Skin takes a lot of wear and tear, so it naturally regenerates itself. Every 35-45 days the outer layer of the skin, the epidermis, is completely replaced. Since skin pigment is found in this upper layer, any natural or added pigment will be sloughed away in about one months time. This is why natural tans fade and why many self-tanning products recommend you re-apply the product every few days to maintain your tan.

Self-tanning products, also called sunless tanning lotions, contain dihydroxyacetone (DHA), a colorless sugar that interacts with dead surface cells in the epidermis, staining the skin darker. The effect is temporary, because as the dead cells naturally slough off, the color fades, disappearing within a week unless the lotion has been reapplied. Thats a lot more healthful than a suntan, however, because while suntans also start fading after a few days, the harm done to the skin is permanent.

Getting a suntan breaks down the DNA in skin cells, but using self-tanners causes no such damage. At worst, sunless tanning products present a minimal risk of irritant or allergic reactions.

1. Self-tanning takes time. Allow AT LEAST a half hour, although an hour would be best. But dont be discouraged; it would still take longer to get the same amount of color from the sun and with self-tanners there is absolutely no risk of wrinkles, skin cancer, or sunburn!

2. Take a quick shower or bath (dont soak) and exfoliate your skin, either with a washcloth or body scrub. Dont overscrub, but do pay extra attention to your knees, ankles, feet, elbows, and neck. This will help achieve a uniform appearance since self-tanners grab on to dry surface skin cells, and you may have more dead, thickened skin cells in certain areas. After showering and completely drying off, apply a thin layer of lightweight moisturizer over the areas where you will be applying self-tanner. This will help the self-tanner glide on without clinging to dry patches. A little extra moisturizer over ankles, knees, and elbows can prevent those areas from looking patchy. I have seen some recommendations to mix self-tanner with your moisturizer, but I advise against this because it will encourage streaking (unless you can precisely mix them which isnt easy) plus it will take longer for the self-tanner to absorb and dry.

Perspiration also will make self-tanners streak, so take a cool shower or bath to keep from sweating. Your skin must be completely dry to get the best results. Do not apply self-tanner in a steamy, hot bathroom or on a humid, hot day (unless your home is air-conditioned).

3. Ideally, you should apply the self-tanner while naked, but you can also wear an old bathing suit (one you dont plan to wear outside) to help determine where you want your tan line to end. Either way, have a game plan of where you want to stop and start the color. (Do you want tan armpits? What about places like your heels, hands, and ears?) Remember that self-tanners will stain clothing until they completely absorb into the skin and take effect on the skin cell.

Applying self-tanner on your back requires a friend with a helping hand, although you can use a long-handled paintbrush (note that this poses some issues of potential dripping and uneven application if you are not able to blend the product in).br
br
br
br

People generally love to have a great tan. That bronzed look says to many that you have time to spend in the sun, relaxing, gathering rays, which is turn seems to say “success” to many because you have the kind of leisure time to do that. A good even tan makes you look healthy. But is a tan really healthy? It CAN be but it needs to be done correctly so that underneath that killer tan you are not doing damage to your skin.

Tanning occurs when the skin produces additional pigment (coloring) to protect itself against burn from these ultraviolet rays. Natural sunlight and the ultra-violet lamps in tanning beds produce these UV rays. With tanning beds you can avoid sun’s harmful effects from the mildest ones to the harshest such as wrinkles, freckles, skin discolorations, and even skin cancer.

In reality, a tan indicates a skin “problem”. There is still the opportunity to be concerned about skin damage when using a tanning bed, but there are several steps you can take to minimize that risk. You don’t want the trade-off for a great tan to be premature aging of the skin or wrinkles, but the proper use of a tanning bed with knowledge of what you are doing can minimize (although not eliminate) the hazards and risks.

The UV rays used by the tanning bed lamps have been found to enforce the production of vitamin D in the skin. This works in the same way that direct exposure to the sun’s rays will. The UV rays, particularly the UVB type, are responsible for stimulating the production of melanin, which is a naturally occurring skin pigment.

The type of tanning bed that you typically see in both residential and commercial places like a tanning salon are horizontal tanning beds. These range in price from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars, depending on various factors such as the intensity of the UV lamps, and extra features such as a fan to keep you cool while you are tanning, and even a radio or CD player so you can listen to music while you use it.

Whether a commercial or residential model, tanning beds emit a mixture of ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation to produce a bronzed look on white skin. In other words, the ultra violet light used by the UV lamps in a tanning bed is almost exactly the same kind of ultra violet light that comes from the sun. What this means is that the same risks can occur. Yes, without proper protection, you can get a sunburn from tanning bed use, and it will be every bit as painful.

For optimal results, your best bet is to talk with the professional at the tanning salon, or for a residential model, read the owner’s manual from front to back before you even plug the unit in. Understand the proper usage and the proper length of time to use it. You can maximize your tanning efforts by the use of various tanning lotions, which also have the added benefit of helping to protect your skin to the maximum level possible.