GUEST POST: How Healthy is Your Skin? A Guide to Sunless Tanning

Many people find having sun-kissed skin desirable. Being tan can enhance your muscle tone and highlight your assets, while concealing imperfections like stretch marks or skin blemishes. However, achieving a bronze glow by tanning in the sun can cause severe damage to the skin. Excessive UV exposure, whether through sun bathing or a tanning bed, can lead to sun burn, premature aging, and even eye damage and skin cancer.

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According to the American Melanoma Foundation, one in 58 people will be diagnosed with melanoma in their lifetime. Though it only accounts for less than 2% of all skin cancer cases, melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer. Skincancer.org estimates that 3,870 new cases of invasive melanoma will be diagnosed in the U.S. just this year.

While tanning is a leading cause of skin cancer, there are healthier ways to achieve a beautiful bronze glow. Sunless tanning, such as spray and airbrush tanning and tanning lotions, are a safe alternative to sun bathing and tanning beds because they do not expose your skin to UV rays. With a professional spray tan, you have the added bonus of not having tan lines or streaks.

Whether you choose to self-tan at home or receive a professional spray tan, getting a perfect, long-lasting tan requires a little preparation and maintenance:

1. Exfoliate – Before the application of your sunless tan, you want to remove any damaged or dead skin cells that will absorb your tan. This will enable your healthy skin to absorb the sunless spray or lotion and oxidize into a beautiful bronze color. Exfoliating can also help extend the life of your tan. If you’re getting a professional airbrush tan, you want to exfoliate every day for three days prior to your appointment.
2. Shave or Wax – Shaving and waxing after you apply your sunless tan will remove the outer skin cells that are maintaining your bronze glow. That’s why you want to shave or wax before applying the tan. For shaving, use a new razor blade to ensure an even shave.
3. Avoid Certain Products – Before getting your sunless tan, you want to make your body is a clean slate. This means ridding your body of any skin products, deodorant, lotion and makeup that will inhibit your skin from absorbing the tan. Avoid showering with bar soap or using any products containing moisturizing ingredients or oils.
4. Stay Hydrated – Staying hydrated will help your tan last longer. Hydration will help extend the life of your tanned skin cells, so be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day. Be sure to drink more water if you are exercising or sweating because sweating causes your body to lose more water.
5. Apply a Spray Tan Extender – While moisturizing is essential to retaining a tan, oil-rich products can cause a tan to fade quicker. Using a spray tan extender will hydrate and moisturize your skin, while prolonging the life of your tan.

Note:  All views expressed in this blog post are the personal opinions of the guest blogger. mySkin.com doesn’t favor any particular skincare brand or take advertising from any of them. Our scientific algorithm is entirely unbiased and based on your skin profile.

About the Author: Brittany Goodwin is a digital marketing professional and freelance writer in Philadelphia.  She enjoys traveling and making a positive impact on the environment. She currently represents a large client base, including Artesian Tan, a company that promotes safe tanning solutions. Brittany holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Rutgers University.  Connect with Brittany on Instagram @goodwinbrittany.