Tanning Tips & Myths
Tips
Fixing Tan LinesSunless Bronzing Powder is great for filling in uneven tan lines, covering hard to tan places like feet, and is great for covering up bathing suit strap marks or to touch up an existing tan. Using a large make-up brush, the golden-bronze powder can be dusted over the skin to the level of darkness desired for a sun-kissed glow. Sore MusclesProducts that contain Hot Action® work great as muscle relaxing balms. The heating effect of the products helps relax and soothe the soreness caused by muscle tension. We recommend the moderate intensity of Almond Spice™ Hot Action Level 5 or the extreme heat of Pyro® Hot Action Level 12 for spot treating your must stubborn sore muscles. Massage BalmTry Butter® for a relaxing, deliciously scented massage balm. The rich, creamy feel of the formulation delivers just the right amount of slippage for massaging tired muscles. In Between Tanning SessionsA simple way to keep your tanned appearance at its prime in between tanning sessions or to help maintain color when a busy schedule keeps you from the tanning salon is to use a California Tan product that contains a bronzer to boost golden-brown color. Simply smooth the lotion over your skin, using a circular motion, after you shower or several hours before going out to reveal a more tanned appearance and accentuate the natural results you have already developed. Remember to wash or wipe your hands after application and conduct a spot test if you are using the product for the first time.
Why you should always use a good quality indoor tanning lotion: It will help your skin to absorb the UV, which will aid in the tanning process. There are also special ingredients that stimulate melanin production, such as Tyrosine, which will give you the most out of every tanning session. Your skin tends to dry out during the tanning process and if you don't use a good quality indoor tanning lotion, your skin will exfoliate faster, become more dry and flaky, and you will lose your tan faster. Why Redder Isn't BetterMany people grow up thinking that if they do not experience a slight red or pinkish tint after they tan that they did not "get anything." The truth is that the red or pinkish tint you see is actually sunburn (or erythema) -- your skin's worst enemy. The fact is that the sunburns we experience due to lack of information when we are growing up are the very things that lead to skin damage later in life. Smart tanners know that the key to avoiding sunburn in moderation in terms of UV exposure. The best way to ensure a "smart tan" is to take advantage of the years of research that have gone into tanning equipment to provide you with a controlled, predictable dosage of UV light. Also, use lotions to moisturize your skin before and after tanning. If you do tan outdoors, remember that the sun emits whatever types of UV rays it wants. Several other environmental factors come into play with outdoor UV light, making exposure unpredictable. Do not rely on the color of your skin to tell you when to get out of the sun. Overexposure isn't evident sometimes until hours after the sun has gone down. It's better to use a sunscreen and to wear protective clothing than to risk overexposure, which can lead to skin damage. How Does the Skin Tan in the Sun?Tanning begins the moment you step out into the sun for most people. As UV rays penetrate the skin, it starts to break down DNA in the body. In order for the body to protect itself to prevent further damage to your body, it starts to produce melanin. The more melanin in your body, the darker the body becomes and the more protected you are from the sun. So someone who has spent a lot of time in the sun can stand out in the sun for longer periods of time without the risk of sunburn. A suntan needs to be gradual, so it is better to tan for only a little bit at a time and with the right sort of protection like using sunscreen. What is Melanin in the Skin?Melanin is produced to protect your skin from sun damage. The moment you are hit with UV rays, either from a tanning bed or from the sun, the body tries to protect itself from the rays by producing melanin. There is a type of cell in your body called melanocyte and this produces melanin, but it can only produce so much at a time. In some people it doesn’t produce melanin at all or very little of it. Those people have a sensitive skin type and shouldn’t stay out in the sun too long at all without moderate protection. Each person actually has about the same number of melanocyte cells in the body but only people above skin type I have melanocyte cells that produce more than enough melanin to create a tan in the body. Are Melanin Cells?Melanin is actually a pigment in your skin. There are two sorts of pigments the melanocyte produces. Phaeomelanin is a red or yellow color and eumelanin, which is brown in color. In some people, people with red hair, the skin produces more phaeomelanin than eumelanin. The melanin pigment is not produced in most people with fair skin as it is only produced when activated by the sun. This is why someone who can tan fairly well may end up with fairly white skin when not exposed to the sun. What About Melanin Production for People with Dark Skin?In the case of people outside of Caucasians, melanin production continues even without regular exposure to the skin. The darker the skin, the more melanin is being produced in the body. The skin is better adapted to being out in the sun longer. Those with a darker pigment can still get sunburn if overexposed to the sun, but