Let’s say you have plans to hit the beach, but you also feel that your skin might be looking a little too pale. You notice that there are other men who go on beach trips and see that most of them have glowing, tanned skin. The most likely way they have achieved this is through tanning.

Tanning is an activity that gets its fair share of intrigue and apprehensions. On one hand, it is something a lot of people do because they want their skin to have a bronzed glow. On the other hand, it can get intimidating to do since the tanning process can have negative repercussions on your skin if not done properly.

Have you always thought about tanning, but at the same time, intimidated to do it? Here are all the different types of tanning for men as well as a step by step process.

Skin Exfoliation

Before anything else, make sure that you exfoliate your skin.This is the first step you should be doing.

The way exfoliation works is that it removes the dead skin cells in your body. It also ensures that your skin does not peel after tanning.

The most common practice of exfoliation is physical exfoliation. This is just manually scrubbing your skin, something that can be done easily at home. 

Physical exfoliants include cleansing scrubs, body brushes, and loofahs.

Note: Make sure to not use exfoliants specific to your body for your face as it can cause facial irritation.

There are many types of products to use when exfoliating. Be sure to check your skin type (dry, oily, sensitive, combination) before trying one out as exfoliants could vary depending on what skin type you have.

Another thing to do a day before is to have a good shave. This is done so that the hair doesn’t block the rays and have unaffected areas.

Sun Tanning

Natural tanning is the most convenient way of tanning. All you need is to go outside and rest under the sun. The ultraviolet rays trigger the skin cells which create melanin. This is what makes the skin turn dark.

Make sure to keep track of the time so as to not overexpose your skin to the sun. This could cause sunburn which is not at all pleasant to the skin, but this is just the least harmful.

To avoid this, make sure to switch sides every now and then to avoid selective parts of your skin to burn. This also helps cover all areas of the skin to make sure there are no noticeable white spots present.

To avoid the harsh effects of UV rays, make sure to apply moisturizer and more importantly, sunscreen. Make sure that it is a minimum of SPF 30.

Once your tanning session is done, wait a few hours then take a cool shower.

Tanning Bed

The next type of tanning is the tanning bed option. This one utilizes tanning bulbs which give off the same effect as the UV rays from sunlight. This is also a good way of getting the skin tone you so desire.

Before going into the booth, exfoliate a day before the session. To extend the duration as well as get better results, you can opt to put tanning lotion in your skin. 

When you go inside, the most important thing to do when doing this is to cover your eyes and mouth so as to not damage them. 

Bring a pair of tanning goggles with you and wear them once you enter the tanning bed.

Just as with sun tanning, be aware of how long you stay inside the tanning bed. The recommended duration for indoor tanning is about ten to twenty minutes.

Just as overexposure to sunlight is dangerous, the same can be said with tanning booths. Even if you badly want that golden glow, you should not compromise your skin in the process! 

Self Tanners

But let’s say you are not into sun tanning or going to a tanning bed. Well you’re in luck. There is a way to do self tanning that you can do in the comfort of your own home.

This mostly involves applying tanning products with DHA (dihydroxyacetone). What this does is cover up dead skin cells with something likened to a dye. 

When applying self tanners, do not start with the arms and legs. Instead of working your way from the arm/leg to the chest/torso, it should be the other way around. 

This is because you want to apply tanner to the least dry areas for the concentration to spread evenly. The center part of the body is the least dry, which is why you start from there.

The tan will last for about five to ten days. However, one thing to remember is that your skin always sheds over time. Depending on how frequent your skin does this could affect how long the self tanner’s effects could last.

One thing you can do to extend the duration is to apply moisturizer.

You might want to avoid taking a shower right after you tan. Let it settle first so that your self tanning wouldn’t end up being wasted.  Showering will most likely remove the effects. 

Conclusion

Tanning has become an activity that can be enjoyed by everyone. At the same time, it can be daunting as such a practice can become a risk to the skin.

Natural tanning can be done as we are able to take in vitamin D from the sun whenever we go outside. As always, be attentive when you go lying down underneath the sun as too much is never a good thing. 

Tanning beds are always an alternative, just be sure to be extra careful when you decide to pay a visit to your local tanning salon.

If you’re not a fan of those two, then home tanning via self tanners is the way to go. There is no need to think about the risks of overexposure to UV lights and just apply it to your skin (although of course, not too much).

Hopefully, this helped you gain more understanding towards tanning and even skin health. Now, go get that glowing tanned skin before your next beach trip.