Help, how can I get rid of my tan? My wedding is this weekend and I don’t have time to wait. This looks awful.
How Can I Get Rid Of My Tan? Now?
When one of my readers asks a question, I feel I need to try and help. Wedding time is not far away.
Some tans will fade in about 10 days on their own unless it is a very deep tan. This one was 3 full days in the sun, and going nowhere very quickly.
She had already evaluated the possibility of adding spray tan to even out her shoulders, throat, and face, and arms. To get where she would need to be to blend the tan lines would have been very dark and unnatural for her.
One exfoliation treatment had helped, but not as much as the young lady hoped for. Her every other statement was, “What was I thinking?”
How Can I Get Rid Of My Tan ? What Works?
We all know of “Brides Horror Stories.” To me, it was a “get tuff” lesson. Brides don’t see it this way. The exfoliation treatment could not be repeated for a few days, and the results were slight.
But there was a slight fading when pictures were compared. So this is a good route to choose. We were just too time-crunched for this to be one she was happy with.
There are also skin bleaching formulas and other ways of helping lighten the skin. However, nothing I could find with instant results. This link will share some information from a creditable source.
The Rest Of The Story
In emailing back and forth with this young lady, I was able to discover that she had a birthmark removed several months earlier. Her dermatologist home care orders had been to avoid the sun on this part of her neck and upper chest for at least 12 months.
She knew that she could not safely do a lot of exfoliation to the area and not have some real problems. She had learned to ride a motorcycle and had taken a 3 day trip with her boyfriend some more couples. Her girlfriends all rode in spaghetti strap tops and seemed to have no issues.
However, as we all know. we are not all alike. The lighter skin tones my reader has as well as the recent scar removal and new skin growth made the whole thing different for her.
She knew her Mom would be upset with her when she saw the suntan lines of her carelessness. She really hated to disappoint her Mom. 26 years old and worried about what her Mom would say.
By wedding day the gentle daily exfoliation had helped. Some good blending makeup in the area had covered, to all but her eyes, the mistake she had made.
Additional Research For Me
Of course, this only caused additional interest for me as I realized that she was one of many who had reason to want to remove their tan.
I grew up thinking a tan was the most desirable thing I could do for myself. Unfortunately, I was already in my 40’s when too much sun for me made itself apparent.
As a cosmetician, I worked in front of a mirror every day. Skincare was important, and I also did some skin services. During this time my clients spent lots of time and money on their tans.
Requests to fade that tan, or remove it just didn’t happen.
So I wanted to share some of what I found out about safely fading a tan.
Safety First In Removing A Tan
While it would be an appropriate time to get on my “bandbox” and talk about how tans don’t have to happen, that doesn’t help.
Getting too much sun happens when one is careless or doesn’t realize how to prevent a tan.
When the sun’s rays hit the skin the warm and comfortable feeling often lulls you into a false sense of security, and relaxation. Your skin cells get busy and begin to produce a light layer of melamine to protect the skin underneath.
If you wise up and are not back in the sun very long, this little bit of suntan will fade in 10 days or so.
If you continue to be in the sun and wear sunscreen you will find that your skin will slowly get darker as the melamine continues to produce and get thicker to protect your body under your skin.
This thicker layer of tan will not go away in 10 days or so. However, those tan layers will eventually be shed as the skin slowly sheds its cells and grows new skin. This is where we get into the dangers of too much sun.
If the cells are damaged by the sun’s rays, and can not replace themselves correctly, you can have skin cancer. This is a condition that is usually caused by too much sun exposure. That is why dermatologists suggest you prevent getting dangerous amounts of the sun on your skin. Be careful and don’t damage the cell. Learning About Skin Cancer
Sun Blocking Clothing And Sunscreen Time
If you ask How Can I Get Rid Of My Tan, then you know you got too much sun. Your skin needs some care to keep it healthy and able to protect your body.
Your skin is like a big body sock. It keeps everything together and in place. You should be careful with it. If a bone breaks, it will need attention to heal. If your skin has problems, it too will need help to heal.
You can help your body shed a scaley dirty looking line on your neck. Or any other reminder of an area that got too much sun, you can use exfoliating creams and gently rub to remove top layers of skin cells. It may take a couple of treatments but they will lighten. It is a slow process. Your body is healing. Be gentle and keep the area moisturized.
This Is A Situation Of Preventing, Not Curing.
Take the better route of preventing sunburn. Keep your skin protected from too much sun. Then you do not need to ask, “How Can I Get Rid Of My Tan.”
Wear sun blocking clothing, and use sunscreen on exposed areas. Keep your sunblocking hat and sunglasses close and easy to use. A loose fitting long sleeved shirt. Watch the time and be aware of how long you have been having fun in the sun.
Sami’s Take On “How Can I Get Rid Of My Tan?”
Prevention is the best way to ensure not wanting to get rid of my tan.
I hope to never need to help one fade early. Working to make sure I don’t have a tan is the better route for me.
While never having been in the young ladies shoes whose wedding was close and she felt her tan lines were unsightly, I am grateful.
However, I have seen myself in the mirror after a weeks vacation on the lake waterskiing and getting too much sun. Not pretty.
This vanity thing has not even taken into account all the dangers present when you get too much sun. Hopefully, you will also protect, and not try to tan. Both for you and your family.