Summer… it’s all about fun in the sun and playing in the water. Of course, for some folks, it’s also about getting a tan. Of course, getting a tan means hours on lying in the sun soaked with tanning lotion to make it happen. Many people, women especially in America, want to have a tan skin. But why is that?

Why Some Folks Want To Have Tan Skin

There are a number of reasons why a person wants to have a tan skin.

– First, it can hide skin blemishes, such as freckles or scars, by making it even. – Second, tanned skin tends to make a person look skinner than fair skin. – Third, people with tans have reported that their skin complexion has improved because the oils in the skin have been dried out by the sun’s UV (ultraviolet) rays. Folks who have eczema or psoriasis tend to see improvements in their conditions after they tan. – Fourth, people typically want a tan skin to produce a physical attraction for a mate. Many people associate tan skin with healthiness and active lifestyle.

5 Reasons Why Outdoor Tanning Is Such A Bad Thing For The Skin

While baking yourself outdoors does work to give you a great looking tan, it does come with serious, sometimes deadly, consequences. What kinds of consequences are associated with tanning by the sun?

1 – Skin cancer (melanoma) 2 – Depressed immune system 3 – Accelerated aging 4 – Tan lines 5 – Sunburns

Okay, so now you know why people spend hours outside in the sun and why they really need to find other ways to get that golden tan they’re looking for. With that in mind, what methods are at your disposal to get that great looking tan you’re looking for without the help of UV rays from the sun?

How You Can Get A Great Looking Tan Without The Sun’s Help

1 – Tanning Bed

One of the primary ways people get a tan without the sun’s help is the tanning bed. A tanning bed is a device that uses UV light to generate a cosmetic tan. Many people, most especially women, tend to enjoy tanning and will go to a tanning salon. However, there are home tanning beds that allow persons to tan in their comfort of their own home.

2 – Sun lamps

These devices are similar to a tanning bed in how they work. However, these place the focus on your body, not the eyes. And, they can also stimulate Vitamin D, which can produce tanning of the skin.

While sunlamps and tanning beds do give you a tan without baking in the sun, they’re still not safe and UV-free. If you want a trauma-free tan for your skin, then you have several options at your fingertips.

3 – Sunless Self-Tanners

Sunless self-tanners are thought of as “tans in a bottle” and have the ingredient dihydroxyacetone (DHA), which, over time, will stain the skin’s outside layer’s dead cells. It lasts up to a week. But, if you exfoliate your skin, it will wash off faster. Bear in mind that you might need to try several different kinds to find one that fits your skin tone.

You have the choice of towelettes, lotions or sprays for your sunless self-tanners. Keep in mind that some self-tanners will have moisturizers that will give you color over time without any staining or blotching. You also don’t get the horrible smell that some come with.  Best of all, these sunless self-tanners won’t cost you an arm and a leg. You can find them around $10 or so.

4 – Airbrush Tanning

You should also consider airbrush tanning, which gives you a more even and natural tan than other methods. An airbrush tan consists of a salon technician using a DHA solution in a spray compressor and spraying it on your body. Your lips, eyes and nose will be protected by a cover while the process is going on. It takes between five and sixty seconds to complete. Within several hours, you’ll notice your darker skin.

Important Notes About Sunless Self-Tanners and Airbrush Tanning

If you want the best possible results, make sure you exfoliate your skin before you put the tanner on. Exfoliating before application will remove the dead skin cells and even the skin tone.  And, when you decide to enjoy that fun in the sun, you’ll still need to wear sunscreen to protect your skin from the harmful sun rays. After all, these methods don’t produce melanin production and you could possibly get burned without some type of protection.

As you see, there is no reason to bake yourself red or tan on the beach. Instead, with these above four methods, you can get the tan you always wanted to have during the long summer days. Enjoy!