Can a shower wash a tan off?
Will a shower wash off a suntan even from a tanning bed?
A. No. Your tan is made in cells inside your body (called melanocytes) as an attempt to try to protect you from the UV damage. The depth (how dark) a tan you end up with is a direct reflection of the damage caused to your cells. Darker tan = More cellular radiation damage.
Skin cancer is the most preventable, most prevalent cancer in the US, with numbers higher than all other cancers put together. This includes melanoma, which has increased by 77% since 1992 and is responsible for 75% of skin cancer deaths. UVR radiation (consisting of UVA, UVB and UVC rays) is obtained from sun and tanning bed exposure alike. Just one indoor tanning session increases the likelihood of developing melanoma by 20%!
Alternatives: spray tan or lotions. They contain a plant based Ingredient called DHA which reacts with the skin, resulting in the production of melanoidins, causing your skin to darken. Although this method is safer in comparison to UVR radiation, there are still drawbacks. Studies on topically applied DHA have shown to cause skin sensitivities and rashes, worsen rosacea, cause sun sensitivity making you more likely to burn and can increase free radical damage in the skin (prematurity aging the skin). Also, some tanning accelerators have chemicals in them called benzyl nicotinate, said to increase blood flow to help melanocytes produce more pigment. Others have a chemical called Tyrosine, which is said to help produce more melanin (tan) but there is no scientific evidence to support these claims.
Tanning is a beauty preference that I hope fades in the south as it has in the NW. The only healthy skin tone is your God-given one. Taking care of the skin you’re in will provide you with a glowing complexion into your 50, 60s and help you to live into your 80 and 90s even, by avoiding the cancers proven to be caused by UVR radiation. As long as you protect it and use the proper skin care routine for your skin type, you’ll love the skin you’re in.
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4345932/
