How long does a tan last Indian

Aditi Thakur on 07/18/2020

If you can manage to tan your skin evenly, it’s a gift. However, it’s rare. In usual scenarios, sun tans are patchy and irregular. It damages skin by causing blemishes and dark spots. Prolonged skin damage isn’t easy to heal, hence, it is wise to prevent the overexposure in the first place.

Sun damage doesn’t just affect your skin by tanning, it can also cause premature wrinkles and fine lines. So, limit skin exposure to the sun or make a habit to not skip your sunscreen. However, if you already have sun tan and wish to treat it, here’s a guide that’ll help to understand the tanning process and get rid of it.   

Why Skin Gets Tanned?

Without the Sun, there is no life and light as it’s the biggest source of energy for the Earth. It emits rays and light that helps the vegetation, animals, and humans to grow and survive. However, one of the rays emitted by the sun, Ultraviolet A rays aka UVA, is harmful to our skin. These rays penetrate the innermost layers of the surface of the skin. This promotes the process of melanin production in the cells. Melanin is the brown pigment that causes tanning. It helps our body in protecting the skin from burning.

Is Sun Tanning Harmful For The Skin?

When you know that your body is protecting your skin from further damage, you also realise that there’s no such thing as “safe” tan. If your skin is tanned, it means UVA has entered the layers of your skin. It is bad news because this kind of skin damage can lead to serious problems like skin cancer in the future. That is why is best for us to prevent skin damage. If your lifestyle includes being exposed to the sun for long hours, it is wise to take precautionary measures to keep your skin safe.

How To Prevent Tanning?

The easiest and safest way of keeping your skin from sun damage would be to, yes, you guessed it right, not go in the direct sunlight at all. Sun rays are so troublesome for your skin that prevention is the only 100 percent effective option. So avoid going into the heat in peak hours - 12pm to 4pm. If it is unavoidable for you to do that, make sure your skin is not directly exposed to the sun. Wear a hat, carry a parasol, or use a scarf to cover your face. 

After covering yourself as much as possible, apply a sunscreen with high SPF and re-apply it after two hours. Sunscreen is formulated to minimize the skin damage caused by the UVA. It helps in protecting skin from premature ageing by preventing wrinkles and hyperpigmentation.

Apart from that, drink enough water if you plan to go out in the sun. This will keep your skin well hydrated when the rays try to suck the moisture out. 

Home Remedies For Indian Skin To Remove Tanning

If you have already tanned your skin, you’re probably wondering how to remove tan? Long-term skin damage caused by consistent overexposure to the sun is potentially irreversible. However, if your skin has been recently affected by the exposure, you can start working on the process of de-tanning to regain your original skin colour and health. It’s likely that the damage won’t be fully repaired but it will soothe your skin and will restore it to the best. 

There are two ways to go about the procedure - home remedies and healing skin products. We recommend you to start with the home remedies and ayurvedic cures as you’ll skip any further damage or side effects caused by chemicals to your skin.

We have listed some of the best home remedies and ingredients that will give you the best results.

Cucumber : Take freshly grated cucumber. Clean your face and then rub the cucumber on your skin. Let it get absorbed for 10-15 minutes. Then wash it off. Do this a couple of times every day. The hydration from this will make your skin feel soothed and accelerate the healing process. 

Turmeric, gram, and curd : Yes, the Indian classic. Make a paste of turmeric, gram flour, and curd and apply it to your face. Give it 15-20 minutes and then, wash it off. Repeat the process every alternate day for noticeable results.

Honey and lemon : Take two teaspoons of honey and one teaspoon of lemon, make a paste, and apply it to your face. Let it sit for 15 minutes. Now, rinse it off. While lemon will detox the skin, honey will moisturize it with love. Repeat it every day. 

Milk : Take a cotton ball and dip it in some raw milk. Apply the milk to your face and let it dry for 10 minutes. Then, rinse it off. Raw milk gives you radiant skin over time.

So you can continue repeating the process every day. 

Papaya and honey : The enzymes in papaya are known for their exfoliating and skin brightening properties. It smoothly clears dead skin cells while honey moisturizes your skin. Take the papaya pulp and mix it with a tablespoon of honey. Apply the paste to your face and keep it for 30 minutes. Wash it off with the lukewarm water. Do this every alternate day for fast results.

Orange and yoghurt : The power of vitamin C never fails. It removes blemishes, maintains the tightness of the skin, and prevents the skin from the signs of ageing. Yoghurt moisturizes the skin. So, prepare a mask with these two ingredients in a bowl. Apply it. Keep it for 30 minutes and then, rinse it off. You can try the mask every alternate day until you see the desired results.

Tomato, aloe vera, and masoor dal mask : Soak a tablespoon of masoor dal in water for 30 minutes. Grind it and blend it with aloe vera and tomato puree. Apply it to your face. Rinse it off after 30 minutes. This mask will rejuvenate your skin, brighten it, and clean it. You can apply the mask twice a week.

Green tea : The good for all, green tea is packed with antioxidants that treat skin tan by helping in skin cell production. It can also be used as an effective undereye scrub for dark circles. To apply, brew some tea and allow it to cool. Let it sit on the face for 10 minutes and then, wash it off. Do it every alternate day to reap the most benefits.

