Enjoying a vacation on the beach can be a wonderful way to spend your time. It is possible that you have noticed the darker color of the parts of your body exposed to sunlight, such as the feet, the arms, the legs, the neck, the face and the back. This is the result of sun tanning. Sun tan can be removed by using skin care products and home remedies or opting for professional, safe treatments. Learn more about the causes of sun tan and its types. Also, learn how to prevent it, as well as remedies.
Sun tan is caused by the pigment melanin in your skin increasing when it comes into contact with harmful sun rays. This results in a darker effect. This is your body's natural way of protecting your skin from UV rays. Sun rays come in two forms: UVA, or Ultraviolet A, and UVB, or Ultraviolet B. These sun rays both penetrate your lower epidermis, which causes cells to produce more melanin. Both UVA and UVB cause a tan on the skin[ Long-term exposure to sunlight can cause skin damage, such as sunburns. It also reduces the elasticity of your skin and causes premature ageing. 1].
Sun tanning can have serious effects, whether you use tanning beds at home or take a bath in the sun on your favorite beach. [ 2]. The tan on your skin is a sign of DNA damage, and this can cause skin cell harm. Sun tan type is determined by the ultraviolet spectrum of sunlight's varying wavelengths.
The melanocytes are activated to produce excess melanin when UV rays reach your skin. It causes darkening of the skin due to tannification and oxidation.
According to the Fitzpatrick skin scale, a person's type of skin determines how much sun they will tan. The Fitzpatrick scale[ 3] indicates that the degree of tanning depends on the skin type. Indian skin is mainly classified as 4th or 5th type, which makes it more susceptible to tan.
- Type 2 Skin: This category includes people with pale skin. These people have blonde or red hair and green or blue eye color. They have a skin that doesn't tan easily, but can be damaged by sunburns.
Before getting a sun tan, it is important to be aware of its effects. You can:
Sun tan increases your risk of skin cancer. The effects of sun tanning are the same whether it's indoor or outdoor. Sunlight causes DNA to be altered, which can lead to skin cancer[ Melanoma[ 4]. These cancer genes can also be passed down through the generations. 5], basal cell cancer, and squamous-cell carcinoma are all more likely to occur.
- When heading out in the heat of summer, cover up completely.
- Keep your scarves and sunglasses handy, as well as your hats.
- Avoid outdoor activities between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm. This is when the sun is at its strongest.
- Apply sunscreen before you go out, and then again after some time to prevent tanning and maintain healthy skin.
- To prevent dehydration, in the summer drink lots of water and fruit juices. Drink at least 15 glasses water, and consume water-rich foods like watermelon or cucumber.
- Apply sunblock and sunscreen with mineral ingredients every 20 minutes if you must work in the sun.
- You should wash your face at least twice a day to remove sweat, oils, and dirt.
- Eat lots of fruit and vegetables to boost your immune system. This boosts the skin's immune system and fights sun damage.
Professional treatments can be used to remove the tan from the skin or reduce the effect of a tan. These treatments can be obtained from skin clinics with highly trained specialists.
The tan-removal treatment will remove the dead skin cells that have an excess of melanin[ 6]. Chemical peels are a great way to remove tan. They use ingredients such as phenol, carbolic or glycolic acids, salicylic or trichloroacetic acids, or even lactic acid. Chemical peels can be classified based on the intensity and effectiveness of their chemical ingredients.
- Deep Chemical Peel
- Medium Chemical Peel
- Chemical peeling is a superficial treatment.
IPL Lasers use Intense pulsed light energy[ 9] and can be used to treat the area of skin that is tanned. The melanin is heated and broken down to remove the discolouration of the skin caused by tanning. One IPL session lasts about 30 minutes, and there is no pain or very little. It is possible that the number of sessions you need will depend on your skin type and how darkly tanned you are.
Use these natural remedies for removing the effects of sun tanning on your skin.
- Mix honey and lime juice with bleaching agents. Apply the mixture to tanned areas. After 20-30 minutes, wash it off to remove the sun tan.
- Apply the paste made from equal amounts of rice flour and potato juice to sun-tanned areas. Potatoes have a bleaching action that will effectively lighten sun tan. After 15 minutes, rinse with cold water.
- Let the saffron soak in milk for 2 hours. Apply the mixture to the skin that has been tanned and rinse after 20 minutes. Saffron has skin-lightening properties, soothes the skin and contains bioactive compounds that protect it from UV rays.
- Use curd to mix a teaspoon of besan with a tiny amount of turmeric powder. A few drops of Lemon Juice can be added. Leave it on for 30 minutes. To see the results, rinse well.
- Coconut milk contains mild acids and vitamin C to combat tan. Coconut milk can be applied to tanned areas with a cotton ball. Allow it to dry. It can be removed with a gentle cleansing soap.
Tan removal creams contain ingredients that lighten melanin to remove the tanning effect on the upper skin layer. By targeting the deeper skin layers, a tan-removal serum or cream will inhibit the enzymes that prevent melanin from being produced.
They contain chemical and lightening ingredients that fight the tan on the skin and increase the effect of the product. Select products that contain one or more lighting actives.
- Liquorice Root Extract: The liquorice extract contains glabridin[ 10] and flavonoids[ 11] that can remove skin tanning and UVB effects.
The ingredients in the de-tanner face pack can help to remove the tanning effect of skin that has been exposed to UV radiation. These products won't lighten skin but they will help to even out skin tone.
- https://www.fda.gov/radiation-emitting-products/tanning/risks-tanning
- National Library of Medicine (NLM) - https://medlineplus.gov/tanning.html
- Ward WH, Farma JM - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK481857/table/chapter6.t1/
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9272582/
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3672405/
- American Academy of Dermatology - https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/sun-protection/shade-clothing-sunscreen/sunscreen-faqs
- Maulana Azad Medical College and Lok Nayak Hospital, New Delhi, India - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3461803/
- Dermatology Clinic, University Clinical Center of Kosovo, Pristina - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4720453/
- Departments of Surgery and Biomedical Engineering, Beckman Laser Institute and Medical Clinic, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3982879/
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Huizhou Municipal Central Hospital, Guangdong China - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9123664/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/glabridin
