Sun & Skin Questions

April 14, 2008 1:38 PM

Skin filter: I've got a bad uneven sun tan that hasn't faded enough from last year. How do I get rid of it? I'm going to start hitting the tanning beds soon (it is still very cold where I live) and wonder if there are any ways to accelerate the process. How long will this take? Related question: I have a new-ish tattoo should I be okay just putting sun block on it or should I cover it with a towel so it won't burn?
posted by cuando to clothing, beauty, & fashion (8 comments total)

How uneven is your tan? Do you mean that like one arm is darker than the other? Start exfoliating only the overly-tanned body parts and after a week or so you should be sort of evened out (depending on how uneven this uneven tan is).

I would definitely cover the tattoo.
posted by Polychrome at 1:44 PM on April 14, 2008

Few things are worse for tattoos--especially healing tattoos--than sunlight.
posted by kwaller at 1:49 PM on April 14, 2008

Ahh exfoliating is a good idea. What's the best way?

I would describe my uneven tan as a "farmer's tan." My resolution this year is to wear sunblock everyday and take care of my skin
posted by cuando at 1:51 PM on April 14, 2008

My resolution this year is to wear sunblock everyday and take care of my skin

Then don't go to the tanning beds, there is nothing worse for your skin! What about exfoliating as polychrome suggests and then use a bronzer or airbrush tanning to get the sun-kissed look you're looking for. Airbrush tanning, when done well, is very effective and looks great- and if you take care of it can last for a while and just costs ~$30.

If you do plan on using a tanning bed, protect your investment with your tattoo and wait until the tattoo is healed to go tanning. Nothing worse cosmetically for a tattoo than the sun, and the healing tattoos are particularly vulnerable to damage. It may mean going to get it touched up in just a few years, if you expose it to the sun now.
posted by arnicae at 2:04 PM on April 14, 2008

If your tan hasn't "faded", I would strongly suggest using a self-tanner over a tanning booth. You don't want to further damage your skin. You should exfoliate before applying any self-tanner, but there are some really good ones out there now that look like a natural tan while not drying and damaging your skin.
posted by misha at 2:08 PM on April 14, 2008

Would self-tanner work well with my skin tone? I'm Asian and have olive to brown skin so I would hate to look really orange and fake.
posted by cuando at 2:11 PM on April 14, 2008

Self-tanners are really . . . variable in quality. My recommendation would be going to a salon and trying out a few test patches until you find one that works (whether it is spray-on or self-tanner or what have you)
posted by arnicae at 3:52 PM on April 14, 2008

You can exfoliate a few different ways--they all seem about the same to me, so go with whichever is the easiest for you.

1) You can use your regular soap/body wash on a wash cloth or a mesh sponge (the one linked if $5, but I have seen them at Walmart for $1) and scrub yourself with it. Loofah sponges and those scrubby mitts also work. Be careful not to scrub too hard and rub your skin raw, though.

2) You can make your own scrub out of olive oil and regular table sugar or salt (just mix maybe 1/2 c sugar/salt with 1/4 c oil in a resealable, wide mouthed container. Don't use salt if you have any open wounds, though, as it will sting. You can also use any kind of oil, but I like olive oil best).

3) You can also go to your local drugstore/toiletry section of the grocery store and buy a body scrub. There's a decent sugar scrub at Walmart for about $4, but I forget the name. It's a very pale brown/tan and in a plastic jar (maybe 6oz). Note that you will probably have to mix the sugar and oil before using either a product like this or the home made scrub. The problem I have with most ready-made exfoliators is that they don't have enough grit to them (your scrub should be gritty, not cream with a few particles of grit dispersed here and there).
posted by Polychrome at 5:48 PM on April 14, 2008