Exposed skin burns, darkens or does both as it's exposed to strong ultraviolet rays, either from the sun or a tanning booth. Any skin covered by clothing or sunscreen will darkness more slowly than exposed skin, creating tan lines that, depending on the severity of your burn or tan, may be faint or very obvious. You may want to take extra care to prevent developing tan lines if you're planning to go shirtless (for men) or wear a low-cut or strapless garment (for women).
Step 1
Cover up completely any time you're out in the sun for more than a few minutes; this is the only 100 percent guaranteed way of avoiding tan lines. Using loose clothing to cover up helps ensure that you won't develop tan lines, since the clothing will shift periodically.
Step 2
Supplement your cover-up strategy by using strong sunscreen on any exposed skin. Apply the sunscreen all the way up to the edge of your clothing and, ideally, just underneath that edge as well.
Step 3
Shift straps around or untie them or slip them off your shoulders if there's simply no way of covering up completely. This gives the skin underneath the straps a chance to tan evenly with the rest of your skin.
Tips and Warnings
- Your other foolproof tan-line-free option is to tan in the nude on a private patio or private sundeck. You might also try using a tan-through swimsuit (see Resources). However these are far from foolproof. They have some SPF value, so you must apply a low SPF sunscreen to exposed skin to keep your tan even, and any accidental folds or doubling in the swimsuit may block out the sun and inadvertently create tan lines. Make sure to read the directions on sunscreen carefully; some products must be applied up to 30 minutes before sun exposure for full efficacy, while others must be reapplied after heavy sweating or exposure to water.
Things You'll Need
- Sunscreen
