How to lighten suntan from arms and hands
Excessive exposure to ultra violet rays from sun can cause sunburn or tan. While a bit of color can look healthy, whether it is directly from the sun or a bottle, a suntan with unwanted strap marks or streaks can be annoying. However, while you cannot remove the damage done to your skin by the sun, there are a few ways that you can remove your suntan and reduce the color back to its original shade.
Method 1- Removing a Real Tan
There is no quick and easy method to removing a real tan, except to prevent getting a tan in the first place. However, if you want to reduce the color of a real tan, there are a few methods of doing so.
1. Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate- Exfoliation causes the top layers of skin – which contain the melanin cells that produce the color of a tan – to slough off, leaving new skin behind without suntan. Using a loofah and body scrub product, exfoliate twice a week in the shower for the best effect.
Expert Tip! Rub gently as vigorous rubbing can cause the skin to look red and blotchy.
2. Skin lightening product- There are a number of skin lightening products on the market that lessen melanin in your skin, which can help to reduce the color of your tan. These products contain bleaching agents though, so be sure to consult a doctor or health care professional before using such a product.
3. Lemon juice- Apply lemon juice directly on arms and hands. Leave it for 10-15 minutes and rinse with cold water. Lemon juice helps greatly in reducing tan.
4. Water and vinegar solution- Mix equal amount of water and vinegar into a bowl. Soak your hands into the solution for about 10-15 minutes and then wash off. You will see a change in your skin appearance.
5. Aloevera gel- Aloevera gel has antibiotic properties and works great on removing sun tan. Apply aloevera gel or juice directly on arms and hands. Let skin soak the juice for 15-20 minutes and wash off with cold water.
6. Drink water- Stay hydrated! Drinking plenty of water will keep your skin hydrated, and it will work at optimal capacity in the production of new skin, which will fade your tan at a faster rate. Also, use a good moisturizer along with drinking water, which will keep the skin even more hydrated.
7. Prevention is better than cure!- Prevent getting a tan altogether by covering up in the sun – wear long sleeve shirts, long pants and a hat that covers your face, neck and décolletage area. Always wear sunscreen of at least an SPF factor 30 and apply continuously throughout the day.
Method 2- Removing a Fake Tan
Removing a tan from a bottle is slightly easier than removing a real tan from the sun.
1. Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate- This is the best way to remove a fake tan as removing the first few layers of skin will effectively get rid of the fake tan. Using a loofah and body scrub product, exfoliate twice a week in the shower for the best effect, but remember to be gentle when scrubbing to avoid redness and blotchiness.
2. Hit the water- Swim in a chlorinate pool – the combination of the chemicals and the exfoliating effect of the water on the skin helps to reduce the color of your tan.
3. Get steamy- A session in the steam room is a great way for getting rid of fake tan, as the hot steam opens up your pores and releases the tanning product. Allow yourself to relax in steam room for a minimum of 20-30 minutes and then rub yourself down gently with a towel so find your skin tan-free!
4. Creams and home remedies- Good fake tan brands usually offer a tan removal product in the form of wipes or creams that will easily remove the tan. These can be quite pricey, however, so you might want try a few home remedies that are easy to find in your kitchen cupboard and cheaper to use, such as soaking your hands in lemon juice, rubbing potato skin on your hands and arms, or making a sugar scrub with lemon juice and sugar to exfoliate your skin with.
