I just got my first one...and i don't want to get burnt. So what sunscreen do you use? I tan very well but im now exposing skin that has never seen sunshine before.

You're HOW old...and this is your first one...hmmmm....

All kidding aside, what strength do you use now? You might want to go up 2 levels for the "virgin" skin. If you typically use a 2 then use a 6 for the other parts.

Myself, I just use glittery mineral oil! Never burned "virgin skin" once!

I wear WaterBabies SPF 45. I needed a strong SPF that I could wear at work and not smell like coconuts or the beach or something, so I went to the store and smelled them all. WaterBabies was the least offensive, I think, and it comes in a spray, not just a goopy cream.
Good luck tanning that whiteness! Now, could you just get my husband out in the sun, please? Pale is one thing, pasty... well...

im going back to my one piece my bellys burnt and peeling!

HA HA Georgia..did not..I was already burnt some when i asked so there! but then it started peeling which means MY sunscreen didnt work very good at all.

If you were already burnt, the sunscreen isn't going to change that. All it can do is protect you from getting more burnt.
Sunscreen does not protect you from the sun unless you 1) put it on early enough, 2) put on enough of it, 3) reapply often enough.
So when we get burned, it's our own fault.
What is peeling on you is the original burn, which you should have taken care of before going out in the sun again. I am sure the sunscreen worked fine on the skin that wasn't yet damaged, so long as you used it properly, but if you went out in the sun without any sunscreen before asking us, of course you got burnt. If you were burnt before, the sunscreen can't help that.
Use Noxema and an aloe-based lotion to ease the burn and stop the peel. Then when you are ready to try the sun again, apply sunscreen at least fifteen minutes before going to lie out. Reapply often. If you use the sunscreen correctly, you shouldn't have a problem.

LOL@Elexina...you have such a nice way of wording things!
Gotta put sunnscreen on at least 1/2 an hour BEFORE going outside. And then re-apply it after getting into pool or ocean or sweating profusely.

Did you read the directions, Sammy?

I always do the same thing every year, ever since I was a kid. I burn the first time I'm out in the sun...it peels, then all I do is tan after that. I don't like laying out for the sake of getting a tan, I spent most of my time swimming...but I'll lay out to get my stomach and legs tanned since all that is sticking out of the water is my face and shoulders

pup - Just a warning, that once a year burn probaby does more to increase your risk of skin cancer than all the rest of the sun you get for the rest of the summer.

[This message was edited by methos5000 on 07-25-03 at 11:59 PM.]

methos is absolutely right: melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, is clearly more frequent in people who allow themselves to burn. And it only takes a couple of times in your lifetime. Sorry to say, but there's tons of evidence that tanning (let alone burning) increases risk of skin cancer; and that those who look all brown and toasty when young will have thin and ugly skin when old. Best advice: enjoy the sunny days and great bikinis, but forget the tan. Use a sweat-proof sunscreen and have as your goal that you DON'T tan. One of the best (recommended by my dermatologist friends): Banana Boat.

Thanks Sid once again for some great advice and hey Mthos your pretty smart too!