Will waxing remove my sunbed tan? You might be asking yourself this question if you’ve recently gotten a tan and are planning on getting waxed soon.
The short answer to this question is that if you’re using a high-quality wax that does not irritate or excessively pull at the skin, then you shouldn’t have a problem with it removing your sunbed tan.
Of course, this is not to say that there will never be a problem. For some more details, let’s dive into this article that will explain everything you need to know about waxing and tanning.
Will My Sunbed Tan Go Away If I Wax?
No, your sunbed tan will not go away if you wax. For starters, waxing is a form of exfoliation, and exfoliation is the process of gently removing dead skin cells from the top layer of your skin.
The outermost layer of skin, the epidermis, contains melanocytes at the basal cell layer and it is the melanocytes that are responsible for the production of the skin’s melanin.
As a result, the top layer of skin will show the most pigment from a tan. So, waxing can cause some amount of lightening to a tan but the wax will not completely remove it if you do end up waxing after a trip to the tanning bed.
Keep in mind that waxing should not have much effect on your tan as long as you aren’t getting repeatedly waxed, since this can cause much faster fading. If you decide to wax after you get a sunbed tan and are still worried about losing your color, then make sure to use a hard wax instead of a soft wax (also known as a strip wax).
Hard wax does not grip the skin as much as soft wax, making it ideal for sensitive areas. Meanwhile, soft wax can tug at the skin much more. This can cause patchiness and unnecessary tan removal than if you had opted for hard wax. Opting for hard wax is just another step that can be taken to help extend the longevity of your sunbed tan.
Is It Better To Wax Before Or After A Sunbed?
It is better to wax before a sunbed. Although waxing won’t fade your tan too much, we do recommend that you wax before tanning. This is to avoid any lightening that could occur from waxing after the fact. By waxing after, there is risk of a patchy, uneven color developing.
Also, remember that waxing is an exfoliation process, so waxing prior to going on a sunbed can actually give you a better tanning base if done properly. Furthermore, it is important to remember to wait an appropriate amount of time between both of these strenuous processes.
Both waxing and tanning put the skin under a significant amount of stress, therefore leaving some time between them is optimal. As a rule of thumb, 24-48 hours should be given to allow your skin time to recover and heal from either of these somewhat damaging services.
How Long Should You Wait To Tan After Waxing?
As we noted previously, 24-48 hours should be given to allow your skin to recover after getting a wax. In general, you should wait at least 24 hours before tanning after getting a wax, but waiting even longer is better.
Waxing can cause damage and stress to your skin, so giving it some time to rest and recover is best. Once you’ve waited 24 hours, you are safe to get a tan. This means that you can be in the sun or use a tanning bed or spray the very next day after waxing.
Tanning damages skin cells through heat and UV rays, while waxing pulls at the skin and can cause inflammation or dermatitis. Thus, allowing 24-48 hours between waxing and tanning is ideal. If you need to patch-test the wax of your choice, this will also give you enough time to see if there are any potential allergic reactions.
As one would expect, tanning after having an allergic reaction to, or even simply experiencing sensitivity to waxing can cause further irritation. Overall, waiting a minimum of 24 hours is best to ensure that your skin stays healthy and does not get irritated or damaged.
How Do I Wax Without Removing My Sunbed Tan?
There are a few ways to go about waxing without removing your tan. First things first, waxing typically won’t remove too much of a sunbed tan. Even if waxing is an exfoliation process, sunbeds encourage natural melanin production (albeit at a rapid pace) unlike spray tans that can be washed or scrubbed off.
With that being said, although there won’t be much of a difference, there are always times where waxing could make a sunbed tan look uneven. To avoid any discoloration, we recommend that you wax at least a day before getting a tan.
Waxing prior to going on a sunbed will help to avoid removing your tan. Getting a wax before tanning will also provide a nice, smooth base for the tan. Remember to give your skin a few days to recover after waxing before getting on a sunbed.
On the whole, the best way to protect your sunbed tan is to wax before getting the tan. This will prevent any removal of your tan and it will give you the best results. Also, getting hard wax done instead of soft wax will also reduce the chances of an uneven tan. This is because hard wax doesn’t adhere to the skin in the same way soft wax does.
Final Thoughts: Will Waxing Remove My Sunbed Tan?
Now that we have clarified that waxing won’t necessarily remove your sunbed tan, you should remember that waxing before a sunbed tan is still the best option for awesome tanning results. Waxing can remove the top layer of skin, causing some people to worry about losing the color they gain with tanning.
Realistically, the wax won’t do much more than any other exfoliation process would (like a body scrub). Using hard wax is the best option if you do decide to get a wax after getting a sunbed tan. This is because hard wax doesn’t pull on the skin as much as soft wax is known to.
Otherwise, the best option is to get a sunbed tan after getting a wax. This is completely safe if you wait at least 24 hours before getting into a tanning bed. Generally, 24 hours is enough time to let your skin recover after a harsh exfoliation process.
Finally, yet importantly, you should not be worried about your sunbed tan being removed with waxing. Whether or not you get a wax before tanning, you will still enjoy the results despite the order you get the treatments done.
