How Dark Self Tanners Function

By Susan Jumonville


Dark self turners refer to equipment or products used to tan skin or make its color darker. Dark self tanners or the sun produce the ultraviolet radiation that is used to achieve this effect. Windburn or reflected light may also produce the same effect if one is exposed to them for a long time.

Dark self tanning may occur unintentionally or intentionally. Individuals who do it deliberately may use chemical products or engage in sun bathing. Unintentional exposure to sun rays for long may present some adverse consequences although there are a few benefits. The advantage is that when the skin is exposed to ultraviolet radiation, it synthesizes Vitamin D. Overindulgence in sun bathing may cause skin cancer, sunburn, a higher risk of aging, and depressed functioning of the immune system.

Dark self tanners come in various sizes, shapes, and colors. They are made of metals such as aluminum, iron, stainless steel, or their alloys. They are cylindrical in shape to form a cavity inside which a person lies. Dark self tanners also have leads which comprise UV sources. Once a person lies inside, the UV sources are turned on to illuminate their body. The sizes of dark self tanners are meant to fit that of an adult human being.

Dark self tanners have predetermined intensity settings and time brackets, which one should stay inside. Beyond that bracket of intensity or time, the rays become unsafe for human skins. Tanning differs among people, with others taking shorter periods whereas others take too much time. The ease of tanning of someone is dependent on genetic characteristics like skin type and color.

There are two key manners in which skin color is affected by dark self tanners. Ultraviolet rays generated by dark self tanners can be categorized into UVA and UVB. Both variants result into melanogenesis, the process by which melanocytes synthesize melanin pigments. Melanin pigments are also of two kinds, the brown one referred to as eumelanin and the red one called pheomelanini.

The job of melanin is to take in solar radiation therefore protecting body organs. Excess solar rays can cause indirect or direct damage to DNA strings. The body counters these damages by generating and emitting more melanin into skin cells. This increased generation of melanin is primarily triggered by UV-B beams due to direct or indirect photodamage. The tan that results due to this activity is darker and stays longer but only becomes noticeable after seventy two hours of exposure.

UV-A also leads to formation of a tan. In this process, UV-A leads to oxidative stress, which causes oxidation of the existing melanin. When the existing melanin is oxidized, its color changes to dark brown. UV-A produced by dark self tanners or the sun also causes the melanin to redistribute but its quantity remains unchanged. This makes the oxidation of melanin less protective against UV damage than UV-B. Dark self tanners find a lot of application in the fashion industry, where models use them to make their skins dark before going for competitions.

Dark self tanners are expensive equipment. They need good handling and maintenance for them to last long. If great care is taken of dark self tanners, they can last several years.




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