Speaking from experience, sunburns are painful, irritating and don’t look good! While healing will take some time you can at least cover it with a fake tan, right? Keep reading to find out!
Can You Spray Tan Over a Sunburn?
No, should not apply tanning products over sunburn skin. Tanners contain a chemical solution called DHA (dihydroxyacetone). DHA works by reacting with the amino acids in the top layer of your skin to produce a temporary color change.
Therefore, if your skin is already damaged from a sunburn, the DHA can react with the damaged skin cells and lead to adverse side effects.
Understanding Sunburns
Before we discuss anything else, I think it’s important to understand what happens to your skin when you get a sunburn.
Sunburns are radiation burns that occur when the skin gets exposed to too much ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.
This exposure can cause damage to the skin cells, leading to redness, pain, and peeling. When your skin is sunburned, it often becomes inflamed and sensitive, as it is in the process of healing.
Side Effects Adding Fake Tan Over a Sunburn?
If you do end up applying a tanning solution over your sunburns these are the consequences you might face.
The fake tan can cling to the dry, peeling areas of your skin and lead to patchy appearance.
Fake tans can not only intensify the irritation caused by the sun burn but also interfere with the healing process.
As we already know sunburns are often red and inflamed. This can lead to uneven tanning, and you don’t want that!
Caring For Sunburn
Sunburns can take weeks to heal if not properly cared for, so if you want to get a spray tan soon follow these tips to make sure the burns heal properly.
First things first: avoid further exposure to direct sunlight. Stay under a shade until the sunburn has healed.
Apply a cool compress to reduce the heat of sunburn. I recommend taking cool baths to do it, if you don’t have an ice pack.
Use an alcohol-free moisturizer to hydrate the affected area. Moisturizing your skin regularly helps prevent peeling.
Once the sunburn begins to heal, use a board-spectrum sunscreen whenever going out. Higher SPF values (up to 50) provide greater sunburn protection in my experience.
Final Thoughts on Getting Spray Tans Over Sunburns
Sure, spray tans can make you glow. But there’s no point in damaging your skin. Personally, I think it’s best to wait until your sunburn has healed before getting a spray tan. Prioritize your skin health by staying safe indoors.