Seeing legs less tanned than the rest of the body is infuriating. Isn’t it? Sometimes the color difference is so pronounced that it seems you have covered your legs while basking under the sun and provided extra protection to make them lightly tanned.
If this is your problem, you are not alone. Many people find tanning their legs more difficult than the rest of the body, and many good reasons exist. It means you must put in some extra effort to make the legs get the sun-kissed glow.
Let’s find out why legs don’t tan or tan lightly and what efforts can be made to give them an even bronzed tone.
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Why Won’t The Legs Tan?
Legs take time to develop a tan, and here are the reasons explaining why so-
1. Low Melanin Production
Melanin is the compound responsible for giving color or pigment to the skin. More is the melanin content; darker is the skin. As you expose the skin to the sun, melanocytes activate, triggering more melanin production that darkens the skin.
Since the legs produce less melanin than the rest of the body, achieving a darker tan on the legs is difficult. It means the legs will tan less than the rest of the body.
2. Leg’s Skin Is Thicker
Since the skin on the legs is thicker than the other body parts, like the arms and abdomen, penetration of UV rays takes time. Thick skin is more resistant to UV rays, which explains why legs tan lighter than the other body parts.
Apart from being thick, the leg’s skin is often drier. There is no denying that we take extra care of the hands and face, and legs often take the back seat. Since they remain dry, the outer layers are exfoliated more often; removing the tan, you do have easier.
3. Shaving And Waxing
It is not uncommon to wax or shave legs to get rid of unwanted hair. Since legs are often shaved and waxed to remove hair, the skin exfoliates, and thus the possibility of tan fading with each session increases.
4. Wearing Tight Clothes
If you often wear tight jeans or leggings, you might be hindering how well your legs tan. It is because the skin needs air circulation to develop a tan, and when you wear tights, you prohibit this process.
Besides, tight pants rub against the skin, exfoliating it and shedding the tan at the same time. Therefore, if you are wondering why your leg won’t tan, you have to start wearing loose pants or skirts that will not restrict or rub against your legs as much and keep the tan intact.
How To Help Legs Tan Better
Putting in some extra effort can easily help in the process of developing a tan faster. It will ensure that your legs look similarly tanned as the rest of the body.
Here are some effective tips to help your legs tan better.
1. Exfoliate The Legs Before Tanning
While exfoliating legs after tanning could assist in fading the tan, exfoliating before tanning could accelerate the process.
You should use a gentle, preferably an organic exfoliant and exfoliating mitt to scrub off the dead skin cells before tanning. It will prepare the skin for developing a stunning tan. Make sure to exfoliate at least a day prior for the best result.
2. Moisturize The Skin
Make a habit of moisturizing the legs’ skin as they tend to dry out easily and before the rest of your body. Focus on areas around your knees and ankles more prone to drying.
Properly hydrated skin ensures the development of tan faster and easier. At the same time, it holds tan for a long time.
3. Do Not Wax Or Shave After Tanning
Remove the unwanted hair a day before tanning. Once the hair is removed, they take at least 3-4 days to develop again. It will ensure that your fresh tan will stay intact for a few days.
When you wax or shave, you exfoliate the skin and remove the dead skin cells. It is where the tan resides. The process of hair removal removes or fades the tan as well. Take all your waxing or shaving sessions before heading for tanning.
4. Use Tanning Accelerators
You can find multiple tanning accelerators in the market. Using any one of them or preferably a stronger tanning accelerator can help to hasten the tanning process and darken the legs faster than the rest of the body.
Using a tanning accelerator that contains a bronzer is also a good choice as it gives an instant color while you work on building up the tan from there. It also helps you develop a base tan to build on.
Final Words
If your legs refuse to tan, there is nothing to worry about. There are many reasons behind it, and each one holds true. Blame it on less melanin, waxing, and shaving, or your tight clothes; you can always make efforts to develop a similar tan on your legs like the rest of the body.
So, exfoliate your legs, keep them well-hydrated and use tanning accelerators to bring the best tan to your legs. If you still find it hard to catch a tan on your legs, bronzers are always an easy solution. Go for them!
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Image Credit: freepik