the melanin already in the skin will protect it better than those with lighter skin. Even if the skin is not exposed to the sun, it will still keep melanin in production to a certain extent. How to Get a Fast Tan?Many people want to know exactly how to get a fast tan under the sun. Unfortunately, the body cannot produce enough melanin in time to tan completely in a couple of hours, enough melanin that would produce a deep tan with some people. However, with regular exposure in short durations, the body will produce enough melanin in as little as five to seven days to create a nice glowing tan on people who have the ability to tan. The best way to get a fast tan is to spend a few minutes a day in a tanning bed. The regular direct exposure will actually tan your skin faster. Your body will tan faster because only five minutes in a tanning bed is like two hours of being exposed to the sun. If you need a fast tan, you could try self tanning lotion, but it is only a temporary solution as it doesn’t help produce melanin in the body. So Ultraviolet Sunlight Helps Produce Melanin?Any sort of ultraviolet light helps the body produce melanin, whether it is sunlight or light from a tanning bed. Sunlight has three different sorts of ultraviolet rays. UVA is also known as black light and is what helps produce a tan. UVB tends to burn the skin though it can help produce a tan too if it penetrates deep into the skin. UVC rays are filtered out by the atmosphere and don’t tend to reach the body for the most part. With exposure to sunlight, the body is exposed to different waves of UVA and UVB rays all the time. This means it is very hard to tell which rays you are getting on your skin and which aren’t. With a tanning bed, you are generally exposed to direct ultraviolet rays and usually you are getting more UVA rays than UVB. Tanning beds are designed to be a healthier way to get a tan by controlling the amount of ultraviolet light you are exposed to. With sunlight, you are unable to control what happens to the ultraviolet light and therefore you can’t predict how long to stay out in the sun for. What about sunburns?If you get sunburn, the sunburn itself is not actually ‘damage’ to your skin, though it does hurt. It is actually how the body reacts when exposed to too much sunlight and there has been too much damage to your skin, breaking down DNA. When sunlight hits the skin, it actually starts destroying DNA. To protect the skin, melanin is produced but it takes time to help produce enough melanin. If exposed too long the body becomes too damaged. This results in the body causing your sunburn. It is actually a process for the body to help prepare itself. The red part of your sunburn is actually blood filling up the capillaries in your skin. If you touch your sunburn, it will go white because you are essentially pushing out the blood. It will fill back in after a few seconds. The blood helps to bring in additional cells that will fight the damage done to your skin. Sunburns can be very painful, more harsh sunburns actually cause blisters to form on the skin. Sunburn should be prevented, which comes with proper education about sun protection, which can come in the form of a natural tan produced by the body. Protect the Skin from Sunburn?To prevent sunburn, limit your exposure to the sun. Sunburn can happen to most skin types. The darker the skin, the longer it takes for the sunrays to damage the skin but it can still happen. This doesn’t mean you should avoid the sun; UV rays have more benefits than simply causing the body to tan. Instead, be aware of how long you are exposed for and wear sunscreen. Sunscreen helps to block out UVA and UVB rays in various lengths. Depending on the sunscreen you are wearing, it won’t prevent the body from tanning but it will help prevent sunburn if applied properly. For people with ultra sensitive skin, sun block is available. Unlike some sunscreens, sun block keeps the sun from reaching the skin at all. Sun block prevents any sort of ultraviolet light from penetrating the skin. Will Clothes Protect Me from Sunlight?In most cases yes, but do not rely on your clothes along to protect your body. With most modern styles, little is there in clothing to protect your skin. Popular clothing items, like t-shirts, actually have tiny holes in it. A thin enough material with a loose weave like a cotton t-shirt actually will only do so much to protect the skin. This is why even with a t-shirt on, over exposure to sunlight could cause your shoulders and back to become sunburn, if not the rest of your body. If you are wearing something light like a t-shirt outside, remember to wear sunscreen underneath your clothing as well. How to Heal from Sunburn?If you have already damaged your skin, there is little you can do to stop the sunburn. Sunburn is your body’s naturally way of healing overexposure to sunlight or ultraviolet light. If you think your skin has been over exposed, keep out of the sunlight. You will be able to see sunburn within four hours of being exposed. It will completely develop in eight to 24 hours. You might not know if you have sunburn right off but it is better to be safe and get out of the sun if you can. Do not go back out into the sun if you have sunburn, even if you wear sunscreen. If the sunburn has blistered, see a doctor. Otherwise, to cool off sunburn, use Aloe Vera. Aloe Vera comes from a plant and you can find either the plant or gels or lotions at the store. Apply it to the skin and it will moisturize and help sooth the skin while your body does