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It takes months and years to develop a gorgeous natural tan. However, if suddenly you experience not being able to darken your tan, maybe it’s because you have reached the tanning plateau.
The tanning plateau comes when your skin refuses to tan anymore, irrespective of the hours you spend sitting under the sun. So, the answer to whether your skin stops tanning at a certain point is probably YES.
Why Am I Not Tanning Anymore?
There are different skin types, and each reacts differently to the sun’s rays. Every skin type has a tanning plateau; after achieving this, the skin stops getting darker. However, besides tanning plateau, other factors may also stop your skin from tanning.
Let’s understand what a tanning plateau is and how you can overcome it to develop your tan further.
Why Does Skin Stop Tanning?
Different factors aid in the development of the natural tan. While some work great, others are not as obvious as others. A few reasons that may stop your skin from tanning include the following:
1. Your Skin Has Attained A Tanning Plateau
The tanning plateau is different for all skin types. As the skin tans, it becomes thick and thicker with continued tanning. You attain a tanning plateau when the skin becomes so thick that UV rays can no longer penetrate.
When the UV rays cannot go inside the upper layers of skin, it becomes difficult to develop tan further. Now, if you continue sitting under the sun, you are just damaging your skin and burning it.
So, now that you have attained a tanning plateau, it is better to stop sitting under the sun. Give a break to your skin from the sun for a while. It is the only way to prevent skin damage.
2. You Are Using High Sunscreen Protection
When you expose the skin to the sun, a quality sunscreen protects it from sun damage. It is always recommended to wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of more than 15 for good protection.
While it is advised to wear sunscreen to prevent sunburn, it is essential that you use it in the right amount to get the right level of protection. It will ensure that you develop the desired tan as well.
One of the reasons that you might not be tanning anymore is that you are using a too strong sunscreen, which does not allow the sun rays to penetrate your skin. It generally depends upon the intensity of sun rays and your skin type.
As UV ‘A’ rays reach the skin, melanin starts oxidizing to create a protective barrier in your skin. This, along with strong sunscreen, may prevent skin from tanning further.
Here, we are not recommending avoiding using sunscreen, but using the right sunscreen so that it can prevent sun damage and allow tanning. Never zero your sun protection; however, you can lower it a bit.
3. You Are Not Having Enough Tanning Time
Once the skin has been tanned, it develops natural resistance to the sun for some time. It happens when base tan has been developed. This minimal sun protection offered by a base tan can actually affect how well you can tan over time.
Now, in order to develop a darker tan, you may have to sit for more than 30 minutes. Extending the exposure time to the sun will allow further and darker tanning. Make sure to increase your time spent in the sun slowly and minimally.
4. You Are Wearing The Wrong Clothes
Wearing a full shirt or full-coverage clothes may hinder the process of tanning further. While some fabrics offer tanning despite wearing them, some get in the way of developing a tan.
Therefore, wear clothes that expose most of your body parts to the sun as you head out to develop a tan. You can also consider tan-through swimwear and clothing that will allow you to still feel covered up while developing a tan.
5. You Are Not Fully Hydrated
Water intake plays a major role in developing tan. Therefore, your skin needs to be hydrated enough to tan. You can do it by drinking a few more glasses of water than earlier.
A healthy intake of water hydrates the skin cells, which helps melanocytes to work efficiently. It helps in darkening the skin and giving it a gorgeous bronze golden glow. At the same time, being hydrated also means that your skin will develop a darker tan after being in the sun, and your skin will not just dry out and peel.
How Can I Get Past The Tanning Plateau?
If your skin has become so thick that UV rays are not able to penetrate and darken it further, you have reached your tanning plateau. Still, sitting under the sun will only make the skin prone to damage.
It is when you can use other ways to develop a tan. It can be done by using a tan accelerator or tanning lotions. These products can work wonders in helping the skin be more receptive to UV rays and develop a tan.
Your skin would not only feel thick, but it would likely feel dry too. Tanning lotions are packed with hydrating and nourishing ingredients, and when these are applied to the skin, they can help to soften the skin, so they are more receptive to the UV rays.
Final Words
Your skin may stop tanning at a certain point, and there are valid reasons to explain it. However, taking a few measures can accelerate the tanning and help darken the skin further.
No matter what you do to tan, make sure to protect your skin from sun damage.
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