[toc]
Tanning is a simple but tough process; you need to know a lot before starting the process. You don’t want to injure yourself in the process; it’s important to understand how it works and what you need to do for a successful tan. If you are a beginner in tanning, keep in mind that it requires patience; it will take a while before your skin starts to tan.
How Long Should You Wait To Shower After Tanning?
You can shower after 20 or more minutes if you did not use a bronzer or any tanning accelerator, but if you used bronzers and tanning lotions, shower after two to three hours. Spending time tanning or sunbathing can be refreshing and rejuvenating, but you need to think of all the chemicals you’ve put on your skin, such as bronzers, moisturizer, tanning lotions and sunscreen.
When all these chemicals are combined with sweat and UV rays, you definitely have to shower. For most people getting a golden tan are a long and slow process that requires patience. So how long to shower after tanning definitely depends on your circumstances, of you are using a tanning lotion, sunbathing, applying bronzers or if you are using a tanning bed.
The amount of time you should wait after a tanning session generally depends on the methods you use. The tanning process takes hours after tanning sessions to complete, and that can be 24 to 48 hours; skin changes after the tanning session and showering after this process does not impact anything.
Showering cools the skin down quickly and might alter the tanning process, so it’s important to wait for a while until the skin cools naturally. Then you can now shower. If you are using any kind of tanning lotion that contains a bronzer in it or a tanning lotion, then it’s necessary that you wait for 2 to 3 hours after your tanning session before you take a shower.
This is just to make sure that self-tanners and bronzers have enough time to work and a full set on the skin, but after the 3 hours, these chemicals will not be doing anything no more, and you can safely and gently remove them. Just make sure you do the right thing for you to get perfect skin.
What Not to Do after Tanning
The most important thing after tanning is the showering process; shower for 45 seconds with warm water so as to get rid of bronzers and allow tan activities to continue working. One thing you are not supposed to do is using hot water. Some other don’t of after tanning are as follows.
- Do not wear tight clothing because they may cause marks; instead, wear loose-fitting clothes and shoes.
- Avoid using shower gels, shampoos and scrubs within the first 24 hours after tanning but instead, use plain lukewarm water.
- Do not use hot water when showering because it stops tan activities development.
- Do not rub or scrub your skin but instead pat it dry.
- Do not use a moisturizer that contains petroleum because it traps heat in your skin.
- Avoid taking a shower right after the session.
Knowing all these will help you stick to doing the right thing, understand what is needed before and after tanning, the kind of things to use and how long to wait before taking a shower. Don’t just do what you think is right but do the right thing for you to achieve the desired results and allow your skin to glow.
Don’t do what is not required not unless you don’t care about damaging your skin; tanning is a simple process that is not complicated at all. Use the right products, then shower thereafter, and you are good to go; there is nothing difficult about it.
Why Do You Smell After Tanning?
Tanning provides you with the much-wanted colour, but the problem is the odd smell you get after tanning; you might try rinsing off with antibacterial soap, but the smell still persists, and you might be wondering why it is so.
The reason why you smell funky after tanning is because of melanin in your skin, UV rays cause your skin to rapidly tan, and the rapid discoloration causes a certain reaction in your skin, thus causing the smell. You all know that bacteria live in our skin which can be a bad or a good thing.
Another cause of the bad smell could be the kind of medication you take; the medication could be altering the natural chemical balance of your body. When exposing yourself to UV rays, it’s best if you are very careful because it might not only lead to odor but other side effects as well.
One way to get rid of the bad smell is by having a thorough cold shower and use antibacterial soap; when you cool the skin, you are helping your skin balance the tanning effects. You can as well use deodorants as it aids in lessening sweat accumulated in your armpits.
While this solution might work or not, it is usually because of what causes the smell. Tanning can be a challenging process, but there are other tanning options with less sweating and smelling you can try.
Instead of visiting a tanning salon, just use self-tanners because they are a great alternative to basking in the UV rays so as to gain a tan. Exposure to high amounts of UV rays has been linked to cancer; it’s better if you opt for tanning beds or tanning salons.
With that said, you can avoid the bad odor by using a self-Tanner since it does not involve UV rays. The tanning process is somehow tough, but if done correctly, you are sure to enjoy a natural brown color without any cancer risks or the funky smell.
Why Am I Not Getting Tan in the Tanning Bed?
What you need to know is that tanning beds don’t instantly give you a tan after your first session; you need to be patient and repeat the process; it takes a few sessions for melanin in your skin to oxidize and produce a deeper color.
