With the advent of summer, people have naturally started going through various tanning hacks to achieve that perfect tanned look. While the dangers of sun exposure are now well known, it has not stopped people from chasing after tans, regardless of its consequences.
Moreover, a lot of people also believe in quick fixes that give a tanned look without taking much time. One such now viral method is ‘Salt Water Tanning’, which has gained huge traction on TikTok. However, despite claims of salt water helping in the tanning process in a much faster way, experts have warned that the method comes with associated dangers that can cause serious damage to the skin.
As reported by Irish Star, “Salt Water Tanning involves mixing sea salt and water in a spray bottle, and spraying it onto your skin before laying out in the sun. The trick claims to speed up the tanning process by ‘mimicking the effects of a day spent by the ocean.’”
Unfortunately, despite its seemingly great and fast results, experts have mentioned that the salt water can actually dry out one’s skin and strip away the natural oils. Moreover, salt crystals can also intensify the UV exposure.
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An influencer on TikTok, named Finds4U, filmed themselves using this hack and saying that it works wonders. The caption of the video reads, “It literally works wonders.” However, the comments show that people are aware of the negative effects of this hack. One user commented, “Dry skin creates sunburn. Moisturized skin helps tanning. Salt dries out the skin.”
Another one added, “remember sunscreen y’all!” A third user chipped in, saying, “Please wear sunscreen. Skin cancer is the #1 cancer in the US.” Another user, who used the method themselves, wrote about their experience, saying, “I did, but I got a red rash and it stung so much after. Not worth it.” Another person also had a similar bad experience as they wrote, “I did this and it works just be careful cos I got burnt real bad.”
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It is clear from the comments that some people have indeed followed the trend and that resulted in bad burns, which can have lasting consequences on the skin. Given the amount of people diagnosed with skin cancer every year in the US, the trend is a concerning one as experts have quickly highlighted.
To ensure that one’s skin remains safe from this, experts have advised on using good sunscreen with a high SPF and generously applying it at least 15-20 minutes before getting exposed to the sun. While a tanned body can look gorgeous, it is also important to ensure that the skin remains taken care of.
