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Lifestyle

5 Tips on How To Get A Safe, Gorgeous Tan This Summer

Are you helping or harming your body this summer?

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5 Tips on How To Get A Safe, Gorgeous Tan This Summer
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There is just something about being tan that makes you feel like everything is better. Whether it is having tan lines that show your accomplishment, not having to worry about looking like Casper the friendly ghost, or just being able to wear more colors without looking washed out, having a solid tan is a must in the summer.

However, as you work on your tan, are you doing more harm then good? Most people say no, but the real answer is yes.

Here are 5 tips on how to work on your tan in the healthiest way possible.

1. Know your skin.

Knowing your skin type and how it reacts to products is the best knowledge you can have. Does you skin burn easily? Is it harder for you to tan? Do you freckle easily? All of these questions, and several more, hold more knowledge than you think. Knowing how your skin reacts to the sun and to sun products can help you determine the safest route to take for tanning.

2. Always wear sunscreen.

This one may be a given, and I'm sure you've heard it about a thousand times, but it is so true. Wearing sunscreen will prevent UV damage to your skin. However, just as important is knowing the right amount of SPF to wear. Just because tanning oil has SPF 15 doesn't mean that it will necessarily protect your skin as much as it needs. Determining which SPF is right for you is a key in getting a healthy tan. Your sunscreen should prevent you from getting any sun damage (sunburns) but could still allow you to get tan, if you wish. If you get burnt while wearing sunscreen, either increase the SPF or decrease time intervals between application and reapplication.

3. Always, always reapply your sunscreen.

This tends to be where people fall short and usually get burnt. Just because you applied your sunscreen once doesn't mean that it will protect you for five hours of laying out at the beach. Reapplying is the key to a healthy, glowing tan. I tend to reapply my sunscreen about every two hours at least. Most sunscreens have approximately 80-90 minutes of water resistance. So pretty much you can swim for about an hour and a half before your sunscreen wears off. So be sure to bring extra bottles at the pool so you can reapply and avoid getting fried.

4. Wear UV sunglasses and hats.

While wearing clothes is the best option to prevent you from getting UV damage, it's not ideal. I live in the deep south where the heat index gets to be in the 100s. Wearing long sleeves is not an option unless I want to have a heat stroke. However, wearing sunnies and hats are do-able. While the high end brands, such as Ray Bans, can cost an arm and a leg, sometimes its worth it to splurge. I have a pair of Ray Bans that have UV lens, so my eyes are more protected against UV rays than they would be with other lens. The next time you go looking for sunnies, check out the UV lens. They create a clearer picture and protect your eyes. While wearing hats is almost essential in the summer, be sure that your ears are protected. Plain baseball caps leave you ears out to the weather, so if you plan on wearing one of those, lather up your ears with sunscreen. It is possible for you ears to get burnt and eventually have sun damage. I prefer wearing bucket hats to protect my neck and ears from the sun.

5. Skip the tanning bed.

While tanning beds are convenient and private, they do way more harm than good. Tanning beds emit UVA rays, in which overly exposed to, can cause melanoma. In fact, using tanning beds can cause premature wrinkles and increases your risk for skin cancer. Even though its convenient, especially during the winter, is being tan more important than healthy skin?

While all of these tips are important, they are only useful if you actually follow them. Using sunscreen is only good if you reapply it, wearing a hat is only as helpful if your whole head is covered, etc. In order to get a safe, healthy tan, you must take the time to protect yourself. Sure, your tan wont be instantaneous, but it will be safer in the long run.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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