If you are planning to use a tanning bed, then you should minimize exposure to artificial light and maximize your tanning efficiency. Below are some ways that help guide you on how to tan faster when using a tanning bed.
Choose Appropriate Clothing
It’s good to wear bikinis when tanning because it exposes most of the body and giving a little bit of privacy at the same time. Some people start with a bikini, and they go fully naked while the tanning process is ongoing; going naked makes tanning faster because all areas are exposed. However, if you are going naked on a tanning bed, then ensure you are extra sensitive on your private parts.
Choose an Appropriate Tanning Bed
Tanning beds have been there for years, but with advancement in technology, things have become a bit different, and some tanning beds are designed to tan faster. You can go for stand-up tanning beds because they tan faster than lay-down beds.
Don’t Shower Immediately
The steps were taken after each tanning session is just as important as those steps taken before and after tanning. When using indoor tanning, it is best to wait for 2 to 4 hours before finally taking a shower. It is also advisable that you bring old clothes or those you don’t mind ruining with the tanning lotion.
Apply a Tanning Lotion with Bronzer
Their many types of tanning lotion; some are meant for outdoor use while others for indoor use; they can work in both environments. Use a tanning lotion before going into the tanning bed as it helps improve the results of the tanning sessions.
Does Tanning Help You Lose Weight?
Not at all, in a tanning bed, you just res, and that means you don’t do enough physical exercises to lose weight; tanning is a process where melanin is increased in your body, and it had nothing to do with weight loss. If you have been tanning expecting to lose weight, you are doing the wrong thing; go work out and lose weight because tanning only lightens your skin.
Fat is only burned when the body burns calories, and this cannot be achieved by tanning, so while you might burn some off, it might not be enough to result in weight loss. It seems right to think that the more you sweat, the more water lost and the more weight lost, that is accurate, but the weight comes back immediately after water is taken.
Sweating while tanning has no connection with weight loss; just work out if you want to lose weight because tanning and working out are two different things. Sweating does mean you are burning calories; the reasons why you are sweating is because your body is trying to cool itself off.
You simply sweat because the bulbs in the tanning salons are hot and not because calories are burnt; you need to understand this very well; it’s wrong to think you are cutting weight when you are not, the only way to cut weight is by doing physical exercises.
How Many Minutes In The Sun Is Equivalent To A Tanning Bed?
Twenty minutes in the sun is equivalent to twenty minutes in a tanning bed; 20 minutes of exposure in a tanning bed is the same as lying 20 hours on the beach without protection. So you can choose any of the two methods, one that you are comfortable with specifically because they both do the same thing though tanning in bed is a bit faster.
Pros and Cons of Tanning
Pros
Improved self-confidence
One of the reasons why most people go to tanning salons is to be exposed to the sun so as to get tanned skins. And since you have to go in a bikini, it requires a lot of courage, and once you manage for the first time, you will overcome poor self-esteem.
Provides nutrients
Tanning is beneficial to your health in many ways. The sun gives our bodies’ vitamin D, which helps boat organs to absorb calcium, iron and other minerals. Lack of Vitamin D leads to various cardiovascular diseases, cancer and softened bones.
Cons
Damaged eyes
There is proof showing that eye problems such as photo conjunctivitis and cataracts are caused by UV rays from the sun or tanning in a bed.
Accelerated ageing
People get wrinkles when ageing, and most people hate them; they only worsen when exposed to the sun, UV rays damage Cellular DNA, and they also weaken fibres this reducing collagen production which is all-important for the thickness and elasticity of the skin.
Can I Tan Two Days in a Row?
Yes, you can tan two days in a row but remember that by doing so, you increase your risks of overexposure. It’s recommended that you skip 1 or 2 days in between sessions. This is to allow the melanin in your skin to develop fully.
Do not expose yourself to UV rays because it’s dangerous and is known to cause cancer; instead, do the necessary tanning as required and don’t overdo it. After all, it takes time before changes occur; you need to be patient and careful.
Tanning Health and Safety Tips
- Store your solution inadequate place to prevent it from spoiling
- Get insured
- Be careful with pregnant clients
- Keep the salon floor and booth clear to avoid trips and slips
- Get your electrical appliances regularly tested
- Maintain salon hygiene
Tanning is great but should be done correctly. However, some of the things you need to know about the tanning process are what not to do after tanning, how long you should wait to shower after tanning, why you are not getting tan in the tanning bed, how many minutes in the sun is equivalent to a tanning bed, whether tanning helps you lose weight and if you can tan two days in a row.
Leave a Reply