Quote Originally Posted by iowagrad View Post
I'm a blue-eyed redhead, which basically means that I burn just thinking about the sun's glorious rays. If I'm going to be in the sun for more than an hour, I use SPF 50 or greater (less than an hour, and I can usually not burn with SPF 30, depending on the time of day). I love REI brand sunscreen, but it's a bit pricey, especially considering that I simply cannot go in there without coming out with about 32 things that weren't on my list. It's not super greasy, and it's pretty good at staying on. Otherwise, I use good old Coppertone Sport and reapply every 60-90 minutes, depending on sunniness, sweatiness, etc. I usually wipe down with a wet wipe before reapplying - allows the sunscreen to get into the skin, rather than sit on top of a layer of grime. At the end of the day, I'm still slightly pink, but it fades overnight, and I'm ready for the next day of riding with a few extra freckles.
Thanks for the cute testimonial. I have your hair, but my eyes are green. I'm able to tan but I got too much sun while I was young (beach, parents' pool, taught swimming outdoors for a whole summer ...) that I try to avoid it altogether now. I just want to be out as long as I want without having to run for cover and since I haven't sun-bathed for years, my legs and arms are white. I had my first skin cancer (basal cell) removed last year, so I have to be very careful now.

And, this goes for anyone -- not just redheads! Fortunately, they're no longer picking on redheads as the group most at risk for skin cancer. Now, they usually say "freckles and blue eyes", which can be any hair color. Fair-skinned is fair-skinned..... also having red hair doesn't raise the risk any higher.