SPF For a Tan in Mexico?

I have to use SPF 50.
Even in Virginia, I go from white to red to peeling.
I tan very slightly and it's just not worth it.
I have a friend of mine who LOVES sun.
She spends much time swimming, snorkeling and sailing.
She's not much older than I am - just a few years - but she LOOKS 20 years older.
The wrinkles are awful.
I don't want to look like I'm 85 before my time.

Whether you burn or not is NOT an indicator of whether or not you'll get skin cancer down the road.

You'll need a minimum SPF of 35 that will cover both UVA and UVB rays. You can go up to 70 SPF, and although it only covers a few percentage points more, the coverage is higher. I wouldn't worry so much about your tan but about protecting yourself from skin cancer and moles.

Just don't do it!
A tan is damage to your skin.
Any kind of damage can cause skin cancer.

Wow. That is the sentiment of a young person. I remember (long ago) when I did the same. I regret it now. (Of course, I have the excuse that when I was a kid sunscreens only went to like SPF 8, many folks still used baby oil, and having a deep tan was chic. Those were the days!)

Seriously, you need to use sunscreen. Always. After you turn 40, you will not regret it one bit. Remember the NJ Tanning mom? Nuff said.

As regards SPF in Mexico. It probably doesn't matter. It needs to be reapplied every 2 hours either way. You'll be sweating it off.

Have fun!

Actually, you do burn underneath the top layer. You just don't show the effects of burn on the top. You say "shame on me" but you still want to tan? Which is it? SPF is made, so that you are protected from sun damage. (A tan, is sun damage.) If you want a tan, then you can't wear SPF. In 10 years, you will wish you didn't, anyway.

Don't delude yourself, Molly, a tan damages your skin whether you see it now or not until later, and the damage accumulates with each tan. A suntan is the result of injury to the epidermis, the top layer of your skin, it's your body's way of blocking out the U/V rays to prevent further injury to the skin, but the protection only goes so far. Even for people who "tan" and can tolerate longer periods of sun exposure without "burning," the sun can still cause skin damage. Melanoma is on the rise and is directly linked to sun exposure. Choose from the myriad of bronzers available that you apply to your skin to look tanned, most of them also benefit your skin by moisturizing it as well.

I use nothing less than SPF 50 on me and the kids, used SPF 70 for a pool party this past Sunday and still got some color.

You need to protect your skin if you want to play with your grandkids. Ouch! I know that's cold but its fact. I too have skin that tans without giving the appearance of burning but that doesn't mean I don't wear sunscreen. Living in Florida, I wear sunscreen almost all year around. My go to is SunSport SPF 35 by VaniCream. I wear it if I am going to be in the sun all day long. Not only do I not burn, I still feel like I get some tan...and...the most important thing is that it doesn't have any parabens in it. I read a study released last March of breast cancer tissues that were studied in England and 99% of those tissues had parabens in them. If the scare of skin cancer doesn't get you..maybe the scare of breast cancer will.

I would stick with SPF 30 or higher and reapply every two hours. Even if you think a tan looks neat now - wait thirty years and your sun damaged skin is not so pretty anymore... and UV damage is something that not even plastic surgery can remedy.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-57446898-10391704/...

If you got no tan with spf 30 in Michigan, you will get tan in Cancun. I do fine with spf 30 in So Cal, but burnt with spf 50 in Cancun.

Good luck to you and yours.

We just returned from Mexico and I have very fair skin. I used spf 30 and made sure I reapplied alot! (Almost to the point where it seemed silly) I also rotated from a sun chair to a covered chair throughout the day. I tanned a bit each day without burning.
I DO wear a sun hat to protect my face. Bigger the better:) Have fun!

For me, I live in AZ so the sun and heat is pretty intense here. I typically don't use sunscreen either because like you I don't burn. If you plan on going to the beach in MX then I would definitely use an SPF 15. That way you are still getting sun and have some protection. Maybe a 30 on your nose and those sensitive spots like forehead, ears, ect. Whatever you do avoid oil, even if you feel like it will increase your tan and it has SPF in it, it will dry you out and make your tan peel if you are in the sun for a long amount of time. These are my opinions and my experiences anyhow. HAVE FUN!

Since you will be closer to the equator and the sun is stronger I would use at least a SPF 50 for the first day or two then switch to a lower one. You don't want to burn and be unhappy. I see people here in Florida that under estimate the strength of the sun and get very burned, especially this time of year.

In Mexico, I use spf 6 or 8 oil. I use the same in WY, MI CA, Hi and South Africa. On my face, I use 15 lotion. (I'm not "young" nor do I look old- good genes?)

I would suggest a 10 or 15. You want some protection but if you are not prone to burn then you don't need heavy.

if you want to preserve the tan use 15 or 30, and just reapply every two hours.