First, your legs may be exposed to more sunlight than the rest of your body, e.g., if you're wearing shorts. Second, the skin on your legs is usually thinner than the skin on other parts of your body, so the UV rays can penetrate it more easily.
Leg discoloration can result from various non-vascular conditions involving skin, metabolic, or inflammatory factors. Bruising from trauma often causes red or purple marks that change color as they heal. Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, seen after eczema, psoriasis, or infections, leaves darker patches on the skin.
Skin Type and Sensitivity: The skin on your face is generally more sensitive and thinner than the skin on your body. It may react differently to sun exposure, making it harder to tan.
Previous research by Rees has confirmed what sun worshippers already knew: that the upper back is much more likely to tan than the legs, and that the outsides of the arms go brown far quicker than the insides.
For most people, we wash our faces more often than the rest of our bodies. That means it also gets exfoliated, which decreases the staying power of any tan, and is why most peoples faces are lighter than the rest of their bodies.
First, your legs may be exposed to more sunlight than the rest of your body, e.g., if you're wearing shorts. Second, the skin on your legs is usually thinner than the skin on other parts of your body, so the UV rays can penetrate it more easily.
Compared to the rest of the body, skin on the legs does not produce the same amount of melanin, which results in legs getting less tan. Skin on the legs is thicker and harder and the UV light from the sun or sunbeds cannot easily penetrate it.
You don't necessarily tan faster in water or laying out. This is because water reflects UV rays, so you may not be getting as much exposure as you think if you're actually in the pool.
Buttocks are the least easy to tan compared to backs, they told the journal Experimental Dermatology.
The glow provided by a tan can make a face look more vibrant and therefore youthful. A tan can also help make muscles look more toned and more well defined. Today, having a tan is associated with people that have an active, outdoor lifestyle. A tan therefore makes people look healthier and fit.
Papaya: Like carrots, orange fruits and vegetables, such as papaya, help to enhance your tan naturally thanks to its high beta-carotene levels. Melon: This refreshing fruit, rich in antioxidants and beta-carotenes will help you to keep your golden skin tone.
Your Sunscreen Doesn't Have Enough UVA Protection
However, it's the UVA rays that cause tanning. In North America, look for the words “Broad Spectrum” as an indication that the sun filters used in the formulation protect from both UVB and UVA rays.
Look into a mirror in natural light. Artificial lighting can alter the appearance of your natural skin colour. Notice the colour of the skin along your jawline or behind your ear. These areas typically tend to show your skin tone in its purest form, without any redness or discolouration that could get in the way.
What Causes Leg Discoloration? When circulation is poor, blood flow is congested and pressure builds in the veins. The pressure causes veins to leak, and blood pools. Iron from pooling red blood cells begins to stain lower leg skin, causing it to discolor and appear splotchy.
The incidence of this change varies, and depends on the type of medication involved. Some of the most common drugs involved are NSAIDs, antimalarials, psychotropic drugs, Amiodarone, cytotoxic drugs, tetracyclines, and heavy metals such as silver and gold (which must be ingested, not just worn).
Moist skin will tan better and more evenly than dry skin. Your skin knows that moisture is important and uses a variety of methods to retain moisture in its surface. Your skin retains water within its natural oils to help them maintain an ordered structure around each skin cell.
Spray tanning with hairy legs is absolutely your personal choice. However, bear in mind, excessive hair can hinder an even tan. It's recommended to remove unwanted body hair before the session for better results.
Tips for Tanning Your Legs Outdoors in Natural UV Light:
Choose the right time of day: The sun's rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. To get the best tan on your legs, expose them to the sun during this time. However, be mindful of the risk of sunburn and avoid overexposure.
Difficult-to-tan areas (e.g. leg skin, palms) are those where the skin has fewer melanocytes than other areas of the body that get more sun exposure. What are melanocytes? They are cells that produce pigment, which is released during a tanning bed session, entering the epidermis.
Paleness may be the result of decreased blood supply to the skin. It can also be due to decreased number of red blood cells (anemia). Paleness of the skin is not the same as loss of pigment from the skin. Paleness is related to blood flow in the skin rather than deposit of melanin in the skin.
Shiny skin occurs due to compromised circulation and inadequate oxygen and nutrient supply to the skin cells. As a result, the skin may appear smooth, tight, glossy, or glassy on the legs.