What Is the Proper Way to Tan?

A beautiful, golden tan is a symbol of youth and beauty. Tan skin looks healthy, and people spend literally hundreds of hours a year trying to achieve the perfect golden skin tone. However, tanning has raised numerous health concerns in the last few decades as incidences of skin cancer are on the rise. It is possible to tan safely and minimize the harmful effects while still achieving a healthy glow.

Significance

Tanning is an activity that many people engage in to enhance their appearance. A rich tan is seen as very healthy and beautiful by most sectors of society, and people go to great lengths to achieve that glowing look.

Types

There are two main types of tanning: natural tanning and tanning in an artificial tanning bed. Tanning with sunlight can be done nearly all year in warm destinations. Tanning can also be done in an artificial tanning bed. Tanning beds use high wattage lightbulbs to slowly tan the skin. Tanning beds have the distinct advantage of being useful even under adverse weather conditions, although they do not offer the Vitamin D that your body absorbs from natural sunlight.

Time Frame

Tanning should be done in short, frequent sessions. Fifteen to 30 minutes three or four times per week is sufficient to achieve a medium tan. Laying out in the sun for this short amount of time will help you to develop a nice tan within two or three weeks. Staying in the sun or under a tanning lamp for any longer in a single session can result in serious burns. Many salons sell tanning sessions in 30-minute blocks, making these sessions very convenient and affordable.

Considerations

Excessive tanning has been shown to speed up the aging process of the skin and to increase dryness. The skin should be kept well moisturized and water intake should be increased to compensate for the drying effects. A low SPF sunscreen should be used while tanning outdoors. A 15 or 30 SPF is sufficient to repel the UVA and UVB rays while still allowing for sufficient tanning. One needs to make sure that she tans evenly on both sides of the body to avoid unusual tan lines or blotches from uneven exposure.

Warning

Never tan using baby oil. The oil amplifies the tanning rays and will result in deep burns in a very short amount of time. Make sure that you tan slowly to develop a good base. Trying to tan too much at once will only result in burning. Avoid tanning when the sun's rays are the strongest. It is much safer to tan early in the morning or late in the afternoon to prevent burning and peeling.