A great tan is what most of us wish we could have without the repercusions of the sun's damage. There are some things that you can do to minimize the effects of sun damage and still get a great tan. Everybody has a great idea that they think is the best way to get a tan, but it does not always work because everyone's skin is different and so are the climates that we live in. Part of getting a great tan is learning how your particular skin reacts to the sun and then following some basic precautions to help keep you safe form sun damage. A good way to find out how your skin reacts to the sun is to choose some off hours where the sun is not at it's peak. You should not be in direct sunlight for an extended period of time between the hours of 10:00am and 2:00pm. These are the most damaging hours and they do not result in a tan.

Your skin will most likely burn and then peel. You also receive the highest amounts of UV radiation that can have long term affects like melanoma or skin cancer. When you do go out, make sure to apply at least a SPF of 10 or higher and couple of times. This way you can see if you get any color. A slight pink color is the most that you want. Even if you do not look like you got any color it can come in at a later time that day or when you shower. It is good to take a mildly cold shower after returning from being in the sun because any color you do get is like a burn and should be treated as such. Cold water will help stop any temporary damage that could cause you to peel. Aloe vera is also a great natural oinment to heal your skin and help it maintain a darker shade.

If you do burn, Solarcane is a good skin treatment cream that has medication to help heal burns, but it is not necessary unless you are uncomfortable. Take at least two days after being in the sun to see the effects. You can then assess if you would like more or less sun exposure based on the results. Never alter your time in the sun by more than 1 hour for testing and always use some form of sunblock. Sunblock, even in weak forms, has UV protection that protects you from the harmful radiation. Do not layout in the sun with out it. The process can be slow at first, but you should see some results. If you are prone to freckles from sun exposure, you may want to slow the process even more, because the freckles are a reaction to too much sun at one time.