2. CALCULATE YOUR RISK FACTOR
Since your goal is to tan but not burn, you need to take a couple of minutes to figure out your sun risk factor. Your ego will love this test since it involves only you and your habits:
- The first thing you have to do is determine what kind of skin you have. If you're old enough to be reading this, chances are you've figured out by now whether your light or dark skinned. This is important since people with fair skin and light colored eyes have to take extra precautions not to get burned (most fair people can burn within 15 minutes… and that's not fair!). The darker you are the more exposure to the sun you can handle without getting burned.
- The next step is to figure out how close you live to the equator. Don't worry, you don't have to figure it out to the precise latitude and longitude - just know the rule of thumb that the closer you live to the equator, the more likely you are to get sunburned.
- It's a good idea to take care while vacationing at high altitudes. While the short term high at high altitudes may be appealing, UV radiation increases about 5% for every 1,000 feet above sea level you go.
- Once you know where you live and what you look like, the next step is to make a list of all the drugs you're taking (at least the legal ones). Most medications contain chemicals that cause the skin to be more reflective of UV rays. For example, antibiotics, antihistamines, oral contraceptives, tricyclic antidepressants and most acne medications will cause your skin to burn rather than tan. If you think some medication you are taking may fall into one of these categories, use a sunscreen with a higher SPF. It's the safe and prudent thing to do. George Bush would be proud.
