Pale Complexion

LegacyUser

Hi,

I am a guy and have a pretty pale complexion, I feel fine this morning and someone asked me if i was sick because i look ill, i think that was the last straw. What can i do to improve this?

Black Swan

Get a little sun more often (but not too much)?

Talliesin

Of course, then what is he going to do about the people that like pale skin and don't like tanned?

LegacyUser

'would any vitamins help?

Seeing as it is january and the sun isnt really making an appearance i dont see that as an option right now but thanks anyway.'

Nickibaby*

Sunbeds would give you a colour. But really if your feeling healthy who really cares if someone says you look pale. When the summer months come in try going out in the sun more.

Dragan

Believe it or not, eat carrots. They contains Beta-carotene which can add a bit more colour to your complexion without needing to hit the beds.

Dudess

Or, as Talliesin was saying in his own unique way , why not learn to love yourself for what you are? No, that isn't schmaltzy or unrealistic. It's the best thing you can do. Sure, waste your money and risk getting skin cancer, but if your complexion is as pale as you say it is, then it's unlikely you have much melanin (the pigment that helps us to go brown) in your skin, and you'll probably just end up with a face the colour of a lobster.
Other option: foundation or fake tan. Yep, the orange face/white neck look is SO attractive (doubt you'd really consider that anyway).

Similar situation for me. I remember being asked the very same thing at work - was I ill since I looked so pale. Bet you, like most of us, are exhausted in the morning. That in itself causes paleness. Add the lack of exposure to light at this time of year, plus the cold weather - again, something that causes people to go pale. And, I presume you're Irish? The Celtic complexion has never been known for its similarity to that of the Hawaiian one.

There was a time when I used to get bothered by my paleness. Not any more. I actually celebrate it now. One of the obsessions of our superficial culture is tanned skin. I've got jet-black straight hair and pale skin. When I was 16 I longed to have curly blonde hair and brown skin. But now I'm grateful for my looks. I look at burlesque performers like Dita Von Teese (who is actually a blonde) and love their glamour and feel chuffed that I share some of their physical traits. Now that may not be much good to you, but the point I'm making is that you should celebrate your looks. So what if you're not tanned? Isn't it great that you can go against the grain of what's boringly considered sexy for guys in all the Now, Closer and Heat-type magazines of this world. You may not see it now, but you will, and you should keep on telling yourself that.

LegacyUser

Sunny D is good too for the tanned look, and pumpkin. Although don't go overboard, your skin will look mad orange if you drink or eat too much of the stuff.
Blusher and bronzer powders also work wonders, but it's up to you if you want to go down that road!!

InFront

Oh my goodness dark people want paler skin, pale skinned people want darker skin... there's just no pleasing us all!
I know that some women of Asian descent take hydroquinone to block melanin hormone, and thus make their skin lighter. Melanin is the reason that people have dark skin... so can one take melanin hormone? It would probably affect other things like sleep and reproductive activity. I dunno... I don't know if such a drug exists tbh.

OP how much does this complexion worry/ frustrate you on a scale of 1 to 10?

challengemaster

hah.. i look as white as a ghost.. doesnt bother me tbh. im me, end of story.

i think talliesin hit the nail on the head here.

Glowing

The key is not to attempt anything too complicated, like fake tannning, but just make sure you wear the right colors. Black, and anything too bright or garish can make you look even more washed out. Keep to browns, beiges, blues and neutral colors etc and it might help ...

Victor

Glowing wrote:

Keep to browns, beiges, blues and neutral colors etc and it might help ...

Oh NOES !!! WH4T H4V3 VV3 B33N r3DUC3D 2!!!

Catari Jaguar

No sun beds!! Dangerous! Try Johnson's Holiday Skin mosturiser, builds up gradually and lightly. Or an exfoliating scrub to get rid of dead skin cells and make your skin glow...

Or maybe ignore it cos it's Ireland and also, winter??

spinandscribble

i find pale guys sexy and im no goth...
then again im quite pale but have some colour in my cheeks. girls at least can use blush.

its tricky for guys. dont use clothes who's colours bring out the paleness

BackwardRussia

If you like curry it contains a spice called turmeric which is good for your skin. You can take it on its own too, very popular in india (and look at their skin!) aint just the sun!

o1s1n

I was in hospital on a regular basis over the last couple of years and was constantly being asked "are you always this pale?" in a very concerned manner by all members of staff.. the fact that they were mostly Fhilipina and tanned didnt help! Doctors would keep asking me was i anemic, taking blood to see if I was, and then realizing I wasnt all along. As you could probably imagine, this got very annoying..not to mention painful:D

My iron levels are a little under average. Whether it is this that makes me pale, I haven't a clue. I've just learned to love it though. Couldn't imagine myself being tanned.

the_syco

Some people will be death pale for all their lives. Some break out in freckles. Knew someone called Colin who used to be white as a sheet. Don't worry about it, tbh.

Wear black clothes, listen to heavy metal, and you'll be ignored:cool::D

kittenkiller

So one person asked if you were ill, so what!?
There's nothing wrong with a pale complexion, don't stress about it.
Try amending your diet as advised above if you feel that you could be healthier, but otherwise just relax about it, I'm sure no one else has even noticed.

ErinGoBrath

EDIT: Double post

ErinGoBrath

o1s1n wrote:

I was in hospital on a regular basis over the last couple of years and was constantly being asked "are you always this pale?" in a very concerned manner by all members of staff.. the fact that they were mostly Fhilipina and tanned didnt help! Doctors would keep asking me was i anemic, taking blood to see if I was, and then realizing I wasnt all along. As you could probably imagine, this got very annoying..not to mention painful:D

My iron levels are a little under average. Whether it is this that makes me pale, I haven't a clue. I've just learned to love it though. Couldn't imagine myself being tanned.

I've always been transparantly pale and get comments from loads of people for looking ill but I don't mind.

Got blood tests last week for an unrealated matter and the doctor called me in today to tell me I was Anemic!

Iron level is at 10.9 and it should be somewhere between 13.5 and 18.0!

mateo

Do you exercise much?

I find my skin is palest when I don't do exercise or don't get much air. I also wear the tiniest bit of bronzer. It just adds a bit of colour but nothing drastic and it looks natural