its job. For severe sunburns, you should see a doctor immediately. Myths:MYTH: "I've heard that indoor tanning is more harmful than tanning outdoors because the UV light exposure is more intense." FACT: People tanning indoors are exposed to a scientifically calibrated amount of UV light. When used according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's exposure guidelines (posted on each machine), tanning beds are designed to maximize tanning and minimize burning. Conversely, tanning outdoors is an unregulated environment. There are many factors that have to be considered when you tan outdoors: geography, time of day, weather conditions, the seasons, and the ozone layer. Remember the best way to safeguard yourself from sun damage is to wear appropriate levels of SPF sunscreens outdoors - even if you already have a tan. You should also know that, even with sunscreen protection, UV exposure can still lead to skin cancer and premature aging, even if you don't burn. MYTH: "My friend said she heard that tanning bakes your internal organs. Sometimes I notice a strange smell after I tan. Could this be my organs baking?" FACT: The UV light from a sun bed is similar to UV light from the sun, and cannot penetrate deeper than the skin to harm internal organs. The odor you may notice is what's commonly known as the "after tan" odor, a common occurrence when tanning indoors or outdoors, which is caused by harmless bacteria. California Tan lotions contain the Biosaccharide Complex, which helps prevent after tan odor. MYTH: "I have been told from several of my friends that showering directly after tanning will "wash" your tan away. They say its best to wait about 3 hours after tanning to shower." FACT: Taking a shower after tanning will not wash your tan away. A natural tan takes 24-48 hours to develop. The tanning process occurs within the epidermis when melanocyte cells are stimulated by ultraviolet light that causes them to produce the pigment melanin. Melanin production results in the tanned appearance of the skin and is the skin's natural defense against the sun and over-exposure, i.e. sun-burning. Melanin travels to the surface, where it eventually flakes off. This process allows us to develop new skin every four to eight weeks. Keeping your skin hydrated and exfoliated will help maintain a more radiant and healthy-looking tan. MYTH: "My friend told me I should stop tanning because I could get a sexually transmitted disease like AIDS from the tanning bed." FACT: The National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have stated that this is physically impossible. The AIDS virus (as well as other serious viral diseases) does not live outside the body. This fear may come from the fact than many people lay nude in sun beds during their tanning session (in order to eliminate tan lines). However, even if there is profuse sweating, the AIDS virus, or other venereal diseases, cannot be passed to the next user. Additionally, tanning salons are required by law to disinfect the acrylic liner in the tanning bed between each use. MYTH: "I heard that in order to get a suntan you have to burn first." FACT: A sunburn does not fade into a tan. A sunburn indicates over exposure to UV-light and actually damages the skin, leaving it inflamed (as indicated by the skin's red coloring and sensitivity), dry, chapped and visibly unappealing. In fact, a sunburn can lead to premature aging and potentially skin cancer. Always practice moderation when tanning and use the proper sunscreen protection when tanning outdoors and the proper exposure time that is recommended for your personal skin type when tanning indoors. MYTH: "All skin types tan or burn in the same amount of time." FACT: Not all skin types are alike. Some people tan more easily than others or burn more easily than others. For example, a Skin Type 1 person with fair skin, red hair and freckles will burn easily, resulting in peeling and blistering without any indication that he or she has tanned. On the other hand, a Skin Type 4 person with dark hair and olive skin will tan very well and quite easily even with a minimal amount of sun exposure. It is important to know: repeated exposure of unprotected skin while tanning may increase the risk of skin aging, skin cancer and harmful effects to the skin even if you don't burn. MYTH: "People with medium to dark skin never burn." FACT: Although people with medium to darker skin tend to tan more easily than others, they can still get sunburns. They can also suffer from overexposure to UV-light. It is still important for these skin types to use sunscreens and avoid being in the sun longer than they need to be. SMART INDOOR TANNING PRACTICES:Many people prefer the method of indoor tanning to acquire a tan. It is easy, convenient and private. It is administered in a controlled environment with measured dosages and eliminates much of the "guesswork" of tanning outdoors. WHY USE A LOTION WHEN TANNING INDOORS:Using a lotion while tanning in a salon is equally important as when tanning outdoors, but operates on a different premise. While tanning delivers the highly desirable color and relaxing benefits that tanners seek, the heated environment of the tanning bed can be very drying to the skin. DID YOU KNOW:Today, all sun-beds and tanning booths used in salons are regulated by the F.D.A as Class II Medical Devices. This means you only get a standardized amount of UV exposure with a mixture of both UVB and UVA rays designed to minimize burning.
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