Being pale has long been a curse in the US, in the age of tanning beds, fake tans, and California babes. We look at redheads with pity; freckles are terrible bothers; skin whiter than it is dark is shameful; and tan lines should be nonexistent, or else. Once summer ends, you look around and find people whose tans have yet to fade, and somehow, they bring back that beautiful whiff of summer – reminders of the crickets chirping late at night, the long, warm, lazy afternoons by the pool, and that fantastic vacation you went on in July. But somehow, you never seem to tan – you always turn red as a ripe tomato and start to peel.
Well, according to ScienceDaily, that will change. Tans are caused by a pigment called melanin in your skin, which protects you from UV rays. New research has come out saying that, while scientists once thought that the reason some people burn is because they have no melanin, this has now been proven false. When isolated, melanin from pale skin was able to make as much of, if not more than, the pigment than that of olive skin. The only problem was that fair skin also seemed to make more of the chemical that causes sunburn.
The article says that there must be something else blocking pale-skinned people from getting tan, and that further research will attempt to make this clear. Next time you stare at your freckles in disgust, think that one day, your face may be tan as the rest of America’s. And in the mean time, always protect yourself from skin cancer – maybe pale skin will come back into fashion!
Incidentally, tanning is one way to risk life insurance cover. So, be sure to cover up.
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This article is kind of insulting to those of who are pale and see no problem with it.
I live in Minnesota, and it is perfectly acceptable to be pasty white here. I am, and so are most of my friends. Other than spray-on tans, isn’t any tan considered damage to the skin?
*Not* having skin cancer is way cooler than being tan.
I’m from California and I love being pale. In fact, I wish I were paler! I actually think pale skin looks better than tanned skin (or at least on me it does): healthier, more luminescent, and provides greater contrast against dark hair and your surroundings in general.
I’m pale and like the tan look a lot better on me (on those rare occasions when I do get tan). But I’m not willing to risk my health for it. I use lotions or spray on tans instead.
I never looked at redheads w/ pity other than when I saw them with a really bad sunburn. I actually think everyone looks most attractive with their natural pigment (for fair people, a bit of freckling is attractive and their often bright blue eyes brighten their look and harmonize with their bright skin tone; on olive skins, the pigment that harmonizes with the overall coloring looks nice). I was kind of annoyed that I got a tan on a beach vacation this month in spite of using 100 spf sun block, but I have to admit, I kind of like how it looks (I’ll hate it later when the wrinkles show up)…
I hate being tan because it signifies skin damage to me. I tan easily so I always wear long sleeves, long pants, and a wide-brimmed hat during the summer. All I’m missing are gloves!
Since I’m so sun-averse, I do wonder if I’m synthesizing enough vitamin D.
Kind of insulting? I agree!
I love being pale and would never change that! As for being in fashion, I had a feeling it was.
I think tans are ugly and the people who have them always look like they’re old leather suitcases.
I think that people that say “tans are ugly and the people who have them always look like they’re old leather suitcases” must be really really jealous of us lucky ones that tan easily, don’t burn, and look a lot better with some color on.
I’m pale, but don’t worry, no need for pity. I don’t need to look like the rest of America to feel good about myself or feel attractive. Insulting indeed.
Aren’t there any other pressing issues for our best and brightest to occupy their time with aside from the unfortunate plight of those of us cursed with the disease of being pale.
Shame on you! I read this article based on the title, expecting something entirely other than what I found.
I agree with ieatbugs, it is insulting! I don’t see being pale as a “problem.” God obviously wouldn’t of made my skin porcelain and not able to tan if he thought it was a problem or something negative. The idea that tan skin is better than other skin colors, is from the media brain washing people into thinking this. I hate the idea and I wish it would go away! There was a time when the opposite was true and fair skin was in fashion. Tanning is overrated, I wish more people who get over it and think outside the box. In fact, fair skin looks more youthful than tanned skin.
I heard a dermatologist once say on a talk show on tv, that fair skin actually is stronger than darker skin tones because we are not dark and resist being tanned. When I burn (which takes a lot to do so) I just get freckles or my skin will turn fair again, so my skin is really resistant to being “tanned.” Which when I thought about it, actually really made sense to me. If you burn or tan easily, your skin is not very resist to the sun, which makes sense.
The title of the article is misleading btw. It’s mainly dissing pale skin saying we have a problem and we need to be tan. Hogwash! I don’t need to be anything, especially something I wasn’t meant to be!
@heythere
I agree with you in that the title of this article is slightly misleading. When I first read “Pale Is The New Tan” I had the impression that Mid Brain was looking down on those with fair skin, however re-reading the post my point of view changed. I now believe Mid Brain is merely presenting the views of a major portion of today’s society, whether you and I agree with the belief is irrelevant. Let it be said that I do not believe what so ever that one skin tone is superior to any other.
As for your point regarding the “strength” of fair and dark skin. When UVR(Ultra Violet Radiation) interacts with your skin the melanocytes secrete melanin. It is this melanin that protects(to some degree) your skin from certain harmful effects of UVR. Because fair skin does not produce melanin at the same rate those with fair skin are more susceptible to skin related conditions such as skin cancer.
Skin is beautiful. It is the absolutist (bordering on racist) attitudes that are so ugly. So judgemental, sheesh. Skin. Is. Beautiful. All of it!
That said, I wish I could tan. I’d like the option. I get people all the time commenting ‘oh you are so pale’ and most of the time it isn’t with admiration, but pity. MidBrain is spot on with that. But I’m pale. I deal with it.
