How to Tan Better – Tanning Plateau Explained & More

Is There a Limit To How Much Your Skin Can Tan?

A beautiful natural tan can take months to acquire. However, if you suddenly cannot deepen your tan, you may have reached the tanning limits. The tanning plateau occurs when your skin refuses to tan no matter how many hours you spend sitting in the sun. So, the answer to whether your skin quits tanning at a certain time is YES.

There are many skin varieties, and each reacts differently to the sun’s rays. Every skin type has a tanning plateau; the skin stops darkening once it is reached. Other causes, besides tanning plateau, may prevent your skin from tanning. Let’s define the tanning limits and how to overcome it if you want to grow your tan further.

• Your Skin Has Attained a Tanning Plateau

Every skin type has a different tanning plateau. With prolonged tanning, the skin grows thicker and thicker. When the skin grows so dense that UV rays can no longer penetrate, you reach a tanning plateau.

When UV rays cannot penetrate the higher layers of skin, it becomes more challenging to create a tan. You are damaging and blistering your skin if you continue to sit in the sun. So, now that you’ve hit a tanning plateau, you should stop sitting in the sun. Allow your skin to recover from sun exposure. It is the only way to keep your skin in good condition.

• You Are Using High Sunscreen Protection

When being exposed to the sun, use a decent sunscreen protects the skin from UV damage. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 for optimum protection. While using sunscreen to avoid sunburn is advised, it is vital to use the correct quantity to offer optimal protection. It will help ensure that you get the ideal tan if that’s what you are looking for.

Perhaps your skin is not tanning because you’re wearing a powerful sunscreen that inhibits the sun’s rays from accessing your skin. It is usually decided by the intensity of the sun’s rays and your skin type. UV ‘A’ rays penetrate the skin.

Melanin begins to oxidise to form a protective barrier in your skin. This and a powerful sunscreen may help keep skin from further darkening.

We are not advocating that you stop applying sunscreen but use the correct sunscreen to protect you from UV damage while still allowing you to tan. Never reduce your sun protection to zero; however, you can reduce it somewhat if you want your skin to have a tan.

• You Are Not Having Enough Tanning Time

After tanning, the skin acquires a natural resistance to the sun for some time. It occurs after a base tan has been established. The modest sun protection a foundation tan provides may damage your ability to tan over time.

You may now need to sit for over 30 minutes for a deeper tan. Extending sun exposure duration allows for deeper and darker tanning. Make sure to gradually and gradually increase your time spent in the sun to ensure that you don’t burn your skin.

• You Are Wearing The Wrong Clothes

Wearing an oversized shirt or full-coverage garments may further impede the tanning process. While certain textiles allow you to tan while wearing them, others prevent you from getting a tan. As a result, while going out to tan, wear clothes that expose most of your body to the sun. You can also try tan-through swimwear and dresses, which will allow you to keep your body covered while tanning.

• You Are Not Fully Hydrated

Water consumption is essential in tanning. As a result, your skin must be sufficiently moisturised to tan. Consume at least a couple more glasses of water than you normally do. A healthy water intake hydrates the skin cells, allowing melanocytes to perform more efficiently. At the same time, keeping hydrated means your skin will get a deeper tan after sun exposure rather than just drying out and peeling.

• How Can I Get Past The Tanning Plateau?

You have hit your tanning plateau if your skin has gotten so thick that UV rays cannot penetrate and darken it further. However, sitting in the sun will make the skin more prone to harm. It is when you can utilise alternative methods to get a tan. This can be done by using a tan booster or tanning creams. These products can help the skin become more susceptible to UV radiation and help create a tan.

Too much sun exposure can make your skin thick and dry. Tanning lotions are moisturising and nourishing and, when applied to the skin, they can help soften it and make it more sensitive to the UV radiation that creates a tan.

Conclusion

To summarise, getting a natural tan takes time. However, there is a moment known as the tanning plateau when additional deepening becomes harder owing to thicker skin. Other factors like sunscreen use, tanning duration, clothing selection, and hydration impact your tan. Consider utilising tan boosters or lotions to break through the plateau, but always prioritise skin care to avoid UV damage during tanning.

Guest Article.