 Member
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    Ohmygosh - so glad there are people to relate to!
    I have a Scottish background. Reddish blonde (strawberry blonde) hair. It's not the bright red VERY Scottish looking, just slightly. Lots of freckles!
    I burn if I spend two seconds in the sun. So I avoid the sun!! I also think that if I went to a tanning salon, I'd still end up bright red. So many summers, after the beach, I'd be bright red all over and in so much pain and peeling for the next two weeks. *sigh*

    Honestly, I wouldn't mind being more tan, but I think that's just because of what society tells us we "should" be like, you know?

    But it is good that I avoid the sun (or at least wear sunscreen) ... I have a smaller risk of having cancer than the people who tan and stuff.

    Sometimes I don't like being pale but for the most part - ehh it looks good on me! So why not!! :)
  • Scandinavia
    Scandinavia Posts: 291 Member
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    I just tell people I don't want to die from melanoma by the age of 35 like my uncle, or have a chunk taken out of my nose like my grandma.

    Or, just tell people you're going way way old school, when pale skin was a sign of affluence since it showed that you didn't have to be outside doing manual labor!

    And honestly, intentionally tanning for anyone is not the best, even the naturally dark can still succumb to skin cancer.

    This is quite exactly what I say. I enjoy bringing up the fact that up until about the 1930s-1940s, pale skin was beautiful. People say that things that stick around longer always come back. How long has tanning been popular...? ;)
  • LunaPhaedra
    LunaPhaedra Posts: 71 Member
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    I've actually been on both sides of the debate here. I've always wanted to be darker so that I'd look more like my mom (she's middle eastern), but over the years I've come to enjoy having pale skin (it helps when you're a goth at heart and adore ELG styled clothes).

    Ironically, and sadly, I'm now the darkest I've ever been since I'm working full time at a garden centre; and now that I've seen how I look with darker skin, I really can't wait for winter so that it can fade out to it's original beauty again!!
  • Cait_Sidhe
    Cait_Sidhe Posts: 3,150 Member
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    I wouldn't tell someone from Hispanic or African, or even 'darker' places in Europe like Italy and Greece, to bleach their skin to get paler, so why tell me to tan?
    ^^^ I love this. I'm pale. Always have been. I like being pale. I'm proud of my skintone. It suits me. I'm russian/irish. I'd look really bad with a tan. In fact, I don't actually tan, I burn. I've avoided the sun all my life and I look much younger than I actually am. I have absolutely no desire to cook my skin like a turkey in the oven. Yeah, I've been goth for a long time and it's part of the aesthetic. Doesn't mean naturally pale isn't pretty though.
  • KuroNyankoSensei
    KuroNyankoSensei Posts: 288 Member
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    I wish my skin was even whiter ^^. A lot of Asians value milky white skin~
  • christine24t
    christine24t Posts: 6,063 Member
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    I used to really be depressed that I wasn't tan because all my friends were. And then I started nursing school and realized how horrible all the wrinkles you get from tanning look when you're older, not to mention the increased risk for skin cancer. I like a little color, but nothing too overboard. If I want to be tan for an event, I just go get a spray tan. But 99% of the time I couldn't care at all what color my skin is! Plus, I get a lot of compliments on how my skin looks :)
  • _runchick
    _runchick Posts: 22
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    I am a red-head Canadian with VERY strong Scottish, Irish and English backgrounds and am so pale it is dumb! I love my paleness and now into my 40's I get compliments all the time as to how young I look. If you are proud of the pale skin you have then do not question it. So drink water and do not tan to 'look' beautiful - I am sure you already are. :-) HUGE HUG :-)
  • VelociMama
    VelociMama Posts: 3,119 Member
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    I'm not pale. I'm highly reflective. *wink*

    I live in a very sunny tropical place, so I wear SPF 35 on my face every day and SPF 15 on my arms when I go out for any length of time. Skin cancer is much worse than being pale.
  • raccoon182
    raccoon182 Posts: 29
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    I've been pale my whole life and I've never found anything wrong or "weird" about it. I enjoy being pale at times because I just generally prefer whiter skin. I'm not sure but I hate getting comments about how I should "get a tan" or "bask in the sun."

