Long before now, it was weird for a black person to get a tan because tanning was all about getting darker. Then, you would hardly see black people lying down under the sun at a beach. Now, tanning is much more than getting your skin darker.
Apart from darkening the skin, tanning also gives the skin a shiny and glowing look. Most importantly, it gives the skin an even skin tone. Remember, even black people have the problem of uneven shades of tone. This is what tanning will correct.
In fact, there are tanning lotions made specifically for dark skin. If you’re a dark person and you’re thinking of taking a tan, it’s a great decision. Take the time to read this piece to the end. You need all the information therein. There are answers to some frequently asked questions about black people getting tanned.
Can a Dark Person Get a Tan?
Yes, a black person can and should get a tan. As explained above, tanning is not only about darkening your skin. It is also about giving the skin a smooth and shiny look. Tanning also helps to even the skin color. On the skin of some black people, you’ll notice that some parts are lighter than others. Tanning will help to correct the imperfections.
Does Dark Skin Tan Faster?
The general perception is that dark skin tans faster. It’s probably because the skin is already dark. When you’re considering tanning as a means to get the skin darker, you’ll naturally subscribe to the same thought. But when thinking of tanning in terms of harmonizing the shades of the skin tone, you’ll be skeptical that dark skin tans faster.
As a matter of fact, there’s no proof that dark skin tans faster. And there’s no proof that confirms the opposite, as well. Hence, you can go with your preferred school of thought on that. In addition, it may be helpful to bear in mind that regardless of the color of your skin, it takes about 10 – 20 minutes to get a great tan in a tanning bed as long as you use it appropriately.
How Long Should a Black Person Tan?
The length of a tanning session has nothing to do with skin color. This question stems from the fact that a lot of people believe that a black person should tan faster. Yes, dark skin has more melanin and tanning increases the melanin. However, tanning does more than increase the melanin of the skin.
Tanning smoothens the skin and gives a uniform tone. You also need to understand that tanning duration depends on different types of skin composition. At the moment, there’s no study that shows that dark skin tan faster or slower than other skin tones. So, it takes about 10 -20 minutes for a black person and other races to tan up in a tanning bed. This will take about 3- 4 hours to get the same result under the sun.
How Long Does a Tan Last on a Black Person?
It takes about 14 days to a month for a tan to last on a black person. This is a little longer than it will last on a white person. So, what is the cause of the difference? Tanning darkens the skin of a white person, and it takes only about 7 – 10 days for the tan to begin fading out.
The skin of a black person is already dark. So, tanning does not do much in terms of darkening. What tanning does is to even the tones up. That’s why it takes more than 2 weeks for the old tone shades to reappear. Once again, tanning lasts on a black person for about 2 weeks to a month.
What Happens When a Black Person Gets Sunburned?
There’s a myth that black people cannot get sunburned. This is nothing but a myth. Black people also get sunburned, and when it happens, the sunburned black person will also feel the heat, skin tightness, and burns. Black people also feel the discomfort that comes with sunburn. The only difference is that sunburn won’t be conspicuous like it is on white skin.
Also, sunburn heals faster on a black person than on a white person. That’s probably because black skin has much more melanin than white skin.
Black Person Tan Before and After
When a white person tans up, it is usually very obvious because the skin will be darker. This is not always so with a black person. Since the skin is already darker, the difference may not be obvious. What you’ll notice is that the skin will be smoother and shinier.
And if there were several shades of color before the tan, the skin tone will even up. This is why tanning makes black women trendier and prettier.
Does Tanning Beds Increase Melanin?
Yes, it does. When the skin is exposed to UV radiation in a tanning bed, there will be an increase in the production of melanin. The skin makes an attempt to protect itself from damage from the radiation. So, it produces more melanin. The melanin makes the skin a little darker.
How Can I Treat Sunburn?
1. Apply Moisturizer
Whether your skin is black or white, moisturizing it on a daily basis can help sunburn heal faster. You may have to moisturize it in the morning after taking your bath and at night just before going to bed.
2. Cold Shower
Cold water helps to reduce inflammation and ease the pain from sunburn. So, you should take a cold shower more often.
3. Apply Aloe Vera Gel
You must have heard that Aloe Vera helps to keep the skin smooth. So, you can hasten the healing of your sunburn by applying Aloe Vera gel to the parts affected by sunburn.
4. Leave the Blisters
Sometimes sunburn comes with blisters, and you may be tempted to pop the blisters. Doing so will open the blisters up for infection. Instead, you should leave the blisters and let them dry up.
Final Words
Conclusively, here are the main points again. Black people can also take a tan because it smoothens their skin and evens up any shades. In addition, black people are also prone to sunburn. And when it happens, they’ll experience the heat, pain, and skin tightness that come with sunburn. Finally, a tan lasts for about 2 weeks to a month on a black person.
