Tanning Tips

There are a variety of tanning tips that should be followed for the best results if you're in the market for a bronzed body.

It is helpful to understand not only the process but the pros and cons to tanning.

tanning tips are very handy when swimming

A tanned skin - healthy, sexy, wealthy, and slim? 

A tanned skin has become synonymous with healthy, sexy, wealthy, and slim!

• Healthy
  Because it equates to time being spent outdoors, which is usually seen as good for ones' health.
• Sexy
  In that a tanned body is seen as far sexier than a pale skin. This is the reverse in some cultures however, where keeping as pale skinned as possible is more appealing. Eg Japanese and Chinese cultures.
• Wealthy
  A tan implies you have lots of leisurely recreation time outdoors in the sunshine. 
• Slim
  This just seems to be because people believe fat brown skin looks far better and less unsightly than fat white skin?

The real fact is that any tanning of your skin is only healthy in that it provides an excellent source of Vitamin D which is said to provide an increasingly long list of health benefits.

However, if your tanning session are not managed properly, it can be extremely bad for your health

Top 5 Tanning Tips

tanning tips for the beach

1. Manage your tanning slowly 
   A slow tan rather than quick one means you build your melanin levels up at a pace that your body can keep up with.
   If too fast, you will end up with a sunburn that not only blasts your tanning out the window, but creates possibilities for skin cancer. This is to be avoided at all costs.
2. Know your skin type
   Understanding the ability of your skin to tan will help to manage how much time is safe in the sun, as well as the time of day.
   If you know you burn easily or are fair skinned, you'll want to boost the SPF and go with a product that is labeled SPF 30 or higher to start with. For those that either don't burn easily or hardly burn at all, SPF 15 should be more than enough protection, especially if you take it slowly. 
   
3. Choose a good sunscreen product
   Select a healthy, non-toxic sunscreen without synthetic chemicals and preferably with added antioxidants or such to heal any possible skin damage.  
   It is very important to select quality UVA and UVB broad-spectrum protection. Protection from UVA is almost more important than UVB in that the rays penetrate deeper and are believed to have the capability of creating free radicals that can lead to melanomas. UVB is also the one that helps us to create Vitamin D.
   By tanning without the use of sun care products, your skin is at the mercy of the ultraviolet rays. The more exposure you give your skin, the higher your chances are of developing premature wrinkles, fine lines and sagging skin. UV rays break down the collagen in the skin and also remove the hydration and nutrients needed to keep your complexion youthful, firm, and supple - or sexy and slim looking!
   
4. Reapply your sunscreen
   Try to make it a point to reapply your sunscreen every two hours when exposed to the sunlight.
   Each time you sweat, wipe your face, or go swimming and then towel off, your sunscreen is removed or at least compromised, leaving your skin vulnerable. In these cases, reapply far more frequently.
5. Keep hydrated
   Lying out in the sun can increase your body temperature and lead to dehydration.
   To prevent this, keep a bottle of cold water next to you at all times and drink at regular intervals. This will keep your body hydrated from the inside.