# Poll: You have fair skin. Do you (usually) use sunscreen on your face? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 17, 2005, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-you-have-fair-skin-do-you-usually-use-sunscreen-on-your-face/317394 "2005-08-17T04:59:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Pixisis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@Pixisis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixisis)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-you-have-fair-skin-do-you-usually-use-sunscreen-on-your-face/317394/21 "2005-08-17T07:47:06Z")
also quite pale. i use a moisterizer with sunscreen everyday, and wear a hat on sunny days. if i’m going to be in the sun for more than 15 minutes or so, i use SPF 45. female ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-you-have-fair-skin-do-you-usually-use-sunscreen-on-your-face/317394/22 "2005-08-17T07:58:51Z")
Female, pale. I tend to forget about applying sunscreen to my face. If I remember, it’s the nose I mainly protect. I aways wear a hat,and if I’m not an idiot (like I was last summer) I’ll apply sunscreen on my arms and around my neck and top part of my shouders. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-you-have-fair-skin-do-you-usually-use-sunscreen-on-your-face/317394/23 "2005-08-17T08:07:44Z")
Pale male (“I don’t tan, I stroke” - Woody Allen). I put sunscreen on if I plan to be in the sun for any length of time. If it’s just a matter of hopping in the metro and heading downtown, though, no. ---
**Author:** ![Caprese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9a28c/32.png) [@Caprese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caprese)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-you-have-fair-skin-do-you-usually-use-sunscreen-on-your-face/317394/24 "2005-08-17T10:29:20Z")
Female, fair-skinned, already have a couple of the aforementioned brown splotches because I am 50, and for the last ten years or so I put on fairly expensive sunscreen-moisturizer every single morning. I _should_ wear a hat (lots of people do here in sunny Colorado) but I am just not a hat person. ---
**Author:** ![velvetjones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5f9b8f/32.png) [@velvetjones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velvetjones)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-you-have-fair-skin-do-you-usually-use-sunscreen-on-your-face/317394/25 "2005-08-17T11:45:50Z")
I’m a 44 year old, fair skinned woman, living in Central Florida. I wear makeup with spf 15 every day. If I’m actually going to venture out into the hot Florida sun (perish the thought) I wear spf 50 a huge hat and sunglasses. My skin will start to turn pink in about 10 minutes without protection. Really, I just about never go out in the sun if I can help it. Mostly because it’s just beastly hot. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-you-have-fair-skin-do-you-usually-use-sunscreen-on-your-face/317394/26 "2005-08-17T12:24:18Z")
Female, moisturizer with sunscreen every day. Honestly though, it’s more about the moisturizer. These days, I feel like you’d have to go out of your way to buy moisturizer without sunscreen. If for some bizarre reason, they stopped making moisturizer with sunscreen, I’d put on plain moisturizer and try to remember to wear a hat or something. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-you-have-fair-skin-do-you-usually-use-sunscreen-on-your-face/317394/27 "2005-08-17T12:24:42Z")
I can tolerate sunlight touching any part of my body except my face. I also live in brutally hot, bright Florida, so I put sunscreen on my face every day, although I have no intention of going outside. In the last few years, I’ve begun to replace the word “sun” in my vocabulary with the word “cancer”, as in, “I can’t mow the lawn right now; the cancer’s out.” It’s not so much that I actually fear cancer; I’ve always hated the sun. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-you-have-fair-skin-do-you-usually-use-sunscreen-on-your-face/317394/28 "2005-08-17T12:31:30Z")
Sunscreen on arms, neck and face every day. Have been for at least 8 years. Female. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-you-have-fair-skin-do-you-usually-use-sunscreen-on-your-face/317394/29 "2005-08-17T12:38:28Z")
Male redhead; I put on sunscreen if I’m going hiking or swimming somewhere where there’s not much shade. It’s not the smartest idea (i.e., not using it all the time), but I don’t like how it smells or feels, and so I risk the cancer. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-you-have-fair-skin-do-you-usually-use-sunscreen-on-your-face/317394/30 "2005-08-17T12:41:51Z")
Male, sunscreen and or hat. Most often sunglasses as well. It’s very sunny here, most of the time. I don’t bother if it’s late enough in the afternoon / evening or during the couple of weeks of winter, unless I’m on the water for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-you-have-fair-skin-do-you-usually-use-sunscreen-on-your-face/317394/31 "2005-08-17T12:48:16Z")
> [@1920s Style "Death Ray"](#): > > Male and pale. I don’t use sunscreen unless I’m expecting to be unprotected for several hours. > > The exposed parts of my body are generally tanned because I spend a small amount of time in the sun, often. That’s more or less my deal, too. Male, pale. I don’t use sunscreen in my daily life, but if I’m going to be outside for two or so hours I’ll use it. ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-you-have-fair-skin-do-you-usually-use-sunscreen-on-your-face/317394/32 "2005-08-17T13:37:23Z")
