Pale Skin Issues

Man, I look freaking pale. Like, ghostly. How do I get rid of this washed-out look on my face, my arms... basically everywhere?

How do I fix this?

1) Getting active

2) Spending less time glued to my computer screen

3) ?...

Seriously, hit me with some advice.
😉

It might be vitiligo—I think that's what they call the condition? There are actually treatments available for it.

That’s got nothing to do with vitiligo; if he actually had that, he’d already know. We're talking about patches of skin losing pigment here, not just having a pale complexion.

If you've already ruled out anemia as the reason for being so pale, maybe try getting moving a bit more? Honestly, even just basic activity can help. Also, maybe try to catch a little more sunlight to get some color, though I know we're told staying out of the sun is healthier these days. You could even hit up a tanning salon two or three times if you don't have any issues with moles or skin spots—there's really no shame in it.

I'm pretty pale myself, but I've just accepted that this is as much color as I'm ever going to get. Plus, I'm allergic to the sun, so there's really nothing I can do...🙂

Casey Palmer5 said:I've got pretty pale skin too, but honestly, I've just made my peace with it at this point.

Being pale isn't always a bad thing for women... especially if you're rocking jet-black hair... 🙂

Edward Price73 said:It might be vitiligo—I think that’s what they call it? There are treatments out there.

Seriously, are you competing for "Dumbest Comment of the Month" or something?

I don't think this is your first time dropping a total bombshell on the Health subreddit. 🙄

I'm pale too, and honestly, I've just made my peace with it. In the winter, I'll dab on a little blush—nothing crazy, just enough to look alive—but during the summer, I don't bother.

Plus, I've noticed I actually feel a bit better when I spend some time out in the sun.

Ryan Cooper90 said:I look way too pale. How do I fix this on my face, arms... basically my whole body?

How can I get rid of this look?

1) Exercise

2) Spend less time sitting at the computer

3) ?...

Give me some advice.
😉

Clearly you already know the answers. 😁

If I were making a list, number three would be:

Hit the tanning bed for 15 minutes once a week during winter.
I know plenty of people here hate tanning beds, but doing it in such small doses isn't just safe—it actually helps because you're getting extra light exposure, which boosts your mood.

👍 thanks for all the replies (..and yeah, thanks for pointing out my vitiligo 😁 )

The thing is, I’m not usually this pale, but lately I've just been looking like a ghost—mostly because I barely leave the house anymore. Between being super sedentary and spending way too much time glued to my computer or just rotting in bed...

Betty Hill82 said:It's pretty obvious you know your stuff. 😁

I’d go with option three:

A quick 15-minute tanning bed session once a week during the winter.
I know a lot of people here are against tanning beds, but at that frequency, it isn't just harmless—it actually helps. You get that extra hit of light, which really does wonders for your mood.

You can definitely get enough light without hitting the tanning salon.

Take those lamps that mimic "daylight" (not the neon kind, obviously). I find those much easier to get through the winter with.

Yellowish light—which I didn't even realize was yellow until I started using one of these—absolutely kills my vibe, and I can't stand dark spaces.

Though, if you're a guy, maybe go for the tanning bed... it might just add some character to those wrinkles. 😉

Sure, he can get that kind of glow, but it’s not going to make him any less pale than her.

In my case, those 15 minutes aren't enough to do anything about wrinkles anyway. Plus, it’s a total time-saver—you get the tan and you get your coloring done at once. 🙂

Honestly, I already knew some people would jump in to lecture me about tanning beds. Whatever.

Everyone knows what works for them.😉

I had to. Honestly, I see it every single day—women who look absolutely fried, like they’ve aged twenty years overnight because of the sun. We're talking 50-year-olds looking like they've been through a desert storm 🙄

I happen to be one of the lucky ones who hasn't succumbed to the trend. But every so often, someone feels the need to offer their "soul-searching" advice regarding my pale complexion 😁

It’s especially hilarious when it comes from someone who looks like they have actual sunburns—not a tan, mind you, just a bright red face—and they’re already prepping to hit the tanning salon later that day 🙂

Don't get me wrong, I used to hit the tanning beds myself. I really did. But once I saw what it was doing to my skin—plus reading the horror stories from the girls over on Reddit 😉—it kind of shook me up. Thanks for the heads-up, ladies
.
If anyone is actually bothered by being pale, one easy fix is self-tanning cream. Some salons will even apply it for you professionally, though there are those "spray booth" places where they just mist you down with color
.
Personally, if I just apply one light layer, I don't look fake or orange; I just look like I spent a nice afternoon outside—you know, that healthy, fresh glow
..

Ryan Cooper90 said:👍 thanks for the replies (..and for pointing out my vitiligo 😁 )

The thing is, I’m not usually this pale—but lately? Not so much. Between barely leaving the house and spending way too much time glued to my PC... yeah, it shows.

Try hitting the sack by midnight for five nights straight—you might actually see some change.

Absolutely NO way, God forbid, NOOOOOO!!!!!

Artificial dye is incredibly obvious, and on a man, it’s just particularly cringeworthy.

Don't turn yourself into a walking caricature.

Casey Palmer5 said:I'm super pale too, but I guess I've just accepted it. Plus, I'm actually allergic to the sun, so there's really nothing I can do about it! 🙂

Count me in for that group too! Morticia Addams. 👍

Seriously, you guys are delusional..... 😁

Look, just compare someone tanning for 15 minutes a week to those people who are absolutely fried from sun damage.....

What kind of "careful planning" are you even talking about? You’re all bringing up examples of some brainless people who turned brick-red because they can't live without their tanning beds.....Have you actually ever met someone who tans for only 15 minutes a week? Probably, but you clearly didn't realize what was happening.

😁

I remember back when Tiana was writing columns about fifteen years ago, mentioning how her weekly routine included a twenty-minute session at the tanning salon.

If you ask me, she still looks absolutely stunning today.🙂

placidjackal97 said:I'm talking about those daylight lamps—not the cheap neon stuff. They actually help me adjust way better.

What kind of lamps are we talking about?😕

I am never, ever using a tanning bed.
Look, there are plenty of high-end foundations and concealers out there to hide a pale complexion.
Tanning beds just wreck your skin in the long run, and honestly, I’ve yet to meet anyone who actually looks good or natural from it—like, you can't even be 100 feet away without someone squinting at you like, "Whoa, what happened to your face?!!"👋

Is there any way to just turn off the face light or maybe cover it up with something?

I’m thinking about heading out for two or three tanning sessions sometime before May. I have my 5th anniversary high school reunion coming up 😁 and I really want to look my best 😁

Casey Palmer5 said:Is there actually a way to turn off the face lamp, or should I just try to cover up with something?

I’m thinking about hitting a tanning salon maybe 2 or 3 times before May... I've got my 5th high school reunion coming up 😁 and I really want to look decent 😁

Every single tanning bed I've ever used has an option to switch off the facial light.
And honestly, if you're pale, you're probably gonna need way more than just 2 or 3 sessions.

I'm honestly terrified of breaking out in an allergic reaction from the tanning beds again. Last year was such a nightmare... I'm just so done with having to go three separate times just to get a "normal" tan. I might end up going more often, but I'll stick to ten-minute sessions with plenty of time in between. Maybe start with just five minutes for the first round...