The Methods Of Getting A Skin Tan

By Veronica Cappelletti


Skin tanning is the process by which skin is made to attain a darker appearance than the normal one, called a tan. This can be done in a natural way by exposing oneself to the UV rays of the sun or using man-made products, which is called sunless tanning. Methods not involving the sun have become more widespread among many people after doctors discovered the role of UV in skin cancer.



One way of getting skin tanned from UV is by lying in the sun, which is a recreational activity referred to as sunbathing. This is the most basic and probably easiest way to get a tan. How fast or how well suntan works can also be influenced by another condition referred to as windburn. Windburn is the effect of the wind removing the lipid layer of skin which keeps out ultraviolet radiation, thus increasing the tanning.

UV radiation is also emitted by a piece of equipment called a sunbed which can be used to make skin get tanned as though it were exposed to sunlight. Sunbeds, also called tanning beds, produce artificial UV rays like those in sunlight through phosphor-laced lamps. The bulk of the rays produced by sunbeds are UV A rays but a few are UV B rays. The device is like an artificial way of sunbathing.



You an also get a skin tan without sunlight or any form of ultraviolet source. The technique of doing so is called fake tanning or sunless tanning. In this process, chemicals are used to induce tanning like that of sunlight. These chemicals are taken as pills or applied onto skin.

Beta-carotene is the most useful compound in the making of sun-free tanning products because it protects the skin against the potential harm of UV and also causes a better tanning. Sunburn is uneven skin tone caused by the UV radiation of the sun. Beta-carotene prevents cancer triggered by the effects of sunlight on skin while also tanning the skin better.

Other types of products for fake skin tanning do exist and these are also pills but containing other compounds besides beta-carotene as main ingredients. None of the products is preferred to products containing beta-carotene, however. Many people also use temporary methods of achieving a tan such as powders and creams that can be washed off easily using water during a bath.




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