a. I use SPF 30 every single day, winter, summer, rain, snow, on my face and neck. (So many people forget the neck - then when they’re 50 they have a nice wrinkle-free face and a big ol’ crepe-y turkey neck. Yecchh.) b. Female. ---
**Author:** ![Aangelica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Aangelica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aangelica)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-you-have-fair-skin-do-you-usually-use-sunscreen-on-your-face/317394/33 "2005-08-17T13:53:04Z")
Female. Blindingly pale. When I’m going to be outside for more than 10 minutes, I have SPF 45 that I’m religious about using. However, I generally plan my life so as not to be in the Evil Sun Of Death for more than 10 minutes at a stretch. If I must, then lotion with sunscreen is my choice du jour. Almost all sunscreen makes me feel nasty and greasy though, so I try to avoid it. Not a hardship for me - I’m not fond of the sun generally. ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-you-have-fair-skin-do-you-usually-use-sunscreen-on-your-face/317394/34 "2005-08-17T14:01:01Z")
I’m female, and so white I’m reflective. Most days I’m wearing makeup with an SPF 15 sunscreen in it. If I’m not wearing makeup and I expect to be outside for a long time, I go with SPF 45. I’m always most concerned about my forehead, for some reason. I usually avoid the sun as much as possible, though. I got made fun of just this week for never using my car’s sunroof. Because I don’t want a square patch of sunburn on the corner of my forehead–go figure. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![yBeayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e274bd/32.png) [@yBeayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yBeayf)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-you-have-fair-skin-do-you-usually-use-sunscreen-on-your-face/317394/35 "2005-08-17T14:03:52Z")
a. I avoid the sun as much as possible, and haven’t worn sunscreen in years. I detest the smell of it, and so avoid using it unless I know I’m going to be in the sun with no protection for an extended period, which is very rarely. b. I am male. ---
**Author:** ![ErinPuff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dbc845/32.png) [@ErinPuff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ErinPuff)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-you-have-fair-skin-do-you-usually-use-sunscreen-on-your-face/317394/36 "2005-08-17T15:02:00Z")
I’m female, 19, and practically translucent. I’m not usually outside for more than a few minutes at a time, but if I am I use sunscreen. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-you-have-fair-skin-do-you-usually-use-sunscreen-on-your-face/317394/37 "2005-08-17T15:59:37Z")
> [@Tracy Lord](#): > > Female, and if I’m going _outside_, I put on sunscreen. If I’m going to be driving in a car with the window open, I put on sunscreen. > > I used this great stuff that’s SPF 50, non-greasy, and comes in a stick so I can toss it into my purse easily and reapply it throughout the day. I may be a little paranoid, but I BURN. What sunblock is this? I’m whiter than white and a sunblock whore, so I’m always on the lookout for new ones to try. Most sunblocks leave me feeling nastily greasy since we have no a/c at home, and perhaps I put too much on because it will start to rub off (where if I rub, say, my cheek, I’ll get rolled-blobs of sunblock), but I guess it’s better safe than sorry. ---
**Author:** ![mlerose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@mlerose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlerose)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-you-have-fair-skin-do-you-usually-use-sunscreen-on-your-face/317394/38 "2005-08-17T16:07:04Z")
Female, olive skin that tans rather than burns, but I’d rather not get sun damage, so I wear SPF 15 on my face/neck/chest (in a moisturizer) every day and SPF 30 on everything if I’m going to be in the sun for longer than the 20 minutes a day it takes me to walk to and from work. Plus, I wear a 4-inch brim hat every time I’m outside, even though it doesn’t match any clothing I own. Living in Denver so close to the sun, I get really paranoid about skin damage. Oily, young-looking skin runs in my family, and I’d rather help that effect along than neglect the sunscreen and get wrinkles early. ---
**Author:** ![Corii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Corii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corii)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-you-have-fair-skin-do-you-usually-use-sunscreen-on-your-face/317394/39 "2005-08-17T16:15:47Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > For polling purposes I’d like to know: > > a. If you usually use sunscreen on your face during the sunniest months where you live. > b. Your gender a. No, unless I am outside for more than an hour at a time b. Female My skin is very pale, I tend to burn then fade to freckles and a slight tan. ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-you-have-fair-skin-do-you-usually-use-sunscreen-on-your-face/317394/40 "2005-08-17T16:25:45Z")
Female, redhead, extremely fair skinned. I started wearing a sunscreen/moisterizer everyday and I’ve noticed a big difference in my skin. I also try to always put on heavy duty sunscreen if I’m out during the day for any length of time. But I am out almost every evening after about 6:30pm and I don’t bother to reapply even tho’ the sun’s still up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-you-have-fair-skin-do-you-usually-use-sunscreen-on-your-face/317394.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-you-have-fair-skin-do-you-usually-use-sunscreen-on-your-face/317394.md?page=3)