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When spray tans first became popular, they were a luxury that only celebrities could afford. Nowadays spray tanning is offered in many different places and can be done at home with a spray tan kit. Spray tans can cover up blemishes such as birthmarks or scars from surgery, but do spray tans cover stretch marks?
Well, spray tans will not completely cover your stretch marks but might make it less obvious temporarily.
Stretch marks are a common occurrence during pregnancy, puberty, weight gain, and other situations. Many people who use self-tanners such as spray tan regularly wonder if the spray tan will cover their stretch marks.Â
Self-tanners can be used to make your natural skin tone more even, which may help with concealing the appearance of the stretched skin as well.Â
As we all know that a lot of people do not want to show off their stretch marks, so, spray tans might be one of the fastest and safest solutions that can temporarily help cover them up. This blog post will discuss spray tanning on stretch marks and how it works.
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What Are Stretch Marks?
Stretch marks are a type of scarring that occurs when the skin is stretched beyond its natural capacity. Stretch marks can be found on many different parts of your body, including your arms, stomach, and back. They are very common, especially amongst pregnant women because of the sudden weight gain/loss due to hormonal changes in one’s body.
The good news is spray tans can cover up stretch marks temporarily! A good quality spray tan will provide a more even skin tone which may help conceal the appearance of your stretch marks and make them less noticeable.
Can you put spray tan on stretch marks?
No doubt, spray tans are a popular way to get glowing and bronze-looking skin, but can you use spray tan on stretch marks?
Definitely a Yes. Although, spray tans will not actually remove the appearance of your stretch marks, and will not prevent your skin from stretching. But, it will make them less visible.
Will fake tan make stretch marks worse?
Fake tans such as spray tans may make your stretch mark look slightly less noticeable but spray tanning will not make them worse than they already are. Because the majority of these products use oil-based solutions that can help stretch marks become less noticeable temporarily, even though they won’t completely get rid of them.
Spray tanning has been in use for many years and they have become very popular especially during summer. Not just because they help your skin look more evenly tanned but because they are super effective in covering up blemishes.
It is important to note that spray tans are not permanent and that they only last for few days before another application of spray tanning is needed to be done.
Does spray tan help with hiding stretch marks?
Since you can use self tanners on stretch marks without making them worse, then Yes, spray tans helps with hiding stretch marks, and if you are wondering if tanned stretch marks look good, then Yes tanned stretch mark looks great.
It is true that tanned skin might not do much to completely cover up the appearance of huge scars; however, self tanners definitely help with making stretch marks less visible and noticeable because you can choose the color that matches your natural tanned body color and the application process helps it blend well with other tanned areas of your skin which will likely last from one to three weeks before fading depending on how frequently you shower or swim.
How Does Spray Tan Cover Stretch Marks
Fake tans are not only renowned for making the skin appear darker, but also for making it seem smoother and more evenly colored. It also helps in highlighting and toning arms and legs more, as it gives darker shadows. As a result of this, stretch marks will usually just get darker with the rest of your skin, so they’ll be harder to see depending on the type of spray tan you get as some tans are more subtle than others.
Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) is used in spray tans to create a tanned color by reacting with the top layer of skin, this helps most spray tan cover stretch marks subtly without people noticing because it blends with the skin color. Although, the color is only temporary and can be washed off after a few hours or days, depending on your type of tanning spray.
How to cover stretch marks with a spray tan
Since spray tans have become pretty popular nowadays. It’s now easy to get tanned skin without the risk of getting sunburn due to over-exposure to the sun, which often happens when you go sunbathing. To achieve a tanner skin and cover your stretch marks, be sure that you follow these step-by-step instructions:
- Prepare your skin by exfoliating it to take out the dead cells. The tanned spray will stick better on a clean and smooth surface of your skin, so make sure you get rid of all dead cells before applying a tanner.
- Apply moisturizer or lotion onto the targeted area where you want to apply the spray tan – this also includes the stretch mark you want to cover.
