<p>yea so whats the best way to get a really nice tan (im a male) in a week or two? (besides having normal activities outside, every day)</p>
<p>i am wondering how people who go to mexico/hawaii get REALLY REALLY tan in the ONE week that they are there (girls!). Obviously you cant go and sit outside for hours on the first day, and using sunscreen completely blocks all of the rays (= no tan). do you start off the first day for like 10 min /side, then work your way up every day (10 then 15 then 20 etc) or what? i guess im just looking for some tips for someone who has not purposefully gone and "sun bathed" before (in the past ive gotten tan from outside activities, but that wont work this summer). What time should you go out? sunscreen? how long? etc</p>
<p>Working your way up might work, but it would take a lot longer than a week. You could try using sunscreen and gradually lower the SPF. below 15 spf relly doesn't block that much. In a week though... the tanning parlor is probably the only way to get a really good tan.</p>
<p>People who have gotten a deep tan in a week or two usually get it by overexposure (burning) that turns dark after the redness goes away. That's a very dangerous way to tan. Avoid burning at all costs, as the damage is cumulative, and you could wind up with skin cancer at 40.
Always use sun protection. If you use a lower spf, like 15, you can stay out for a half hour or so at the beginning, and then increase it, but go in as soon as you notice any redness, (or put on a sunblock like a 30) if you want to stay out. It's better to get a light, golden tan than a dark one for your health's sake. Tanning is just damage, you know - so remember that the more you do, the more you're risking. The danger from overexposure is cumulative. People who get cancer at 40 usually have experienced their overexposure in their 20s, or earlier. Be careful!!
(my brother died from melanoma at the age of 50. He lived all his adult life in the Pacific Northwest, but he was a California beach hound in his teens. Trust me, skin cancer is no joke.)</p>
<p>Too much sun exposure too quickly = bad. I'm against the OCD people who insist on having sunscreen on their skin every moment of their life. "OMG UV RAYS GO THROUGH WINDOWS! SUNSCREEN INDOORS TOO!" People have survived plenty well for thousands of years now without sunscreen. IMO sunscreen isn't something most people need <em>all</em> the time.</p>
<p>That said, I'd just say to go about 15/20 minutes the first day and gradually work your way up.</p>
<p>"People have survived plenty well for thousands of years now without sunscreen. IMO sunscreen isn't something most people need <em>all</em> the time."</p>
<p>Lighter skinned people are at greater risk. The sun's rays are more damaging now, as our atmosphere has been compromised by the pollution and ozone layer depletion. Also, look at the civilizations that survived in the hottest zones, and whose peoples lived long lives. They are mostly the dark skinned people. The light, northern European's climate didn't explose them to as much sunlight until they started migrating.
If you have light skin and blue eyes, beware. You really should use sunsreen if you'll be in the sun for any length of time.</p>
<p>thanks for your opinions. i was figuring if anytime was right for a nice tan, it would be during my senior year summer...and i know that one should always try to use sunscreen, but i thought one summer might not be too damaging (i hope).</p>
<p><em>sighs</em> Tanning :( I wish I could do it. Blonde hair and blue eyes=lot of burning. </p>
<p>I think it really depends on your skin tone. If it is darker, you do not need to apply as much sunscreen since your skin already has natural protection from the sun. Therefore, it would be easier to get a tan if you had darker skin since you wouldn't burn.</p>
<p>I get burned slashed burn it turns out burnt but its really a layer of tan under burn so It comes out pretty nice I burn/tan easy w/o Sun tan lotion the other day i walked to the beach(look at my location i obviously live near the water) and i got a tan just studying for 10 minutes! That time i had no Sun tan lotion tho. I will be spending a lot of time at the beach b/c I just moved to small beach town usa(dont feel jealous its cold in the winter i live on Long Island the main beach hasnt even opened!). MY cousins r spending a week in July they never go to the beach unless there up in jersey at the shore they live far from the beach. There not at the Jersey shore to often</p>
<p>To get tan, go to cities like Los Angeles, Phoenix, Miami, or Atlanta (or any city along those latitudes) and stay outside for 20 minutes. THAT'LL GIVE YA A TAN! Especially the ones I mentioned, because they all have urban sprawl problems (except Miami... it's just sunny) and have holes in the ozone above them.</p>
<p>Sunless tanning lotion. I've never tried it, but if you wanted to get dark in a week without damaging your skin... go for it. </p>
<p>Don't sit outside and let yourself burn raw into a dark tan. That's just gross. What I do on holidays is gradually lower the SPF/increase my sun time. Start out with SPF 30 and increase the time you spend in the sun. Then switch to SPF 15 after a day or two (usually two), and do the same, starting again with short amounts of time. Get out of the sun whenever you start to get burned. You should have a nice golden tan if you don't go below SPF 15. Another good way to do this is to play sports (volleyball, surf, etc) or go swimming. That way you're not just lying in the sun and you won't get a weird line if you fall asleep and forget to roll over... (which has happened to me). </p>
<p>Another option, spend the whole summer outside somewhere with a warm climate, using normal sunscreen (SPF 15-ish). You'll be roasted by the end.</p>
<p>this boy at my school tans soooo much.... i am sure he will end up with skin cancer.........its the law to only go for 20 minutes per day at the tanning booth, but he has memberships at 3 different places so he goes for an hour a day. he is white but darker than an indian....</p>
<p>anyways, i only get a little bit tan, so that i can apply self tanner without looking really orange.</p>
<p>if you are looking for a quick fix, i would go to the tanning booths every other day for like a week. how long and stuff depends on your natural skin tone...</p>