Losing Tan

[tjarrett]

I have been tanning for 2 1/2 months and am well past my base tan. I usually have to tan almost every day to keep my color because I have very dry skin. I try to take a day or two off every few days to let my skin rest. But now I've noticed I seem to be going backwards. Am I just going too much? What should I do? Should I take some time off and start again? I've read a lot on this site about some people's theory on melanin burn out. Could that be my problem? Help!!

[teresa]

What kind of lotion are using when you are tanning? Are you moisturizing often? Do you exfoliate more than once per week?
Dry skin repels the light and high quality tanning lotions will stimulate your melanin production.

[ladyboss]

Someone here recommended a Tingle Lotion to me and that really boosted my tan- I had been tanning for a few months and already had a pretty dark tan but that really made a big difference.

[tjarrett]

I usually rotate between Butter, Dark and Dazed, and sometimes I use Mojo. I really like Matahari Dark and Sexy but I don't really want a bronzer which is why I tried the Mojo. I usually put on Baby lotion right after I tan. I also use Suave with aloe vera in the mornings and sometimes hair minimizing lotion on my legs at night. I exfoliate once a week.

[teresa]

Wow.....hard question now with those answers.....you seem to be doing the right thing!!!!

[tjarrett]

I know! I've read a lot on these boards to get as much info as possible. So I figured you guys would be the best authority on the matter. How often do you usually tan?

[tjarrett]

Could it be something in the regular lotions I'm using since they aren't made specifically for tanners?

[teresa]

I do not tan very often......I am fortunate to have olive skin and tan very easily. I moisturize very often and do not exfoliate very much....no more than once per week.

[Anya1976]

well with tanning everyday that could be the problem. you don't "need" to tan everday to keep your tan maybe if u slow down a bit u'd see more color

[boobrandt]

I exfoliate basically every time I shower because I use a nylon scrubby thing, so even though I do not rub hard, I know that it is somewhat exfoliating. Having said that, however, I do wait at least several hours after tanning to shower and shave my legs.

[tjarrett]

Thank you. How often do you suggest I tan? Should I take a few days off and then start again or should I wait longer? And once I start again how often should I go? I usually go like 3 days in a row, 1 day off, 2 days in a row, 1 day off. Sometimes it's 2 days off. I have also heard you get better results if you wait 48 hrs between sessions.I'll take any suggestions. I've worked way too hard to loose all my color now!!

_________________
[ This Message was edited by: tjarrett on 2003-07-03 17:14 ]

[Anya1976]

i personally tan like 3 times a week with the weekends off. sometimes i throw in another tan a week but going everyday is just too much.

[BrownJen]

I agree with Anya try going 3 times a week or every other day. That should help. Have you tried maybe upgrading to a different bed?

[Anya1976]

believe me i have worked hard on my color too i wouldnt tell you to do anything that i am not doing myself. i have tanned consecutively for 3 years

[tjarrett]

That's a good suggestion brownjen. I usually go in a regular 20 minute bed. When I was building my base tan i used to go in a 10 minute high pressure bed about once a week. Maybe I should try that again. ???

[Anya1976]

i love upgrades. i can't afford it much though. but i do upgrade when i can. really u can keep building color with base beds it will take longer but u will get there. but if u have the means and the salon has the equipment go for it.

[BrownJen]

Yea, I would say it's worth a try. I haven't done a high pressure bed yet, but I've heard pretty good things about them on this site.

[tjarrett]

Thanks so much for your help! I have one last question. What is your opinion on the "melanin burn out". Have you heard anything about it? I mean like is there any medical proof that you can "run out" of melanin? Or I've heard something about your skin getting to a point where it reverses the normal darkening the melanin produces. Any opinions?

[BrownJen]

I've heard stories about that too, but only stories. I haven't heard any medical proof that it's happened. Maybe someone with some proof will post on this thread.

[Anya1976]

Quote:
On 2003-07-03 19:50, tjarrett wrote:
Thanks so much for your help! I have one last question. What is your opinion on the "melanin burn out". Have you heard anything about it? I mean like is there any medical proof that you can "run out" of melanin? Or I've heard something about your skin getting to a point where it reverses the normal darkening the melanin produces. Any opinions?
well not burn out. but you are only going to get as dark as your genetic make up will let you. for instance my father has been tanning for about a month now and he is darker than i am. I can LIVE in the sun or have the sun shining on me 24hrs a day and NEVER be as dark as he gets. think about your genetics.... do you have an olive skin tone. that is pretty much how u can gauge how dark u will get. my mom is dark for her skin tone right now but she'll never get as dark as me. i wasnt lucky enough to get the dark complected skin that my father and grandfather have. my little brother did (ggggggrrrr)

[BrownJen]

Quote:
On 2003-07-03 19:57, Anya1976 wrote:
Quote:
On 2003-07-03 19:50, tjarrett wrote:
Thanks so much for your help! I have one last question. What is your opinion on the "melanin burn out". Have you heard anything about it? I mean like is there any medical proof that you can "run out" of melanin? Or I've heard something about your skin getting to a point where it reverses the normal darkening the melanin produces. Any opinions?
well not burn out. but you are only going to get as dark as your genetic make up will let you. for instance my father has been tanning for about a month now and he is darker than i am. I can LIVE in the sun or have the sun shining on me 24hrs a day and NEVER be as dark as he gets. think about your genetics.... do you have an olive skin tone. that is pretty much how u can gauge how dark u will get. my mom is dark for her skin tone right now but she'll never get as dark as me. i wasnt lucky enough to get the dark complected skin that my father and grandfather have. my little brother did (ggggggrrrr)

But is there any proof that you can stop getting as dark as you can genetically get? I've heard stories (from this site I think)and I've tried researching it and couldn't find any medical proof and have never even heard of it and I really don't see how you could stop getting as dark as you can genetically get.

[Anya1976]

now that is a question for the pro's jen. cus honestly i can't answer that.

[tjarrett]

I really should be happy with as dark as I am, because I am naturally very fair skinned. I just feel like I'm not as dark as I was about a week ago and I was hoping I wasn't going backwards, if that's possible. Because I haven't changed my tanning routine at all.

[BrownJen]

Quote:
On 2003-07-03 20:11, Anya1976 wrote:
now that is a question for the pro's jen. cus honestly i can't answer that.


I just posted it in the pros, so we'll see if they know.

[tjarrett]

:>

[Anya1976]

i'd like to see their take on it as well

[MoraBella30]

Angela, could tjarrett be tanning too much, and causing the natural exfoliation process to occour more? maybe she should try High pressure for a while, that decreases that exfoliation back to around the 28 days right? possibly between that and a good moisturizer?

[Anya1976]

actually yea that would be something to try. a HP thrown in there would be good too. very good advice samsara. i know that since i cut down my tanning i get better color.

[tjarrett]

Thank you samsara

[Tamar]

Quote:
On 2003-07-03 12:31, tjarrett wrote:
Could it be something in the regular lotions I'm using since they aren't made specifically for tanners?


Some of your over the counter moisturizers have whitening agents, and please stay away from mineral oil. Look at the ingredient list of anything you are using. Cut back to every other day also, see if that helps.

Good luck

[MoraBella30]

Quote:
On 2003-07-05 16:54, tjarrett wrote:
Thank you samsara

You are welocme, let us know how the tan is going.