Fake tans vs Real tans

Ok so i see many people and many of my friends are getting fake tans nowadays, it seems to be the done thing but i ask why do we need fake tans when we can go out in the sunshine and tan that way aslong as you are safe and use suncream you should be able to tan nicely. So i wanted to look at the advantages and disadvantages of each way of tanning in the hope it gives everyone a better insight into the world of tanning.

Sunbeds:
Sunbeds are the popular way to go and get a tan. They work by emmiting ultraviolet radiation (usually UVA but recently UVB) some of these UV rays can be dangerous though as the intensity of these UV rays can be up to 10-15 times higher then the midday sun.Because these rays penetrate deep into the skin cells there is an increased risk of the causing gene damage, this damage in turn can cause cancer.Some 132,000 cases of malignant melanoma (the most fatal kind of skin cancer) and over two million cases of other skin cancers occur worldwide each year. One in every three cancers diagnosed worldwide is a skin cancer. Most skin cancers are attributable to over-exposure to natural UV radiation. Although these can be a good idea due to the fact that you get an all over even tan and it is quicker then sitting in the sun for days trying to get a tan also in extremely rare cases it has been proven that using UV devices have successfully treated certain skin conditions such as dermatitis and psoriasis but these trials have been conducted under qualified medical supervision in an approved medical clinic and should not be used for such things in a commercial or home sunbed salon. There is always health risks involved .Some skin types are not suitable for using a sunbed for tanning and i strongly suggest that before you go and get on a sunbed you check out your skin type to see if your skin is suitable for the treatment. Skin types are split into different classes (I – VI).People with skin type I have the lightest skin, these people may not even get the lightest of a tan after repeated sunbed use but will suffer a sunburn like reaction instead but that being said people with I type skin are more likely to use a sunbed then people with darker skin.

Airbrush fake tanning:
This type of tanning is done with a airbrush machine so it is easy to get and all over tan and it also gives it a more professional look. But to be sure that this tan looks its best after it is done here are the things you need to do: Exfoliate before the treatment paying particular attention to the lower half of your legs,knees and ankles, top of your feet, toes, elbows and knuckles. This ensures that the tan will adhere to your skin properly and look fab aswell as when it starts to wear off it will still stay even. Also make sure you shave atleast 24 hours before you are due to go in and have your tan done. When you come to get your tan done you have to ensure that you are wearing loose clothing and no bra due to the tanning lotion coming off on your clothes, it is advised that you dont wear any tight fitting or lightly coloured clothing until after you have taken a shower which is 8 hours after you have had the tan done.You are also adviced to not wear any deodrant/perfume on the day of the tanning due to the fact that it will affect the lotion that is sprayed at you whilst you are in the boothe. This type of tanning takes 5 hours to develop and in them 5 hours you are not allowed to do anything that will make you excessively perspirate as it will cause discolouration of the tan. this includes no putting your hands in the washing up bowl, no excercise and no baths or showers.When you take your first shower roughly 8 hours after having it done you will notice that the water running off you has a brown tint to it this is the colour guide washing away. You must remember to mositurise every day and never rub your skin dry always pat it dry. This type of tanning is quite expensive and requires a lot more work then some of the others.Although there are no health disadvantages to this despite the fact that you could pick the wrong colour and end up coming out looking like a wotsit or an ompalumpa.

Fake tan lotion:
This is the stuff that you buy in the shops and apply yourself. They can come in mousses, lotions or sprays.The advantages of using this type of tanning is it is healthy for your skin (no uv rays in the lotions), it is also temporary so if you were to make a boob and get the wrong colour and either look far to brown or like and ompalumpa then it wont last for to long before it dissapears, Also the development on these is fast acting so you could quickly put it on before rushing out to a party.However like all tanning things there are disadvantages like you could end up applying it wrong and have streaks all over you body, The Tango'd look is not good and these lotions tend to smell quite badly. Again like the Airbrush tanning you need to shave at least 24 hours before applying (always read the leaflet before applying these tanning lotions), you have to exfoliate your entire body to ensure your tan lotion adheres to your skin perfectly and dont forget to moisturise your skin after exfoliating.Remember to wash your hands after applying it you havent used gloves at it will stain your hands also. You can actually buy self tanning gloves nowadays which will do the trick nicely.But sure to allow your lotion to dry before you put your clothes back on as it will stain your clothes.A little tip is to use a sock to rub it in as it is less likely to leave streaks that way.

Holiday Skin (Moisturises):
This is a body lotion with a self tanning ingrediant in it. I actually use something like this myself and have found it very nice to use as you can use it as your daily moisturiser and get a subtle tan at the same time.It is also very easy to apply. The only disadvantage to using this method to get a tan is it takes a long time to develop and you also have to apply it everyday.Some of these moisturisers smell nice and then some dont so it is a matter of choosing the right one and hoping that it smells nice.But again it could go streaky or patchy so beware and make sure you rub it in evenly. Also you will need to exfoliate before using it and make sure to wash both sides of your hands after applying it as it will stain them darker then the other parts of your skin.

Tanning without the products:
This is the good old fashioned way of getting a tan without spending loads of money on all the above products.Although you are still exposing your skin to Uv rays your body does create a brown coloured pigment that helps protect against the harmful UV rays.If you excessively expose yourself to these rays again you will end up burnt or a chance of skin cancer.The best way to minimize over exposure is to not stay in the sun for to long a period or wear sunscreen to help protect against them harmful rays. The higher the spf factor on sunscreen the more it will protect you against the harmful rays. So why not take yourself to the beach next time the sun is out or go off on holiday for some sun. But for best ways to beat sunburn try to stay out of the midday sun as that is the hottest part of the day and is more then likely to cause over exposure.Dont spend all day out in the sun either as it can cause sun stroke.