Oatmeal and buttermilk : The lactic acid in the buttermilk improves skin texture and oatmeal acts as a natural exfoliator. Combine two tablespoons of oatmeal and two tablespoons of buttermilk. Mix it well and apply it. Rinse it after 20-30 minutes.

Milk cream and strawberry : This combination helps your treat sun tan, blemishes, freckles, and dark spots. Make a smooth paste of two strawberries and two tablespoon milk cream and apply it to your face. Let it work on your skin for 20-30 minutes and then, wash it off. Use the mask twice a week for noticeable results.

Almonds : Vitamin E present in almonds helps your skin fight sun tan and other skin issues. Just take four to five almonds and grind it coarse. Add rose water and lemon juice to it. Use it as a scrub and rinse it off in five minutes.

Sandalwood : This age-old remedy is healing to the skin in many ways. Sandalwood can remove tanning from the face while soothing its way to treating acne and pimples. To create the mask, take two tablespoons of sandalwood powder. Milk it with rose water. If you wish to add raw milk, you can. Apply it to your face and let it dry. Then, wash it off with the cold water. Repeat the process twice a week for the calming results.

Fresh milk cream and saffron : Saffron has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and skin-brightening properties. It doesn’t just deal with the sun tan but also, cleans the face by treating pimples and acne. Take a few strands of saffron and boil them in water. Once it leaves some colour, allow the water to cool down. Now add it to two tablespoons of milk cream. Apply it and then, wash it off after 15 minutes with lukewarm water. You can use this mask thrice a week for the best results.

If you wish to use de-tanning products instead of home remedies, go ahead and bring in the power of Ayurveda into the picture with Petalsoft Anti-tan Rose Face Pack, Plump Up Antiwrinkle Gel and Nosun Jojoba-Wheatgerm Moisturising Sun Protection Gel

FAQs

1. Is sun tan permanent?

Ans: A tan is a sign of skin damage which points us to a bigger problem. The darkening of your skin is your body’s way to protect your skin, a reaction to the sun damage. Sun tan does eventually fade as the new skin cells will generate over time but consistent sun damage for a period of time might lead to permanent skin darkening.

Even when the tan fades, the damage caused to the skin is likely permanent. It may lower your immunity, causes your skin to sag, wrinkles, and pigmentation. So always protect your skin instead of relying on the antidotes.

2. Why is tan skin attractive?

Ans: When your skin is tanned, it stands out which highlights contours and enhances the glow on your skin. Hence, some studies have observed that some humans find tan skin more compelling than pale skin. However, this doesn’t change the fact that too much tanning will damage your skin and lead it to skin cancer. In all cases, it’s important to protect the skin by adding anti-ageing ingredients to your daily skincare routine.

3. Does tan go away naturally?

Ans: Mostly, the tan fades away naturally in a period of two weeks to a month unless you are continuously keeping your skin exposed to the sun. If you cannot avoid sun exposure but wish to protect your skin from the UV rays, use a strong sunblock, and wear protective clothing.

4. How do I restore my original skin colour?

Ans: One of the easiest ways to get back your original skin colour is to heal it with the power of vitamin C. Apply lemon juice or tomato juice and leave it for 15-20 minutes and then wash it off. Make sure you’re drinking enough water in a day and not overexposing your skin to the sun, consistently.

5. How to remove tanning quickly?

Ans: Use sour curd in your face mask, it’s highly moisturizing for your skin. It will instantly give your skin the much-needed relief. Other than that, use lemon juice, oatmeal scrub, tomato juice or potato juice, which will act as a bleaching agent, as face cleansers for quick results.

6. What foods to eat for glowing skin?

Ans: Glowing skin is a happy skin which means it’s well hydrated and well-fed. Some superfoods that help the skin to glow naturally are fatty fishes that are rich in omega-3, avocados, walnuts, sunflower seeds, sweet potatoes, red and yellow bell peppers, broccoli, and tomatoes.

Also read:

  • How to remove tan from arms
  • The most effective ways to remove tan from legs, feet and hands
  • Tan removal tips for men

References:

  • https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2014/07/sun-skin
  • https://www.healthline.com/health/papaya-benefits-for-skin
  • https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/prevent-dehydration
  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2671032/
  • https://www.carecreations.basf.com/core-competencies/all-about-sun/sunlight/no-sun-no-life-on-earth

How do you get rid of Indian tan?

Squeeze fresh lemon juice and add some honey to it. Apply the mixture on your skin and let it stay for 30 minutes before washing off with a mild cleanser. You can also add some sugar to the lemon juice to make a scrub. In addition to removing tan, this will also slough off dead cells from the surface.

Can Indians get tan?

“Indian skin is much thicker than that of people from other regions in the world. Compared to Caucasian skin, it is more prone to tanning but less prone to getting sunburnt,” she adds.

How long does it take an Indian person to tan?

You may burn or tan in as little as 10 minutes if you're not wearing sunscreen with SPF (sun protection factor). Most people will tan within a few hours. Sometimes, you will not see a tan right away. In response to sun exposure, the skin produces melanin , which can take time.