Able To Tan

[2old4]

I have never been able to tan. I mean, I would be out swimming, canoeing, whatever, and have not had the need to wear sunscreen because I don't burn or tan.

In the last several weeks, I have been painting my house & swimming alot on the weekends. I am darker than I have ever been (doesn't take much) and I'm shocked.

A friend of mine suggested that is because I am now absorbing the vitamins and minerals I had been lacking and there is a connection between skin pigment and the vitamin B's. Anyone know if this is true?

[misskris]

VERY interesting. I would like to hear if anyone has any info about this too.

[Guest marshlakemom]

When I was a kid, right up until I was around 21, I could tan very easily and quite dark. But around that time I started showing vitilego patches on my skin, and of course those patches won't tan. I now probably have vitilego over 50% of my body, and only tan where I still have pigmentation. All this as a result of Celiac Disease. I'm not freaky looking with it because I can cover my arms with 3/4 length sleeves in the summer, and my face and neck lost pigmentation over a period of a winter, so don't have to worry about blotchy vitilego patches. I just have to be careful with the sun, as I burn extremely easily. Good thing I live live in the North where we are lucky to get 75' in the summer, but I do have to be careful out on the boat.

I understand it is quite common for people with celiac disease to end up with Vitilego.

[Misa]

The last couple of weeks we've finally had some sun and this is the first summer in ten years that I have enjoyed without feeling intense burning from the sun rays (never went red or brown though, just pain). Didn't cross my mind until you posted. Don't know if I've tanned, as I've been using fake tanning lotion all along

If you do a net search on vitiligo and celiac disease you'll see these can be connected. Found some info on the B's:

How pigment is made

Various vitamins, minerals and enzymes are needed. If an ingredient or the body cannot make it, then the finished product, melanin (pigement in the body that colors skin and hair) cannot be made.

Pantothenic acid, folic acid and B12 are the B vitamins used in melanin synthesis. About 21% of vitiligo (loss of skin pigmentation) patients are deficient in folic acid. Supplementation can improve repigmentation.

Misa

[cgilsing]

Wow, I never even thought about that....I've seen pictures of myself as a kid with a deep dark tan and suddenly as a teenager I was totally incabable of tanning...I've just embraced my white skin and don't even try. I tried going to a tanning bed before my wedding and ended up with a burn so bad I couldn't even open my eyes after just 7 minutes. I've been gluten free for a year and now you have me wondering if maybe I should wander into the light without spf 50 on!

[Lauren M]

Interesting and while I haven't experienced the same exact phenomenon, I do swear that around the time I went gluten-free, my hair got curly! Everyone laughs at me when I say that, but I really think there is a correlation!

- Lauren

[mytummyhurts]

I don't mean to be a party pooper, but remember tanning is bad! We talk about how we are scared we are going to get an increased risk of cancer by eating gluten, but melanoma (a form of skin cancer) is one of the deadliest cancers, killing more women between 25-30 than breast cancer. So please, if you are concerned about your health, don't tan! Wear sunscreen when you are outside and just because it's cloudy doesn't mean there aren't UV rays. Let's embrace paleness together.

[uclangel422]

Wow this topic is really fascinating. I will have to keep an eye out for this.

I know that my hair started growing again and got silkier when i went gluten-free. Maybe your hair and skin show a lot about your health just like the other topic about nails.

[2old4]

Thanks for your replies, this is very interesting.

Not that it's good for me, but about 10 years ago, in my early twenties I attempted to tan in a tanning bed. I went alot, I think about 25 times. I barely changed color, so I just gave up. I've never really tried over the years, I'm still not, I was just out doing some painting and Voila "what is this?" Oh, it's a tan!

I too also noticed right away that my nails were growing faster. I think I'm becoming "normal" in some ways, ha, ha!