How to get a Tan in the Sun and without the Sun?

A tan highlights your natural’s assets like eyes teeth and hair cover up the defects-imperfect skin and those excess pounds look much better brown and it offsets clothes and make-up. Let’s know how to get a tan in the sun and without the sun.

Whether artificially or naturally acquired a tan makes both men and women more attractive and more confident. It actually improved your health as the mechanism which develops a tan provides a good source of Vitamin D essential for the normal development of teeth and bones.

A tan can dry greasy skin and tighten pores, giving a clear complexion to those who suffer from spots and pimple. There are bad side effects of tanning but almost all are due to excessive exposure and subsequent burning.

Understanding what tanning is all about and the precautions which should be taking to prevent burning will help you get the maximum benefit from exposure to the sun.

Table of Contents

What is tan?

A tan is the body’s very own sunscreen. When ultraviolet rays hit the skin they trigger off the release of a brown pigment called melanin which is contained in the skin and protects the deeper layer of tissue and cells from the potentially damaging elements in solar rays.

Skin hair and eye color are all influenced by the amount of melanin in an individual’s body cells and tissues. If parents have fair skin it’s likely their children will have too, and the same goes for dark-skinned parents fair-skinned people may never brown naturally, just turn lobster-red and burn.

The sparse distribution of melanin in the fair skin, unfortunately, offers little protection against the sun’s burning rays; on the other hand dirked skinned sun-worshippers can go a glorious deep brown with no burning because of a greater concentration of melanin throughout their skin.

All tans have a limit and once the maximum is reached the skin won’t get any browner although it’s still necessary to sunbathe to keep the tan at its peak. Contrary to popular belief a tan doesn’t fade; in fact, the pigmented cells flake off as your skin slowly renews it as it does all the time.

How to get a Tan (Safe sunbathing)

For a painless, problem-free, and beautiful tan, bear the following safety checks in mind:

Always wear sunscreen in oil or lotion form, making sure it’s the right screening strength to protect your type of skin. All sunscreens now available hole sun protection Factors (SPF) in numbers which are quite simple to follow.

For example, a fair-skinned person who can only it in the sun for 20 minutes before burning can stay twice that time with a sunscreen with an SPF of 2; an SPF of 3 allows them 6 minutes, and so on. Use a high SPF when starting a tan and move down to a lower one once you’ve acquired a good base tan. Darker-skinned people who tan easily can begin with a low SPF.

Re-apply the sunscreen regularly, as perspiration or swimming can wash it off unless it’s a water-resistant product.

Pay special attention to thin-skinned areas of the body which are more prone to burns. These include the forehead, shins, ankles, feet, nose, and shoulders. If you have sensitive skin use a higher SPF sunscreen on these parts than you need to use on the rest of the body.

Always use a special lip protection stick containing sun-screen-lips that can get dry and cracked, leading to sores and blisters.

Avoid sunbathing from 11 am to 2 pm when the sun is at its highest and strongest. If you’re burning, head for the shade straight away and cover up with a loose wrap-over. Bear in mind that loosely woven sun umbrellas or canopies let a lot of the sun’s rays through.

Extra caution is needed when near reflecting surfaces like the sea, snow, or white powdery beaches. Also, the higher you are, the stronger the sun, so be extra generous with the sunscreen and take cover-up clothing when spending time in the hills or mountains.

Apply sunscreen whenever it’s hot, even if it’s cloudy or hazy, as the sun’s rays can burn through some types of cloud cover.

Treating sunburn

Never forget that the sun is the skin’s most powerful enemy; it dehydrates it, taking away its natural moisturizers, and over-exposure, even for short periods, can result in serious burns and scars for life.

Skin that’s slightly tender at the end of the day is showing the first signs of an urn and it’s imperative to take special care.

A burnt skin won’t go the after-sun and body lotion in the world won’t go brown, it will just blister and eventually peel. All the after-sun and body lotion in the world won’t stop peeling once it’s begun.

If you do burn, treat the skin to a good commercial burn treatment preparation-remember to pack one before you go on holiday, just in case.

If the skin is very sore, stay out of the sun completely for a few days, take short, cool baths, pat yourself dry and apply a soothing burn treatment, avoiding anything which may dry the skin like calamine lotion.

Wear loose, natural materials next to the skin so it can breathe and is not irritated by restricted clothing. If the burns are severe, seek medical attention immediately.

The danger in the sun

Certain chemicals can cause unpleasant reactions under the sun for a minority. The birth control pill may produce excess melanin, causing blotches which take a long time to go away, or even remain permanently. If these appear it’s best to stay out of the sun and preferably consult a doctor as well.

Some people are allergic to chemicals found in soft drinks, artificial sweeteners, perfumes, and cosmetics which, in conjunction with the tanning effect of the sun cause itching, soreness, blotches, or rashes. Other sources of the substances occur naturally and these include food like parsnips carrots celery, figs, and parsley.

The real danger from sun exposure is for those who live in very hot sunny climates all the time, not those who just pack their sunbathing into a two-week holiday break.

The ultraviolet light in the sunshine can prematurely age skin giving it a leathery look and mimicking faces deeply lined. The skin loses its elasticity and wrinkles start to form especially around the eyes and mouth.

Skin cancer is definitely more prevented in very hot sunny countries but specialists now believe many other factors besides the sun are involved. However, anyone who develops an unusual rash or reaction after being in the sun should seek medical advice as soon as possible.

Tanning without the sun

For most people, the problem is not too much sun but too little. Sunbeds and sunlamps, whether at home or in a beauty salon, health clinic, or solarium are now tremendously popular but guard against misuse as their long-term effects on the skin have not yet been determined.

It’s best to restrict sessions to the times a tan is most needed so you won’t look lily-white your first day on the beach or boost a fading holiday tan. Sunlight contains three kinds of invisible ultraviolet light and modern fast-tanning equipment mainly uses only one-UVA.

The UVB rays the sunburn spectrum which penetrates just below the skin’s surface and also causes burns are mostly not used and the very harmful UVC rays are entirely absent.

However, this means that extremely large amounts of UVA or a little UVB must be used and many short sessions are necessary for bronze rather than pink shade.

Care must be taken not to burn; fair-skinned people may only be able to take 10-15 minutes on a powerful sunbed. Skin sensitivity should be regularly checked by an expert if you are tanning in a center or instructions closely followed if using a machine ion your home. If you buy or rent a sunbed at home to avoid accidents make sure it is a reliable make, sold by a reputable dealer.

Although sunbed tanning avoids bikinis lines goggles despite the marks they leave should always be used as the UVA rays can burn the eyes. It’s also vital to wash off all cosmetics and lotions as the skin covered by these preparations will otherwise tan unevenly and can burn badly in subsequent sessions.

Many common drugs react badly under sun-bed including the pill, certain antibiotics, tranquilizers, anti-depressants, pills to bring down blood pressure, and even some over-the-counter medicines.

With proper precautions and used in moderation fast tanning systems and the sun’s rays can make almost everyone look healthier and more attractive.

The cost of a tan depends on where you get it indoors outdoors or abroad but all that’s essential is the time and patience to sit or lie in the sun.

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