Tanning Tips

In the good old days, tanning tips merely specified finding a nice place at the beach, putting down a towel and going to sleep. Now that we know more about skin cancer and dermal damage that sun exposure actually causes, tanning tips are a lot more involved. Are you up to date?

Get started with collecting the hardware:

• Sun screen lotion
• Sunglasses
• Bottled water

Now that you have a good basic kit to head out into the rays, it is time to use these tanning tips to get an attractively bronzed physique.

1. Apply a broad spectrum sunscreen. Experts recommend a minimum SPF of 15. If you live at high altitudes or plan on prolonged sun exposure, opt for a higher number. The broad spectrum approach is a must to protect against all of the sun’s rays--UVA and UVB.
2. Wear sunglasses. There is no sunscreen for the eyes, but they will certainly get damaged by too much sun exposure. Ultimate tanning tips for frequent and prolonged sun exposure would dictate the investment in good quality wrap-around shades. They have the added side effect of looking cool!
3. Time it right. Go before noon or after noon, but do not bake in the sun during high noon. Reapply the sunscreen every couple of hours or after going into the water. Remember also that abnormal sweating requires yet another application of sunscreen.
4. Start out for short periods of time. This is especially important if you are going for the full-body tan. Tanning tips usually suggest starting with a brief sun exposure that gradually increases. When tanning nude, cover up your private parts after only a couple of minutes; the skin of the scrotum is a lot more sensitive than the dermis on the legs, and you will get badly burned before your calves even tingle.
5. Stay hydrated. Sun exposure dries out the skin. Even though lotions ensure that the epidermis remains supple, water hydrates the organ as a whole. There is no need for sports drinks; regular water works just as well.

If in spite of these tanning tips you do fall victim to sunburn (if you have very fair skin, you are at higher risk),m consider the fake tan. The badly done at-home tans that resulted in that characteristic orange exterior are a thing of the past. New products now make indoor tanning from the bottle simple.