Skin tanning gives you an even tone and helps to hide blemishes. There are several tanning options available to help you acquire a fast and safe tan. Some say that spending hours under the sun is healthy and will help the body produce vitamin D. Others prefer using a self-tanning lotion or a spray tan to prevent skin cancer. You will also find others who prefer to use tanning beds to get their skin to glow in minutes. In this write-up, we will discuss the various tanning alternatives and some tips on how to tan faster and safely.
What are the Benefits of Tanning?
Although most people argue that the risks outweigh the benefits, tanning has many benefits. First, skin tanning will help boost mood and reduce depression. It will also help people with seasonal affective disorder, especially sun tanning. Improving body image and energy is another benefit you will get from tanning. Studies have shown that over 80% of younger adults feel that tanning helps improve their appearance.
Using the sun tanning method ensures your vitamin D levels will be elevated, which reduces the chances of getting diseases like blood pressure, stroke, and diabetes. Though some say that tanning can cause skin cancers, it can also reduce the chances of other cancers like colon cancer, Hodgkin lymphoma, ovarian cancer and pancreatic cancer. In addition, tanning will improve and treat skin conditions like psoriasis and vitiligo.
Now that we understand the various benefits of Skin tanning, we will look at the different methods that you could use to tan faster and safely.
How to Tan Faster and Safely
You understand your skin better, and this write-up will help you settle for a tanning method that will help you achieve a tan within a short period. Also, you will be able to get a method that will have minimum side effects
1. Sun Tanning
Sun tanning is one of the methods you could use to tan your skin faster. This procedure is one of the most traditional methods that give the skin a dark tone. However, the sun's rays could also be very dangerous, making this method risk if you have not protected your skin properly. The best bit is that you could protect your skin from harmful rays and still utilize the sun rays to get the best tanning results.
To get a tan quickly and avoid prolonged exposure, you could follow the following tips:
- Use sunscreens with broad-spectrum UV protection of not less than 30 SPF rating. The SPF will help block UVA and UVB rays. However, the best bit is that the low SPF is not strong enough to limit the tanning process. Therefore, it is best to apply sunscreen or tanning oil with sun protection.
- To avoid tanning on one part of the body, it is wise to change positions frequently.
- Also, if you are using the sun tanning method, it is advisable to consume foods that contain beta carotene and lycopene-rich foods.
- It could also help if you use oils with naturally occurring SPF properties. For example, you could go for oils like coconut oil, carrot oil, baby oil, olive oil, and avocado oil, giving enough hydration and still offering sun protection.
- It would help if you did not stay outside for very long hours. Normally you should go for 2 to 3 hours.
- The tanning time you choose is also very important. For example, if you are looking to get tan pretty fast, you could choose to tan between noon and 3 pm since the sun is strongest at this time. Although you should know that this is the period you are more likely to be exposed to more harm.
- Preparing your skin before heading out is essential and will help the tanning last longer. For example, you could try exfoliating before tanning, and you could also use an aloe-based moisturizer to help the tanning last longer.
2. Self-Tanning
The second method we will look at is the self-tanning technique. This is the ideal option if you want instant tanning at the comfort of your home. First, however, you must fully understand the self-tanners to know if it suits you best. Most self-tanners work perfectly since they are made using DHA as an active ingredient that reacts with dead skin cells on your skin, creating a dark pigment.
To ensure that the self-tanning goes smoothly for you, here are some tips you could follow:
- Choose your tanning product perfectly. There are many types of self-tanners that you could choose from. You can choose either self-tanning lotions, creams, foams, gels, spray tans or oils, but you need to understand your skin well to know what product you should use.
- When using or applying self-tanning products like lotion, you need to use gloves to prevent your hands from tanning. Also, when you have applied the self-tanner products to your natural skin tone, you will need to apply a little amount on your hands to help them match with the rest of the body.
- Ensure that you get an even spread f the self-tanner. You can use circular motions to apply the product all over your skin to avoid spots. First, you will need to focus on hard to reach. The best part is tha tanning lotion gives the desired tan without much risk.
- You at least ensure that you apply the product daily to help maintain your tan. However, it is important to know that applying a self-tanner is temporary and can only give you a one-day dark tan. Therefore, ensure that you get the best products that will not cause skin damage.
- Again, you should follow the tanning lotions or oils instructions to ensure that all the skin is covered.
3. Spray tan
The spray tans work just like the self-tanners, and they are also designed with DHA to help darken the skin. However, spray tanning will need to be done in a spray tan salon, or you will need to set up your home to do it. To ensure that the spray tan goes smoothly for you, here are some tips you could follow:
- You will need to choose a shade that blends with your skin. You only need one layer of spray tan for people with fair skin, but you might need more layers if you have darker skin.
- Before using the spray tans, you will need first to exfoliate your skin. Exfoliating will help remove dead skin cells; this way, you are guaranteed that the spray tan will be evenly applied.
- Using the spray tan is not easy, so you must visit a professional. Again you will be sure to get the right shade and even coverage.
- Importantly you need to keep your skin moisturized after using the fake tan. The moisturizer will help keep your skin nourished.
4. Sun Bed
If you need a beautiful tan more naturally without using natural sunlight, you could opt for tanning beds. The tanning beds have ultraviolet light bulbs that produce UV radiation and UV light like the sun. However, the sunbeds are not the safest, but they will help produce melanin. To get a tan faster and avoid prolonged exposure, you could follow the following tips:
- You can either choose to purchase your tanning beds, or you can go to the tanning salon each time you want to tan.
- You must wear goggles before getting to a tanning bed. The goggles will help protect your eyes against the UVA rays.
- You can opt to use a tan accelerator. If you don't want to spend too much time under both UVA and UVB rays, you can use tanning accelerators to help your skin tan quickly. Again the accelerator will come with ingredients to protect your skin from drying out.
- You need to set your time depending on your skin type. For those with fair skin, you should only spend no more than 10 minutes in the tanning bed. Those with dark skin will need to spend up to twenty minutes.
- When you are done tanning using the tanning bed, you need to take care of your tanned skin. You need to moisturize your skin, and you could use aloe vera-based lotions or gels to nourish and hydrate your skin.
The Risks of Tanning
There are different risks associated with tanning. We will list some of the most common risks that come with tanning.
1. Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is a very common side effect of developing a dark tan. Skin cancer will affect people of any skin tone, but it is less common with darker tan or skin. It is important to seek a doctor's advice to see if your skin can hold artificial tanning.
2. Premature Aging
The artificial tanning will give you a golden glow but might have premature aging. Sun exposure and sunbeds mean you will be exposed to UV lights, which will maintain healthy skin, but you will have premature aging in the long run.
4. Immune System Suppression
Again getting a tan might put you at risk of immune system suppression. UV rays will subdue the proper Functioning of your body's system.
5. Eye Damage
Getting a tan can cause eye damage. Wearing sun protection gear will help decrease the risk of eye damage.
Conclusion
Finally, if you are using any of the above methods, you must take a lot of water to prevent dehydration. Also, look for a moisturizing lotion that you will apply after every tanning session to help your skin peel and make the tan last longer. Plus, you need to ensure that you exfoliate and use sunscreen every tanning. Most importantly, you need to choose a method that suits your skin the best.