I learned a few things growing up pale. Life as a pale girl is hard, and you must make adjustments that your tan friends will never understand. Being pale has become something that you have just embraced because you are so used to it. Here are a few struggles that every pale person understands:

Make up: It is extremely hard to find a foundation that matches your skin tone. Normally you have to get something in ivory or porcelain. Sometimes even the lightest shade is too dark for you.

Sunscreen: When you go out in the sun you have to use the highest SPF sunscreen that you can find. SPF 100 is your best friend. Even with the highest SPF, you still have to reapply it every 30 minutes. You spend more time applying sunscreen than you do enjoying the outdoors. It seems no matter what you do, you still get burnt despite the SPF 100 sunscreen, shade from an umbrella, and a shirt covering your shoulders. Aloe becomes a necessity since it is the only thing that provides some sort of relief. Not to mention the intense peeling after the sunburn.

Your face turns red no matter what physical activity you do: You could be doing a hard core work out or you could be climbing the stairs to your office building, but no matter what, you end up with a red face. People always look at you weird, as if it isn't okay for your face to be blood red after climbing the stairs. It's alright, we know they're just jealous they can't get the same red glow.

People always think you are sick: It doesn’t matter if you feel like a million bucks, there is always that one person that asks you if you are feeling okay. Yes, I am always this pale. I can’t help it. Then, when you actually are sick, people don’t even realize it, because you are just a little bit more pale than normal.

Clothing: It is extremely hard to find clothes that don’t wash out your skin. When you wear white it nearly blends in with your skin. When you wear black it is almost too dark for your skin tone. Pale colors don’t do your skin justice. You have to pick colors that go well with your pale skin.

Flash is not your friend: When taking pictures whether it’s at night or in a dark room, the flash is not your friend. The flash makes you look ghostly white, making it hard to even see yourself.

Every pale person has these struggles. It is something that we have struggled with our whole lives. Being pale isn’t a bad thing, I love my pale skin. Yes, I wish that I could have tan skin, and I wish that I could get color when I go on vacation, but I wouldn’t trade my skin for anything else. It makes me unique, and it allows me to be who I am.