Fair skin how long should i tan

The more melanin your body produces, the better you are protected from the radiation. Too much exposure to UV rays can lead to both short-term and long-term skin problems. But, your body actually does need some of that UV radiation to create vitamin D. Spending sometime in the sun activates the production of endorphins, feel-good hormones that make you happier and get you sleeping better.

A daily dose of vitamin D is part of your natural body cycle. You need it; just make sure you are not exposed to too much UV radiation. Generally, people inherit the fair-skin gene from their parents. However, your environment and the way you live your life can also affect the tone of your skin.

It is hard to break from your genetic profile when it comes to the amount of melanin you produce, but you can actively cause your melanin to a spike in the short-term. Your melanin baseline will always stay the same, but where you live in the world can cause this level to rise and drop.

People who live in colder places will naturally have paler skin, while those who live where the sun is constantly hot will have darker skin. But no matter where you live, you need to manage your exposure to UV radiation. If you are in an area that is not constantly sunny, then you need to try and spend as much time as you can in the sun.

In hotter areas, however, make sure you are not exposing yourself too much to the sun or have some sun-protective clothing when you are. You need to get your dose of vitamin D, but at the same time, you need to limit your risk of skin damage.

With some measured and frequent exposure to the sun regularly, your body will begin to increase the production of melanin. This is a dangerous tactic though, as there is a fine line between producing enough melanin to give you a tan and being out in the sun long enough to get a burn. Fair skin is beautiful but then it is a little delicate.

There are limits to the amount of tan you can achieve with your skin tone. Go slow. Take one day at a time and remember that this is a process. Whenever you head out for a tan, make sure you are not spending too much time in the sun.

Protect your skin by wearing some tanning lotion or sunscreen. If you do get sunburned, take a break to cool off. Tanning with fair skin takes time so it will take you a while to develop a perfect brown.

Building a tan too quickly can damage your skin irreversibly. In some instances, tanning fair skin could result in blemishes.

These are usually small uneven moles or lumps that could change from day to day depending on the amount of time you spend in the sun. If you notice any strange spots on your skin, make sure to consult your doctor. It would also be wise to put your tanning on hold until those blemishes have been checked out. As we have mentioned, if you have a fair skin tone, then you should take your tanning slow.

UVB rays are strongest between 10 am and 4 pm in warmer months. The higher the number, the more precautions you should take, especially if you are pale or fair-skinned. The higher the UVI rating, the more dangerous it is to go outside and expose yourself to the sun's rays.

If you're out in the sun all day, even if you do take the necessary precautions, there's always a chance that the golden glow you're seeking manifests as a painful angry rash instead. Given that a tan is essentially a defense mechanism, tanning can occur in the wake of a burn, assuming your skin is capable of tanning. But If you are pale or fair-skinned, there's a chance that once the redness fades, no tan is left in its wake, just the damage. The Fitzpatrick skin scale is a skin color scale that will help us understand how our skin will react to UV exposure and what the associated risk factors are.

If you're reading this article you're likely either a Type I, or Type II like me, which means that the risks associated with overexposure are high, and the chances of post-burn tanning are low, if any. Achieving a solid tan on fair skin involves taking it easy.

Getting a mild burn is absolutely not required to get some color, in fact, it is counter-productive. If you're getting red, you're going too fast. As a rule of thumb, do not attempt to bravely soak in the sun between 10 AM and 4 PM—you won't be doing yourself any favors.

Instead, abide by the following safety tips:. I hope this article has been of help and was not an overly depressing read it certainly wasn't my intention. If you have any personal tips to share, please do so in the comment section, thanks! Federico Giampieri. Orange foods rich in vitamin A such as pumpkin, squash, carrots and sweet potatoes will give your skin a warm glow pigment that enhances tan appearance.

But be mindful, excessive vitamin A can make your skin turn orange! I have went tanning for a couple years now, and i go maybe I was very pale and had freckles also, but after getting tanning lotion and starting low heat and a couple of minutes I started getting darker after 2 time I went. I would bump my minute up every time i got till I reached 30 minutes and Was at the heat of extreme hot. I never once burned my self, and I always paid attention of how many minutes and how hot i was going!

Summer knocking on the door here soon it is good to be reminded of the down sides of the sunbathing. Vitamin D - here we come, but this time spending a bit more time - in the shade. Thanks for the tips. As a fellow pale skinner, I've looked for magic all my life for the perfect tan. The closest I've achieved to that is the tanning bed but used very carefully and in increasing dose of minutes laying on the bed and using lots of moisturizer.

However, even then, one has to beware of "raccoon eyes" - the phenomena which is produced when the eye covers produce white contrasting eye lids and brows compared to the bronzed rest of the skin. Also, tanned beds also do increase the rate of dry skin and again just as much as natural tanning, regardless of the artificial nature of the tanning.

Once I noticed that my skin was becoming a tad leathery despite the copious amount of lotion I put on it, I decided to embrace my pale self. Good tip about tanning prior to am and after pm when the sun is not at its most dangerous and the ability to develop a healthy tan is at its best. How to Get a Good Tan on the Beach. Bronzer Vs.

How to Even Your Tan. Is it Better to Tan With or Without Tanning Oil Tips. UV Tanning Vs. Spray Tanning. How to Lighten Your Spray-on Tan. How to Remove the Smell of Cologne From You can even burn on cloudy days too, so watch out. Avoiding burns is a function of using a higher SPF sunscreen lotion and lowering your time spent in the sunlight. On the other hand, if you are trying to tan, you will need to find an SPF rating that allows enough ultraviolet energy to prompt your skin to produce more melanin.

SPF 15 is a good starting point for fair skinned people trying to build up a tan. The good news is that once you have a base tan built up—once your body has produced a minimum amount of melanin that makes getting burnt less likely—you can downgrade to a lower SPF.

These days, you can even take a sunscreen pill to help protect your skin, though you may want to combine it with traditional sunscreen methods until you get the hang of how much protection it provides and how quickly. Getting rid of hair before sunscreen application can help avoid razor bumps too. Hair can get burned and tanned just like the rest of your skin, and tends to bleach out rather than get darker. Aloe vera gels are the go-to products for addressing serious surface burns because they contain chemicals which provide a cooling sensation and also help your skin with re-moisturization.

Keep our tips and protocol in mind, and everything will be fine. Home Blog Categories Menu. Skip Ahead? If you have type 1 skin — this post is for you.