Contents Method 1: Tanning under ultraviolet rays 1. Bask in the sun. 2. Try to avoid getting sunburned. 3. Apply sunscreen every day and reapply frequently. 4. Drink plenty of water every day to moisturize your skin. 5. Use a tanning bed to increase UV exposure. Method 2: Eat foods rich in vitamins 1. Eat foods rich in beta-carotene and vitamin A. 2. Eat foods containing vitamins C and E. 3. Eat fatty fish to boost your vitamin D intake. Method 3: Treat and take supplements 1. Take vitamin supplements to avoid vitamin deficiency in the body. 2. Consider taking melanin tablets and PUVA phototherapy to treat severe skin diseases. 3. Inject synthetic melanin to deepen skin color. People of any skin color may want to increase their melanin levels for a variety of reasons, such as getting a beautiful tan, solving the problem of uneven skin tone, or fighting a certain skin disease. Sunbathing or using a tanning bed is the fastest way to tan, however an increase in melanin means skin damage. Tanning must be done responsibly and gradually to reduce long-term damage. Eating more of certain vitamin-rich foods can make your body healthier. You can also choose from a variety of melanin-boosting supplements or treatments after consulting your doctor.
Method 1: Tanning under ultraviolet light
1. Bask in the sun. To get an even tan, start by applying sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, while above 30 is safer. Lie flat on your back directly in the sun without covering your skin. After 20-30 minutes, turn over onto your stomach. After 20-30 minutes, cover the skin and leave the sun. Most sunscreens take some time to be absorbed into the skin and start to work. So, after applying sunscreen, I waited 20 minutes before going out.
Get out in the sun a few times a week and your skin tone will gradually deepen.
Skin cells produce melanin to protect DNA from UV damage. You may find that prolonged exposure to the sun during the sunny season increases melanin production, causing your skin to darken.
2. Try to avoid getting sunburned. When your skin is exposed to too much UV rays, you may get sunburned. Blood rushes to the sunburned area, causing the skin to become red and sore. Sunburn damages skin cells and stops melanin production. Don't bask in the sun too much, stay in the sun for at most 1 hour a day, and allow your skin to fully rest before tanning again. Don't try to burn yourself to achieve a tan. This is the wrong way to tan and will slow down the progress of your tan.
Sunburned skin can cause skin cancer and early signs of aging.
Remember, melanin production means skin cell damage, so there is no completely "safe" way to tan.
3. Apply sunscreen every day and reapply it frequently. Apply sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher to all exposed skin, including the often-neglected feet, ears and scalp. Use more than you think, 30ml should be enough to cover your entire body. Reapply every 2 hours, even when skin is wet. Sunscreen can only protect your skin from sunburn, but it does not prevent you from getting tanned.
4. Drink plenty of water every day to moisturize your skin. Healthy, moisturized and supple skin is more likely to maintain an even tone and repair UV damage. If you don't drink water often, you can develop the habit of carrying a bottle of water with you, and then slowly increase the amount of water you drink from 1 bottle to 5 bottles or more a day. Drinking plenty of water can prevent your body from becoming dehydrated. Dehydration combined with sun exposure can make you very uncomfortable. When you need to be rushed to the emergency room for an infusion, there's no time to think about your tan.
5. Use a tanning bed to increase UV exposure. Make an appointment at a tanning salon and choose between a tunnel or standing tanning bed. Once in the tanning bed, put on your goggles and change into your swimsuit. Turn around regularly to get an even tan. Start by drying for 5-7 minutes. As your skin tone deepens, gradually increase the duration of your sun exposure in consultation with your tanning salon technician. Dermatologists strongly discourage the use of tanning beds because they can cause skin cancer. Technically, they emit ultraviolet rays that promote melanin production, slowly darkening the skin.
Method 2: Eat foods rich in vitamins
1. Eat foods rich in beta-carotene and vitamin A. Incorporate orange and red vegetables into your diet, such as carrots, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, acorn squash, and red bell peppers, and eat more fruits such as papaya, pumpkin, and cantaloupe. Although beta-carotene cannot increase melanin production, this fat-soluble pigment will accumulate in the skin, giving the skin a natural bronze glow. The effect of beta-carotene on skin pigmentation is most pronounced in light-colored skin. Most of these foods also contain vitamin A. Vitamin A has antioxidant effects and supports the production of melanin.
Incorporate dark green vegetables into your diet, such as broccoli, spinach, and some lettuce varieties. Although they are dark green, they also contain beta-carotene.
Cooking these vegetables will not reduce your beta-carotene intake, and you can cook them any way you like.
2. Eat foods containing vitamins C and E. Vitamin E is found in nuts, whole grains, seeds, and many fruits and vegetables, including asparagus, avocados, and corn. Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits, such as oranges, grapefruits and mandarins, as well as pineapples and bell peppers. Green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, berries, and broccoli contain both vitamins. These foods have antioxidant properties that protect skin cells from damage while encouraging balanced melanin production.
You can get the most nutrients by eating these fruits and vegetables raw.
3. Eat fatty fish to promote vitamin D intake. Increased melanin production reduces the skin's ability to synthesize vitamin D from natural sunlight. Vitamin D is important for maintaining bone and blood health, and you should include some foods that contain vitamin D in your diet, such as salmon, catfish, mackerel, and herring. Canned tuna, sardines and cod liver oil are also good sources of fat. Eat these fish in moderation a few times a week to reduce your overall fat and mercury intake.
Method 3: Treat and take supplements
1. Take vitamin supplements to avoid vitamin deficiency in the body. In addition to eating more vitamin-rich foods, you can also take supplements to increase your levels of vitamins A, C, D, or E. Beta-carotene supplements are available without a prescription but are commonly used to treat skin conditions. Before choosing a supplement, try consuming beta-carotene through your diet.
Ask your doctor about supplements that are right for you.
2. Consider taking melanin tablets and PUVA phototherapy to treat severe skin diseases. If you want to treat vitiligo, eczema, psoriasis, or other skin conditions, talk to your doctor about this treatment. Your doctor may ask you to take 10 mg melanin tablets orally, followed by photochemotherapy with ultraviolet rays. You can also dissolve the tablets in bath water and apply them topically.
3. Inject synthetic melanin to deepen skin color. Melanotan II, a synthetic peptide hormone, accelerates the production of melanin and darkens skin color without exposure to ultraviolet rays. After consulting your doctor, get your prescription through legal channels. You can use a 27g needle and a 1ml syringe to inject 0.025mg of hormone per kilogram of body weight into the abdominal fold. Repeat this process every week until you achieve your desired complexion. Note that Melanotan II is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It is commonly sold online, but is banned for sale and consumption in the United States, Europe and Australia.
Dermatologists advise against injecting synthetic melanin because the long-term effects are unknown.
Melanotan II is mainly used to treat erectile dysfunction, so if you want to use it to increase melanin, you must pay attention to its related effects on erectile dysfunction.
Tip Use sunless tanning lotion or spray. While these topical products don't work within skin cells to promote melanin production, they can allow you to achieve a tan without being exposed to harmful UV rays.
Warning Many "tanning pills" on the market contain large amounts of canthaxanthin colorant. Note that none of these products are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Their side effects may include retinal damage.
Increasing melanin or darkening skin tone does not protect skin from UV damage. Tanned skin only provides an SPF of less than 4, which is still some way off the minimum required of 15.