Why can't I tan?

Question

I just CAN'T get a tan. My friends are always teasing me about how white I am, and on that my best friend said today that particularly hurt was when we were joking around, but he seemed serious. I said "Jake, did the doctors drop you on your head when you were little", because he said somthing a little crazy, and immediately after i said "sorry man just joking." But then he said "did the doctors drop you in a bucket of bleach?" and never said anything like he was joking. That really hurt. And I spend lots of time outside, and can only have a tan for about 5 minutes it seems.

I really don't want to use fake tans. If anything, I want to get a REAL tan. Not, like, a dark tan, just not really pale.

Answer 1

Some people's skin colors are such that they CANNOT tan. Some will just freckle, and some will just burn, and some will do both. I know my son and daughter are like that, although my son, who just came back from his second tour in Iraq, did tan a bit, and his hair did naturally bleach out in the sun while being over there this past year, but he had to go through hell to get there. Mostly he freckles and burns. My daughter will definitely NOT TAN. That's okay too. Their skin will always appear younger than us fools whose skin will tan, and we go out and torture ourselves to "look better", and risk all kinds of health problems. God Bless you. He already gave you great skin!

Answer 2

Your tan comes from moisture, the more moisture you skin has the better tan you will get. Also healthy skin tans faster and clean skin always tans faster. Try a great moisturizer from a tanning salon to use after the shower and before bed. If it is from a salon you know it will be good for your tan.

When you tan make sure you do not burn, if you are hard to tan make sure you are not overexposing your self for to long. The reason is when you burn you have to start the tanning process all over again. You may want to stop by a professional salon so they can tell you exactly what you need.
When you get a lotion make sure the ingredient's don't read petroleum or mineral oil any thing like baby oil will cause you not to keep a tan afterword, I know it sounds silly but if you think about it baby oil & those other products were actually made for babies TO KEEP MOISTURE OUT and your tan comes from moisture.

Answer 3

You have naturally fair skin. As do I! For the past couple years i've been teased and called "Ghostly" looking. It hurt at first but then i got over it. This is you, and they should just accept it. I don't recommend trying to tan. I just recently gave a speech in class about tanning beds and believe me, they aren't so harmless sounding after you do a little research. My point is, fair skin can be beautiful. Wearing the right colors can accent it, like greys. They look great.

Answer 4

you get a tan when cells in your epithelium called melanocytes produce melanin. They do so when stimulated by UV light. Why? to protect your pasty skin from getting cancer!!! Although everyone in the entire world has the same amount of melanocytes on their skin, some produce more melanin than others! That's why some people have a toasty glow after 2 hours in the sun. No matter how much you radiate your skin with UV there is only soo much melanin your cells can pump out! The only thing you're doing is increasing your changes of getting skin cancer. If you're pasty you'll turn another shade of red and that's it. No matter how much lotion you put on it dude!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 5

i have a hard time tanning too. use good ol'e kerry lotion 30 min before you apply tannong lotion use a 4. then literally lay out for hour an a half. do this until you have a light tan, then tan everyday w/ kerry and the spf4. it took me 1 out of 24 summers to learn this. dry skin wont tan! even though it doesnt seem dry.

Answer 6

You don't have enough melanin in your skin to produce a "tanned" appearance (see below). You are just burning yourself when you expose yourself to the sun. You should avoid the sun and use artificial tanners - either drug store products or more pricey spray on tanners, for the tanned look. Protect your skin from the sun at all costs.

Definition of Melanin

Melanin: A skin pigment (substance that gives the skin its color). Dark-skinned people have more melanin than light- skinned people. Melanin also acts as a sunscreen and protects the skin from ultraviolet light.
Melanin is produced by cells called melanocytes. It provides some protection again skin damage from the sun, and the melanocytes increase their production of melanin in response to sun exposure. Freckles, which occur in people of all races, are small, concentrated areas of increased melanin production."
according to http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=4340

Answer 7

I am the same way. I suggest using the fake tans, like spray on tans or lotions tans. I have the lotion kind and it works really well, it looks like real too, one of my teachers even asked if i went to hawaii over the summer. All you have to do is apply it on every day or so as needed, and it will gradually make your skin darker.

Answer 8

Here are some taning info which would help you:

How To Tan Safely
http://tanning-guide.blogspot.com/2006/09/how-to-tan-safely.html

Answer 9

your skin might not be able to tan properly. so i suggest trying a lotion. try from the products 'haseline or johnsons.' ignore them, and a real best friends should not have teased you that bad. and try not to tan for hours as it will increase your chance of skin cancer,.

Answer 10

bassplayer,
whoever you are, you are beautiful the way you are. i amthe same way, though im not usually made fun of, but i don't think you should try any of that fake crap. God made you the way you are, and you shouldn't try to use lotion or tanning beds, because they aren't healthy. besides, i kind of like guys with pale skin. it brings out their usaully enormous eyes. so don't worry what Jake says about you. if he acts that rude, maybe you just shouldn't hang out with him!