# Do You Find Tans Attractive **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 26, 2011, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241 "2011-05-26T02:36:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2011, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/81 "2011-05-28T17:06:10Z")
I voted other because I’m pretty neutral on the issue. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/82 "2011-05-30T01:53:02Z")
Tanning is a process that turns skin into leather. Tanning is bad for the skin. It will wrinkle you and do skin damage. It can also cause cancer. \ What is to like about tanning? It looks like dirty skin. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/83 "2011-05-30T01:57:39Z")
I like a light tan. I hate pasty white, as well as deeply tanned. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky\_the\_Wonder\_Spirit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Sparky\_the\_Wonder\_Spirit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky_the_Wonder_Spirit)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/84 "2011-05-30T02:46:45Z")
If I could tan ‘lightly’, I sure would. Unfortunately my skin just will not agree, so I remain pasty, glow-in-the-dark, ghost-like, and invisible. My other option is skin cancer, so I guess I have to put up with it. (Fake tanner looks exactly like what it is: fake.) ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/85 "2011-05-30T02:48:34Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I’m with the rest of you, except I’m also a fan of tan lines. I’m _not_ a fan of tan lines. But it’s not a major no-no or anything; I just like to see the same colour all over. Which is ironic, since I have somewhat of a farmer’s tan on my pasty Anglo bod from working outside these past few weeks. Mind you, it’s been mostly cloudy so there’s not a _huge_ tan involved. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/86 "2011-05-30T02:51:24Z")
> [@the lone cashew](#): > > Some guys love freckles. I am one of them. Me too. I find freckles insanely hot. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/87 "2011-05-30T03:09:51Z")
I sport a subtle one year-round. It’s not [that](http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?op=1&view=global&subj=42111580&pid=1577485&id=1040389272) dark in the winter. I’m a pro at applying that shit and I’ve never been called out on it. Five minutes, tops. Maybe eight if I plan on getting naked later. I think I look awful pale. ☹ But I’m also terrified of skin cancer and have slathered on SPF 45 since I was a wee one. ---
**Author:** ![nashiitashii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7c8e57/32.png) [@nashiitashii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nashiitashii)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/88 "2011-05-30T19:48:28Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Moderation is they key. There’s nothing scarier than Oompa-Loompa colored people. > > ETA: That is, people the color of Oompa-Loompas, not colored midgets. I agree. I don’t care if one is tan or untanned, but leave the orange factor out. I can’t do fake tanner without looking like a giant Oompa-Lompa, so I go pale. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/89 "2011-05-30T20:44:55Z")
> [@Cunctator](#): > > When I see a strong tan, all I immediately think is ‘melanoma’… > > And the fake, orange ones just look ridiculous. People who tan easily are much less likely to get melanoma than pale people who get sunburned after five minutes of sun. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/90 "2011-05-30T20:47:15Z")
> [@CitizenPained](#): > > I sport a subtle one year-round. It’s not [that](http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?op=1&view=global&subj=42111580&pid=1577485&id=1040389272) dark in the winter. Your picture is presumably only viewable by people who are FB friends with you. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_Doubt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7cd45c/32.png) [@Angel\_of\_Doubt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_Doubt)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/91 "2011-05-30T20:54:44Z")
> [@Sparky\_the\_Wonder\_Spirit](#): > > If I could tan ‘lightly’, I sure would. Unfortunately my skin just will not agree, so I remain pasty, glow-in-the-dark, ghost-like, and invisible. > > My other option is skin cancer, so I guess I have to put up with it. (Fake tanner looks exactly like what it is: fake.) A good solution for you, like me, would be an airbrush tan. You can have it applied however heavily you like and when it is dry, apply sunscreen over it. In my experience, no one has ever taken it to be a “fake” tan. No oranginess at all. Thank goodness they weren’t around when I was younger or I would’ve spent a fortune on them. For a few weeks and a few dollars in the summer it shuts up my sun-worshipping sister 😛 Now if we could get the rest of the family to stop baking themselves…no matter how much we warn them…there’s already been skin cancer in the family, but it doesn’t make any difference. What does it take? ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/92 "2011-05-30T21:01:51Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > People actually give you grief about the natural color of your skin? What a world of assholes. It goes the other way, too. I’ve posted pictures on this board of me with my natural skin color and people say I look like Snooki, have a spray tan, am orange, etc. You can’t win. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/93 "2011-05-30T21:41:31Z")
Yes, for a nice sun-kissed look. It looks healthy and it helps that the people then are often happier, having spent a while out in the sun having fun. No for the leathery tans. I look a hell of a lot better with a tan. I know this because of the number of people who’ve commented on it. The number of people who compliment me on my looks or just say ‘you look so healthy!’ when I have a light tan is far too large for it to be coincidence. I am actually planning to do two or three sunbed sessions before going to LA this summer because such slow tanning is actually somewhat healthier than burning to a crisp all of a sudden, and it’s just not going to be possible for me to completely avoid the sun and still do all the things I want to do. ---
**Author:** ![sjc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@sjc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sjc)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/94 "2011-05-30T21:45:34Z")
In my opinion people who are healthy, happy, and active tend to look good. Whether they are tanned or not doesn’t really matter. Fake tans or too much UV exposure tans look awful, but so does skin that’s sickly pale. Incidentally I am not saying that pale skin looks sickly, but that the pale sallow look of some unhealthy people looks sickly and unattractive. I find pale skin super hot. I also find darker skin super hot. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_Doubt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7cd45c/32.png) [@Angel\_of\_Doubt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_Doubt)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241/95 "2011-05-30T22:00:49Z")
Possible stereotypes? Natural or prefers deep tan = Shallow, partier, doesn’t care about health, unprofessional Naturally pale = unathletic, nerdy, socially awkward, literal basement-dweller ETA: from the general population, not necessarily this board [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-find-tans-attractive/583241.md?page=4)