I have been tanning, but I'm not getting any darker. Now what? You may have reached a tanning plateau. Everyone has a limit to how dark they can get, but to try to get past your current color we recommend switching the types of beds you use every few tanning sessions.
Too little time on the bed may not give your skin enough UV exposure while too much time can cause burning and make it harder to build up a tan over time. Start with shorter sessions and gradually increase as your skin adjusts. Another thing to consider is the UV intensity.
If your skin responded well to tanning before, there really should not be a reason why your skin suddenly is not responding. You might need to have UV light turned up, maybe the strength of light being used is less now then what you used to have before.
The skin of some very fair people contains very little melanin and, even when exposed to UV, they cannot form melanin, so they will not tan in sunlight or on a sunbed.
I have been tanning, but I'm not getting any darker. Now what? You may have reached a tanning plateau. Everyone has a limit to how dark they can get, but to try to get past your current color we recommend switching the types of beds you use every few tanning sessions.
There are many differences between the melanin produced by one person and another, both in quantity and quality. This happens because “Each of us produces a different quantity and quality of melanin. Melanin is a pigment produced by our cells found in the basal layer of the skin,” explains Dr Puig.
While “pale skin” and “sunbed” aren't usually words you use in a sentence together, it is important to note that you can absolutely use sunbeds as someone with a fair complexion.
Either you aren't out long enough or your SPF is too high. If you wear SPF 50 and reapply every two hours you can sit out all day and get little to no tan. OR you can just be the type of person that doesn't tan well. Some people go out into the sun and they burn and then it peels and burns again.
If you are finding the lamps of the tanning bed aren't lighting to full capacity, it may be a sign of a bad bulb or ballast. If it is the bulbs, there will usually be a total loss of illumination with most bulbs, but can also show itself as a flickering since florescent can also operate at diminished powers.
Avoid using harsh or fragranced products immediately after tanning, as they may further irritate the skin.
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.
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.
All skins tan differently, but the most important factor to consider is your skin type. Usually, the skin will not tan after the first session, and the results only become visible after 3-5 sunbed tanning sessions. These sessions allow the skin to oxidize its melanin, darken the cells, and produce a tan.
Ten minutes in a sunbed can be roughly equivalent to 1-2 hours in natural sunlight, depending on factors like sunbed intensity and skin type. However, this varies widely based on geographical location, time of day, and weather conditions. Always adhere to recommended exposure times to minimise skin damage risks.
If you're using our lay-down or stand-up sun beds, we recommend starting back at 4 or 5 minutes for your first few sun beds. Having fewer minutes more frequently will build you a darker, longer-lasting tan faster than visiting just once a week and opting for more minutes.
Eat the right food. Fruit and veg that's high in beta carotene, which can help you tan, but without burning. Beta-carotene is widely recognised as being an excellent antioxidant that fights free radicals and reduces skin damage and oxidative stress on the skin, helping limit the harmful effects of UV light.
Individuals with fair skin have a low production of melanin, which increases their sensitivity to the sun's rays. This skin type is particularly prone to sunburn and often struggles to tan. However, it's not impossible for fair skin to achieve a slight tan.
Fair skin can tan under the sun, but only with care. Start with short, consistent exposure, about 10-15 minutes a day during safer times like early morning or late afternoon. Always wear sunscreen (yes, even when aiming for a tan) and reapply it as directed.
If the skin has been inflamed or is severely dry, the melanocytes (cells that give the skin its color) in that area do not react to UV light the same as they do in non-affected/dry skin areas.
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.