It’s a shame people can’t appreciate the diversity of humanity.
I used to be able to tan so dark as a kid, but after a few bad sunburns when I was in my late teens, I started avoiding the sun lke crazy. The result- I’m pale as a ghost, and can no longer tan easily (I’ll burn, peel, and be left with a tan. Not a healthy way to get colour!), but I love my skin! I find it makes my make-up and hair colour stand out more. How many times do my girlfriends get complemented on their tan by guys? Not as often as I get complemented on being pale. It’s usually women that like to snark on me, saying I should try tanning. To that I say pshaw, I’d rather look like a creamy classic beauty than a wrinkled leather husk when I’m older.
People need to read more carefully and relax a bit with midbrain’s post. There was nothing offensive and insulting in this post. Read between the lines and note the tone of the article.
Yes, the title is a bit off from what the post’s content is. Maybe it should have been “Pale should be the new tan” or something. Still, no need for everyone to get dramatic.
By the way, I’m pale because I chose to be (I can tan easily). I don’t mind the tanned look at all, I’m avoiding the sun purely for antiaging and melanoma prevention purposes.
why people so pist off with each article? Theres nothing wrong. I think they just to follow what this blog all about. If you cant say good things then better shut up! okay?
Yeah, I don’t think the intent was at all to insult anyone with fair skin. The phrase, “we look at redheads with pity” may have been worded awkwardly, but I read it as, “as a society, we have tended to overvalue tanned skin or those who can tan easily,” not “we–personally–feel this way.” I certainly don’t think this is the attitude of the author toward redheads. In decades past, there really was a greater emphasis on tanning and being tanned, and that was reflected even more than now in how models were depicted. That is what the commentary by the author is meant to refer to, IMO.
Wow, what is going on here?! First, this article is truly wrong – the writer should be charged with lying or providing false info. I promise, I am an esthetician-10 years. I wish I had a year of time to explain things.
But quickly, darker skin has protection because melanin also means thicker collegian and stronger elastic. This is what also causes keloids.
All skin melanin activates with the sun. Without the sun the diff between skin color is melanocyte activity – that is all. The paler your skin the slower your melanocytes. The darker you skin the faster. When you get a tan by the sun it energizes the melanocyte to speed up to the level of darker skinned people.
Levels of Vit-D creation has nothing to do with skin color, when you are tan quickly it simply means your melanocytes are ready to go. I can sit outside for twenty minutes and be three shades darker – people are always amazed – a natural tan with just a minutes.
Since there skin is always an issue, a question must be for those who love to tan so much, are they ready to deal with all that goes with darker skin? And I’m not talking about sun damage.
And dermatologists that said what the above writer was saying should be avoided; check if they actually past biology.
Nancy–Actually vitamin D is related to skin pigment; the less pigment you have, the easier it is for you to synthesize vitamin D when exposed to UV.
I agree with those of you who realize that this post was not intended to be insulting, but rather to reflect upon what society has determined to be “ideal.”
A few scientific bits of commentary: Sarah is correct when she says that vitamin D is easier for your body to synthesize if your skin has less pigment. Sunlight stimulates the final reaction in vitamin D formation, so it would follow that if you have more melanin (pigment) to block the sun’s rays, you will have less vitamin D production. This is manifest in many epidemiologic studies where African Americans consistently have higher levels of vitamin D deficiency than their lighter-skinned peers.
You only need approximately 5-10 minutes of direct sunlight on the arms and face each day to produce enough vitamin D for your body. You do not need 30 minutes or hours, as some tanning afficionados will argue. Conversely, too much sun is most certainly bad for the skin. The UVB rays from the sun accumulated over a lfetime cause basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, very common skin cancers. UVA rays acquired from the sun and tanning beds have been shown to cause photoaging, or premature wrinkles and fine lines. There is also growing evidence that UVA rays play a role in the genesis of melanoma, the deadliest common skin cancer.
Go to my new blog, http://www.skinnyonskincare.com to learn more about important skin care topics like sun safety, skin cancer, whether or not your favorite wrinkle creams REALLY work, and more!
SkinDoc
www. skinnyonskincare.com
I’m pale. So what?, having a pale complexion can be fashionable and is better than looking like a barbie doll. I mean don’t get me wrong a tan is nice, but I wouldn’t risk getting burned or getting cancer for it. I mean if you want a tann – Its your face and your funneral. Anne Hathway, Ashley Greene, Anna Popwell and Kristen Stewart – etc, have pale complexion’s and they are said to be hot and really pretty by not only people but by magazines too!. So there:)=).
So simple! It’s just that people with tan skin wanted to become pale and pale people wanted to tan their skin. Nothing is wrong about it. We are all trying here to become beautiful, and it’s a normal phenomenon as human! We just have to limit ourselves from those transformations because it does have its side effects as well.
Yea little insulting but thats okay. My entire family always tells me to get a tan bc I am too pale. I can’t help it if I am a very pale hispanic woman. I think it looks good against my dark hair. Tanning is unhealthy and overrated.
I think being pale isn’t bad at all. I mean I have a medium tan skin. Not to dark BC when. You get older you’ll wrinkle more from to much sun. Its better to have just a little bit of color instead of loooking like a fake leather car seat Haha. But people who are born with naturally dark skin is fine. But if your born fair DONT try to make your skin dark.. trust me. I used to be obsessed with spray tanning and tannning beds and it loooked sooo fake on me. Lol so I stoped and I think I look better natural with just a light “sun kiss” loook:) I wish someone would make an article saying good things about fair people for once… not always tan.