What to Do After Tanning Bed?

Do you want to know exactly what to do after tanning bed? Then this article will get you covered. It helps you fully understand the whole tanning process so you can do it safely and ensure that you apply the safest after-care tips once you have finished using the tanning bed.

How to Care for your Skin after Tanning?

Regardless if you used a tanning bed designed for indoor application, or tanned outdoors by exposing yourself to the sun, you still get yourself exposed to the damaging UV rays. This is the primary reason why you should take good care of your skin right after you tanned to guarantee that you get the longest and best results. The following are some of the things that you can do for your skin right after tanning:

  1. Hydrate – You need to hydrate right after tanning by drinking water directly. Do this whether you spent time under the sun or indoors by using a tanning bed. Keep in mind that the whole tanning process can cause skin dehydration. It might cause your skin to get dry and parched. Dehydration might also cause you to feel dizzy. Because of that, make it a point to have a bottle of water on standby so you can drink it right after the tanning session.
  1. Moisturize – It is also necessary to put on a good moisturizer directly to your skin once you have completed your tanning session. This is helpful in cooling your skin and replenishing its moisture. The good thing about moisturizing your skin is that it can also result in a healthier tan. Apply a liberal amount of it and you will surely be more satisfied with your tanned skin.
  1. Avoid showering right away – A lot of those who are already experts in tanning suggest that you should wait for a few hours after your tanning session to shower. The waiting time is necessary to retain the natural oils in the skin. It would be best to spend a minimum of 4 hours to wait before you finally shower.
  1. Put on some hyaluronic acid – This is actually a chemical, which can also hydrate your skin. It can moisturize your skin considering the fact that it helps in retaining water. As mentioned earlier, the whole tanning process can lead to skin dehydration. This makes it necessary to use products containing hyaluronic acid to hydrate your skin and make it more elastic. Consider doing this tip right after showering but prior to applying your moisturizer to get the best results.

Other do’s and don’ts to keep in mind after your tanning session include:

  • Do not wear shoes or socks to let the tan on your feet develop properly.
  • Do not wear tight clothes for a minimum of 5 hours. Among the items that you should avoid wearing are tight-fitting blouses, spandex, bras, and jeans.
  • Do not shave for at least 12 hours after the tanning session.
  • Do not wear long boots to prevent developing a patchy tan on any or both of your legs.
  • Wait for a minimum of 24 hours prior to tanning again. Note that this is the amount of time needed for your skin to recover from minor damages that it might have gotten from the procedure.

How to Take Care of your Skin after Using a Tanning Bed?

Using a tanning bed, especially for those who will do it for the very first time, can be slightly intimidating. Your worries might include how you can hydrate your skin properly and position your body in such a way that you can prevent having awkward tan lines. It is important, therefore, to be prepared prior to using a tanning bed. It is also advisable to know some tips in taking care of your skin after you have used a tanning bed. This is crucial in getting the best results without harming your skin.

  1. Moisturize your skin frequently – You need to keep on moisturizing your skin after using a tanning bed. Remember that prolonged exposure to UV rays can be damaging to your skin. It can also cause it to dry out. It can even cause signs of aging to appear prematurely. That said, a moisturizer should always be with you after your tanning session so you can apply some anytime you want.
  1. Put on a tanning lotion – Another important tip is to put on some sunless tanning lotion. When applied over your tanned skin, the sunless tanning lotion can help retain its color for longer. Just make sure to exfoliate your skin before applying the sunless tanning lotion. Do the application in smooth strokes so you can get maximum coverage.
  1. Consume dark chocolate – Eating dark chocolates after using a tanning bed is also one after-care tip that you should not forget to do. It is because this food contains cocoa, which is beneficial for your skin because aside from hydrating it, it also detoxifies it. It is because of the powerful antioxidant present in dark chocolate, which is flavonol. What is good about this antioxidant is that it limits the damage caused by the free radicals formed in your skin after you expose it to UV light.
  1. Eat the right foods – Also, one important thing that you should do after using a tanning bed is to eat foods that are good for the skin and make your tan as glowing and healthy as possible. Among the foods that you should eat are fruits rich in polyphenols, like berries, cherries, pears, grapes, and apples. Pomegranate or pomegranate juice should also be included in your diet right away as this contains an antioxidant capable of protecting your skin and preventing skin cancer.

Another important tip to keep in mind is to avoid using the tanning bed excessively. It is because the excessive use of it can be really damaging to the skin. Avoid using it over the prescribed period to keep your skin safe from harm.

Sunbed Tanning Tips

The result of tanning that you can get is also often influenced by your skin type. Remember that each skin type reacts to tanning products differently. For instance, those who have fair skin types are among those who only tan a bit. There are even those who were unable to get a tan at all. Other skin types and their usual reactions to tanning are also indicated in the following table.

How to Get the Best Tan from a Tanning Bed?

If you want to get the best results out of sunless tanning, which mainly uses a tanning bed then it would be wise to be fully knowledgeable about the whole process. Your goal here is to have an idea about what you should do before, during, and after the tanning process so you can get the most favorable tanning results.

Here are just some of the most effective sunless tanning tips designed to give you a long-lasting, healthy, and glowing tan:

  1. Use a scrubbing sponge or abrasive soap to exfoliate – Prior to using a tanning bed, make it a point to have your shower then exfoliate with the help of a scrubbing sponge or an abrasive soap. Skin exfoliation is essential before tanning to cleanse your skin and make it free from dead cells. With the dead skin cells removed, it is possible for you to enjoy a longer-lasting tan.
  2. Apply a tanning lotion – Make sure that your chosen lotion is high in quality and specifically designed for use on tanning beds. What is good about these lotions is that these can enhance the result of the tan by around 40-70 percent. The use of these lotions will produce a smoother, softer skin with a healthy tan.
  3. Stay in the tanning bed only within the recommended time – Avoid staying there for longer than necessary; otherwise, you are putting your skin at risk of burning. In most cases, the first session in the tanning bed only takes around 6-8 minutes.

It would be best to tan within this recommended period during the first few sessions prior to increasing it. In case your skin gets burned, avoid tanning again until your skin fully recovers and heals from the burn. It would also be best to bump down your time.

  1. Do not forget to wear goggles – Make sure that you are wearing goggles during your tanning bed session. You need these goggles as a means of protecting your eyes; otherwise, you are putting them at risk of getting damaged permanently.
  2. Take advantage of tan extenders – These refer to lotions that can help make a longer-lasting tan. In most cases, a tan extender contains bronzers that help in adding more color to the tan. The extenders are also helpful because of the ingredients present in them that are helpful in keeping your tanned skin smooth and glowing.

Using a tanning bed is a convenient way to tan. However, if you are not knowledgeable and you are unaware of what to do after tanning bed, then you will be at risk of experiencing unwanted and undesirable results – one of which is skin burning. It also makes you at risk of having an uneven tan. To boost your chances of receiving a perfect tan with the help of an indoor tanning bed, make it a point to gather as much information about it and how you can maximize its effects.