    I dislike being outside because it's hard for me to see at times with my glasses and I hate being sweaty from just standing or sitting. I also prefer cold over warm, so that's a thing. :smile:
  • dreamingchild
    dreamingchild Posts: 208 Member
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    I would just like to throw this out there - I get a lot of hate for being pale. A /lot/ of people say "Oh, you look so pretty, but a tan would make you look amazing." No, it won't. I'm from Scottish and Norwegian blood, with red hair, and I like being pale. Stop telling me to tan. I wouldn't tell someone from Hispanic or African, or even 'darker' places in Europe like Italy and Greece, to bleach their skin to get paler, so why tell me to tan? I, personally, find pale skin beautiful on /me/. That doesn't mean I'm racist. It doesn't mean I don't find tanner skin ugly. I just don't think it looks the best on me.

    So please, those of you who make fun of people who are paler than normal, don't tell us we look 'unhealthy' or that we should 'get some sun' or, even in some cases, that we're 'ugly'. Just because it isn't the standard of beauty in most places in the Americas and Europe, doesn't mean that we are any less attractive than you are.

    Anyway, where do people of MFP fall on the spectrum? Do you think being pale truly is bad, or just different?

    Being a redhead i can relate. I've always thought i had creamy white skin and it was beautiful...until i met some people who thought i was way too light so i started trying to get tanner and ended up with blisters all over my FACE that would pop and ozze....how's that for pretty...yeah right. now i just am who i am.

    btw, glad to see so many scottish people on here. :)
  • kikilieb
    kikilieb Posts: 118 Member
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    I have very pale skin and... I actually think pale skin is beautiful!

    All my life people have told me that I need to get a tan. I never understood them... not that I don't like people with tans, I do think they are beautiful. But for myself, I'm happy with pale.

    When the whole vampire craze hit, I started telling people I'm a vampire. The best part about that is I usually have really cold hands, so I will give them an icy cold touch as I say it. I try to creep people when they're being stupid ^_^
  • DMZH78
    DMZH78 Posts: 42
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    I am a pale person and have done what I can to always protect and stay that way! I don't want a tan for numerous reasons. I had a mother in law that always tried to get me to go lay out in the sun or use a tanning salon to "get some color and get healthy" but the thing is that's not true, it's NOT healthy at all (yes 10-15 minutes of sun will give you the vitamin D that everyone needs, but that is all the amount of time you need), tanning is your skins way of trying to protect itself from the damage you are placing on it and where people got that it is a sign of health (or even healthy at all) is beyond me. Tanning leads to high risk of skin cancer & MANY other skin issues (premature aging, leather skin, etc.) and those are all things I don't fine beautiful (or youthful, or healthy, or what ever else they want to claim). I will leave tanning to those who want to do it and let them suffer any consequences that may come from it, as for me I LOVE MY PALE SKIN. For me someone that has pale skin (or their natural color that has not been enhanced in any way) is much more attractive.
  • shannyfro
    shannyfro Posts: 641
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    I'm not a red head but I am very pale with freckles. I also don't tan well even when I try...mostly burn and freckle lol. I embrace my pale flesh and don't mind blindin anyone with these bright white legs....my ex used to always tell me to tan, and I'd look better tan...well buddy...I'm white that's how God made me....so I say embrace your paleness. :D Besides people who are super tan look fake and usually a lot older than they really are. Pale don't fail! :)
    I think pale skin is beautiful and radiant! :) I have pale skin and I wouldn't have it any other way!
  • waronmyfat
    waronmyfat Posts: 322 Member
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    Nothing wrong with it :) sets you apart from everyone else you know what would Great having firey red hair that would look gorgeous on you
  • blonde71
    blonde71 Posts: 955 Member
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    I'm a blonde with fairly light skin considering I'm mostly Italian. I like being pale. I rarely tan and that's just fine with me. People tell me all the time that I should tan consistently but I do what I want.
  • AlexandraLynch
    AlexandraLynch Posts: 161
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    I am of polish/irish/scottish background, and carry the ginger gene. (I had a redheaded son.) My hair is deep walnut brown, and I am very pale with grey eyes.

    It works for me.
  • Jamiehawj
    Jamiehawj Posts: 10
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    i loove pale skin , i wish i was lighter <3
  • witchyme
    witchyme Posts: 97 Member
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    i have been pale skin all my life,, porcelain skin......Edward Cullen looks tan compared to me,,hahaha but in a way, i prefer to be pale than orange over cooked looking...hahaha

    I learned not to care anymore if i am white as ghost or tan ......

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