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Suntan Remedies

My son plays in sun and has got his body tanned any home remedies?
( 3 Jun 2009)

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Sun tan and sunburn are two very different things. While sunburn needs serious treatment because of damage to the skin, a skin tan is something completely normal and is not a cause for worry. A skin tan is a natural occurrence if you spend a lot of time in the sun, and as you mention that your son does spend a lot of time playing outdoors in the sun this is only normal.

In fact it’s a sign that his skin is healthy, as it wouldn’t be normal to spend time outdoors and not get tanned. In fact he would then be at a high risk of sunburn. A sun tan is a natural occurrence that can not be reversed, but will go away naturally.

I would strongly advice you not to worry about your son’s tan, unless it is a cause of discomfort to him.

A skin tan is a natural darkening of the skin in response to exposure to the sun’s UV radiation. This natural process of darkening is caused due to an increase in the release if melanin in to the skin cells. Melanin is a pigment that is produced by melanocytes, which are cells. This pigment helps to protect the body from the effects of solar radiation, which could normally cause direct or indirect DNA damage. I can assume that your concern is with regard to the darkening of the skin, but it is not something you should worry about. It is also not something to be ashamed of, as skin color has little to do with beauty or appearance, as compared to skin tone and texture. Healthy skin is more valuable than light colored skin.

There is very little that you can do to get rid of a sun tan, but with time the tan usually fades away and your skin regains its normal color. Even three months could suffice, but this will only happen if the exposure to sun light is eliminated during this period. This would of course be very unhealthy, as some amount of exposure is necessary. Moreover it would be unhealthy to keep a child cooped indoors when all his friends are having fun outside. There are many natural measures that you can use to reduce a sun tan, but they are unlikely to be of much use as your son does spend a lot of time outdoors.

Some natural remedies to reduce a tan include applying cucumber and potato juice onto the tanned skin. You can also apply a paste made from milk, sandalwood powder, and turmeric powder and leave it on for at least fifteen minutes or so, after which you can wash it off with normal water. Lemon juice can also help reduce the tan and lighten skin, but going out in the sun after applying it will only increase the tan.

answered by S D on 3 Jun 2009, 5:39:51

Suntan Remedies

My son plays in sun and has got his body tanned any home remedies? ( 3 Jun 2009)

My son plays in sun and has got his body tanned any home remedies?
( 3 Jun 2009)