Why do you get white patches of skin after tanning?

Answer 1

Sometimes individuals who use tanning beds can end up with areas of white patches on their skin. These are areas of skin that don't tan for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it is due to the genetic makeup of the individual. They could be the sign that the skin has developed some type of fungus. This is generally harmless but the UV rays from the tanning lights make it noticeable. It is important to understand that the fungus is already there and not a result of the tanning process itself. Instead, while tanning the appearance of it becomes noticeable. You can usually take care of the fungus by getting a prescription from your doctor or using an over the counter lotion. It is a good idea to have the doctor look at the area to determine if it is really a fungus before you attempt to treat it on your own. If you develop white patches of skin on the shoulder blades or your buttocks it may be nothing more than the result of pressure points in those areas while you are tanning. When these areas come into contact with the hard tanning surface it reduces the amount of oxygen and blood to those areas. You can take care of these white patches by wiggling throughout the tanning process to adjust where the pressure points are. If you still experience them consider moving from a traditional tanning bed to a tanning booth. If you are taking various prescription medications, even Birth Control pills, you may end up with white patches of skin. This is because some of them don't mix well with UV lights. Your tanning salon will have a complete list of such medications for you to review. If you decide to tan anyway you may end up with blotchy tanning instead of an even color. You can also alter the pigmentation of your skin.