Summer is the season of outdoors. This is finally the time when you can plan long trips, go for treks, hikes etc without worrying about the weather conditions. But this carefree feeling comes with a hazard, which is known to all of us - sun tanning. This is the process which involves skin color getting darkened and tanned, and is most often the result of exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. And it can come from anywhere, from riding your vehicle to playing on the beach, the sun is everywhere, and it is out on a hunt!
But before we dive into ways to remove a tan, we need to understand why is it that you need to remove a tan? Are tans harmful, and how harmful are they?
The answer is yes. Tans are harmful for your body. And irrespective of what the common notions say, no amount of tan is safe for you.
A tan is your body’s response to the sun’s damaging UV rays to protect it. Melanin is the chemical that is responsible for skin darkening or tanning. Your skin releases melanin under the surface layers of your skin to help absorb UV radiation. The darkness of your skin after the tan is directly proportional to the amount of Melanin it produces, which depends on the intensity of harmful UV rays. So you must know how to remove sun tan from face and neck.
With that in mind, let’s start looking at ways in which you can remove your tan, and say Hello to a healthy and safe layer of skin! We’ll be covering all kinds of methods - from homemade remedies to artificial methods, as we understand that not everyone has the same amount of time or resources to follow the same kind of methods, it is also something that’s subjective. Some remedies can also help you to know how to remove sun tan overnight. Also the best sun tan removal creams. With knowing how to remove sun tan from face and neck, you can also know how to remove sun tan from feet and how to remove sun tan from hands. Without further adieu, let’s get started!
Homemade Remedies:
1. Lemon Juice: All you need to do is chop a lemon, and apply it on your skin. Wait for sometime before washing it off. Doing this on a daily basis will help.
2. Cucumber extract, Rose water and lemon juice: Mix one tablespoon of each of the 3 ingredients in a bowl and tap it generously over your affected skin. Doing this on a daily basis will help.
3. Bengal Gram Flour and Turmeric (besan ka atta and haldi): Mix a tiny amount of haldi with two tablespoons of besan ka atta, milk and one-tablespoon rose water. Leave for 15-20 minutes before washing it off. Can be done every alternate day for best results. This is one of the answers of how to remove sun tan from hands and how to remove sun tan from feet.
4. Honey and Ripe Papaya: Mix half a chopped papaya with one tablespoon of honey, and apply for 30 minutes before taking it off. Doing this 2-3 times a week will help.
5. Oatmeal and Buttermilk (chaas): Mix some buttermilk and oatmeal to obtain toothpaste consistency. Using circular movements, apply it on your skin. Doing this twice a week will help.
6. Turmeric (haldi) and Milk: Mix milk and haldi to obtain a mixture in toothpaste consistency, and apply it on your face. Can be done daily, until tan vanishes.
7. Milk Cream and Strawberries: Mash 5 strawberries in two tablespoons of milk cream, and keep it on for an hour before washing it off. Doing this twice a week will help.
8. Orange Juice and Yogurt: Mix one tablespoon of orange juice in yoghurt and apply to tanned areas, and leave it for 30 minutes. Doing this for 2 days will show results.
9. Sandalwood (chandan) Powder and Coconut Water: Evenly mix coconut water with one tablespoon sandalwood powder and apply gently on tanned areas. Repeat this two to three times a week for best results.
10. Vicks Vapor Rub: Even though this sounds like an unconventional method, this has proved very effective in tan removal. Can be done every night.
11. Cabbage Leaves: Simply place the cabbage leaves on the affected areas for 15-20 minutes. Can be repeated as often as you need.
12. Bitter Gourd: Juice the bitter gourd and apply this juice on the affected areas, and massage for a minute or two and let it sit for 5-7 minutes before rinsing it off. Repeat this twice a day.
13. Ice Cubes: Rub ice cubes on the tan as and when you feel like. Can be done anytime.
14. Green Tea: Brew some fresh green tea and let it cool down before applying it on the tanned skin using a cotton ball. Leave for 10 minutes before removal. Can be done twice a day.
15. Rice Flour: Mix the flour with enough water to obtain toothpaste consistency. Apply it on the face and neck, and keep it on your face for 10-12 minutes. Can be done twice a week.
Now, with the knowledge of these home made remedies with us, we’ll now look at what doctors have had to say about dealing with tans. This will also involve preventive measures you can take while you’re on a holiday, or simply riding to your workplace, as mentioned above-
Use preventive sunscreen:
So now you know how to remove sun tan from face and neck, how to remove sun tan from feet, and how to remove sun tan from hands.
What is SPF?
1. Apply sun tan removal creams even when the sun isn’t there: If you’re in a location with high altitude eg - a hill station, as the ultraviolet (UV) radiation here is much higher as compared to places near the sea.
2. Protective clothing: You shouldn’t overly rely on your sun tan removal cream. You should also keep preventive clothing handy. Things like a full sleeved jacket, a broad brimmed hat, and big sunglasses can help. Also if you’re riding to work, a pair of gloves is a must.
3. Healthy diet: This is something that is one of the most important things to save your body from tanning. A healthy diet that includes brightly coloured fruits and vegetables, like tomatoes and carrots which have beta carotenoids, and lycopene will definitely prevent sun induced damage.
4. Visit a dermatologist: The safest way to deal with a tan is to always visit someone who holds the most knowledge about the subject - a doctor.
Where has technology reached?
With the knowledge of basic conventional methods in hand, it’ll be unfair to miss out on the technological interventions in this realm. La Roche-Posey’s new ‘My UV Patch’ for is convenient preventative solution. The versatile heart-shaped sticker consists of photosensitive dyes that consider your own skin tone and change color based on the sun exposure that is then tracked via a mobile app for a personalized report. You can even know how to remove sun tan overnight.
But this product hasn’t really made an appearance in India yet.
Conclusion:
The best way to get rid of a tan is to properly ensure your skin is protected against UV rays. When it’s too late for floppy hats and sunscreen, there are a few treatments that may help reduce the visibility of a tan. Be sure to always spot-test treatments on your inner forearm 2 times a day for at least two or three days to check for a reaction before applying it anywhere else. Always use treatments as mentioned. Stop using any product or home remedy immediately if it starts to sting or burn, unless your dermatologist suggests you to continue. You can know how to remove sun tan overnight. Now that you know the best ways to remove sun tan from your body, you can get great results.
No matter what treatment you try, time is the best healer. A tan fades when you naturally shed sunburned or tanned skin cells and replace them with new, untanned cells.