Sunless/Spray Tanning for Men – a Brief Guide

Sunless tanning has become quite popular amongst a lot of men and is said to be a $2 billion+ industry in the United States. In this article we’ll talk about some of the mechanics of this type of tanning and about some of the advantages.

Men usually consider indoor tanning because it is fast and easy. Natural tans usually involve hours of sun bathing and exposure to UV rays – all downsides. Tanning salons will have tanning booths where a mist is sprayed on your body that causes the color of your skin to be changed to a golden brown. The mist is made of dihydroxyacetone (DHA) – an FDA approved substance that chemically reacts with your skin in order to produce the tanning results. The mist itself is colorless and it’s reaction with the dead skin cells on your body produces the desired sun-bathed look.

Spray tanning usually costs $25/session (package deals can help drive down the cost) and will last 5-10 days. Most tanning salons will recommend that you re-apply once every week. The mist does have a starchy oder – but this is done away with after a shower. It is recommended that you avoid showering and sweating for 4 hours after the tan for an optimal look. While it generally isn’t recommended to wear your favorite shirt after the tan, the tanning experience is designed so that it does not stain your clothes. In the event of a stain, though, a wash will get rid of unwanted marks on your precious fashion items.

Finally, if you have dry skin or lots of freckles on your body, spray tanning may not work as well for you. If you do enter a tanning salon, the employees will usually be able to give you a good idea of what to expect with your skin type. One thing you can do, though, in order to make the tanning process more optimal is exfoliate before tanning to get the dead cells out so the tan is on a new layer of skin  – this will have it last longer. Similarly, moisturizing your skin (you can ask your female counterparts about this – they’re usually experts) will also make your tan last longer since it will prevent your skin from shedding as fast.

If you think that a tan looks good on you, we’d definitely recommend giving spray-tanning a shot at least once to see the effects – it can be a new experience!