- Spot Test – Always do a patch test before actually using anything on your skin and the same applies to spray tans. To do a spot test, simply apply a very little amount of the spray tan onto a small skin area and wait for few hours to see if there’s an allergic reaction. If you don’t experience anything strange during those hours it means all is good and you can go ahead applying the self-tanner on your skin and stretch marks as well.
- Layer the tan: Wait for a couple of minutes until your skin absorbs all the moisturizer, then start spraying the tanner onto it – make sure that you let each layer dry before applying another one so as not to smear everything and have a streaky tanning result.
- Repeat step four until you get the desired tanned skin you want.
You can also combine this with other stretch mark treatment methods for better results.
Why do stretch marks not tan?
One of the most common questions that people have about stretch marks is why do they not tan? This question stems from the fact that a lot of people try to tan their stretch marks, but they always end up looking much different than the rest of the tanned skin. The truth is that stretch marks might not tan for a number of reasons.
First, they are two different layers in your skin play a huge role in how tanned you can get. The deepest layer of your skin contains a pigment called melanin which reacts when it comes into contact with UVB rays from sunlight and begins to darken through a natural process known as tanning.
Secondly, when the melanin is tanned, it diffuses to the next layer of skin which contains keratinocytes that are basically cells with a lot of protein in them which is absent in the part where there is a stretch mark. This means that there isn’t any pigment to diffuse the melanin for your stretch marks because they don’t contain any living fibers or blood vessels.
Those are reasons why stretch marks don’t tan even when you expose yourself to sunlight for long periods of time. It doesn’t matter how much melanin your body can generate or whether or not there are any blood vessels because the tanned cells are simply not there.
Can you use spray tan to cover scars on your legs?
Yes, you can apply and use spray tans to cover scars on your legs as long as the scar is not still tender and has completely healed.
Depending on the size of the scar, it might hide it completely or make it less noticeable. This is especially a great option if you are going out in public or have an event you’d like to present your best self.
An alternative method is to completely remove the scar with laser therapy, although it’s expensive, so this spray tan alternative may be appealing if money is an issue or the scar isn’t very noticeable.
Spray tans may hide your scar for a few days or weeks but they are definitely not permanent and will ultimately fade away after a while.
To use spray tan to cover the scars on your legs follow the below steps:
- As always, before spray tans make sure you exfoliate the area with a dry loofah or scrub. This will help ensure even color distribution.
- Shave if needed – make sure to use a fresh razor and shaving cream.
- Apply baby oil on the scarred areas before tanning, as it helps your skin absorb the spray tan easier and also aids to even it out.
- Start tans with light layers, as you can always add more if needed.
- Wait for about 20 minutes or longer so the spray tan can completely dry before putting clothes back on so you don’t get any tan stains on your clothing
- Make sure to read the information on the spray tanning product before applying it. Some tanners recommend leaving your scarred area untreated and only apply the normal amount of tanners everywhere else.
By following these steps above, you should be able to easily cover your leg scar with spray tans. You can also pick up a darker shade than usual for this area but if you do make sure it is not too dark to avoid the color from looking off and messy on top of scars.
Note: Always check the product label before applying tanners or self-tanning products, as they can cause different reactions depending on skin type.
Conclusion
If you’re looking to cover stretch marks, spray tanning may be a great option for you. With the right product, you can cover your stretch marks with a spray tan. Even if it doesn’t help them to disappear completely, they will at least be less noticeable.
It’s also worth noting that people with darker colored skin might benefit even more than those with lighter skin because any discoloration in their skin will blend into an already dark area of their body. Spray tans can still make stretch marks worse when done incorrectly so it’s important to follow the instructions closely when applying them (and don’t forget the sunscreen!).
I’m Akin, your dedicated Editor-in-Chief and a fervent skincare enthusiast. Self-care is my true passion, and each year, I embark on a thorough exploration of self-tanning products, ranging from lotions to mists. This forms the bedrock of our commitment to delivering top-notch information to our readers. My extensive research and precise product rankings empower you to make informed decisions tailored to your specific skincare needs.
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