When it comes to protecting my skin from the sun, I am fastidious about using sunscreen, particularly because I live in Colorado at altitude (5,300 feet) and am that much closer to the sun all of the time.
This week I’m on a beach trip with family in Delaware where we’ve been hanging out on the sand all day, every day, playing in the waves, taking long walks, throwing Frisbees, and, for me, catching up on my reading. I have continued my rigid sunblock regimen, determined not to burn. But I’ve had one problem: my VERY white belly.
You see, I have already built up a decent “tan” base on my face, arms and legs from being outside running and hiking and biking this spring and summer. But during all of those activities, my belly has been protected by a workout top or bike jersey. I haven’t had to worry about it burning one bit.
Until this week.
During my pre-teen and teen years, I was always so self-conscious about having an un-even tan. My sister and I would slip into our teeniest bikinis, slather ourselves in baby oil sans any UPF and lie for hours on our back deck, even on the chilliest of sunny N.H. days, flipping this way and that, lying on one side then the other, shifting our lounge chair angles to make sure we were getting the sun’s full-on power and that we were tanning every exposed inch of our bodies.
But after reading article after article about skincare and the dangers of the sun and premature aging, I started to use sunblock with UPF protection. And I’ve been good about that ever since.
These days, the thought of just lying outside to get a tan doesn’t cross my mind. Too boring. I’d rather be out moving on my feet or on two wheels; getting that healthy glow of Vitamin D from the sun is a bonus. And I typically don’t make it to the beach more than once a year. I live in land-locked Colorado, so I rely on my D.C.-based sister and her family to plan their annual Dewey Beach, Del., trip and invite me, my husband, and our mom along.
As for my poor little white belly, I have been doing my best to protect it with the highest UPF sunblock possible as I am relishing in the opportunity to run around in a bikini on the beach. Day 1, my middle turned a soft pink. Day 2, the pink is turning a slight brown. Day 3, still cooking but not burning. By the time I get home after a week to Colorado, I may need to rethink my workout wear to keep my middle exposed more often.
Nah, probably not.
Learn to love that white belly. I grew up near the Pacific and cultivated a dark, all-over beach tan for decades. Now I live in Boulder, CO at 5300 feet and have had skin cancers removed three times. I now have learned to love wearing light weight long sleeve shirts in the summer and sun hats. My real surprise is learning that the parts of me covered by loose fabric stay cooler than any parts exposed more directly to the sun and hot air. SPF rated clothing works but so do plain cotton shirts. Cowboy shirts are some of my new favorites. Vented, packable cowboy hats are also great.