How long does it take to get a tan?
It takes 2 to 3 days to tan: a real tan, made of new melanin, becomes visible 2 to 3 days after sun exposure and peaks between 10 days and 3 to 4 weeks (Brenner and Hearing, 2008). The grayish tint of the first few minutes is only the melanin already there darkening.
Schematic drawing, not to scale. Dotted curves are estimates, in relative level, based on published timing; every skin tans in its own way.
How long does it take to get a tan?
The skin seen in cross-section, from the first minutes in the sun to 3 or 4 weeks later. Choose a skin type, then tap a label on the drawing to find out what it is.
Sources: tint of the first minutes, pigmentation that lasts 3 to 5 days, tan visible in 2 to 3 days and at its peak from 10 days to 3 or 4 weeks, melanin caps, protection of about SPF 3 (Brenner and Hearing, Photochem Photobiol, 2008); UVA and UVB (Wolber et al., 2008); p53 signal in mice (Cui et al., Cell, 2007); skin types (D'Orazio et al., 2013); protection of 1.4 to 2.3 (Sheehan et al., 1998); 4 to 5 months to fade (Ravnbak et al., 2008). Drawing not to scale; shades in the scene: estimates.
Keyboard: 1 to 3 skin types, Space pause, L slow motion, R restart, ← → previous or next step.
Frequently asked questions about tanning
Why don't you tan right away?
Because a real tan is made of new melanin, which has to be produced: it becomes visible 2 to 3 days after sun exposure (Brenner and Hearing, 2008). The tint of the first few minutes is only the melanin already there darkening; persistent pigmentation follows in the next hours and lasts at least 3 to 5 days. The signal that starts production is DNA damaged by UV: in mice, it goes through the p53 protein and the hormone α-MSH (Cui, 2007).
How long does a tan last?
Several months. A tan peaks from 10 days to 3 or 4 weeks after sun exposure (Brenner and Hearing, 2008). In 12 Scandinavians and 12 people from India or Pakistan, exposed to UVB 6 or 12 times over 3 weeks, it took 4 to 5 months to fade (Ravnbak, 2008).
Does a tan protect you from the sun?
Only a little: a tan built from UVB protects about like an SPF 3 sunscreen (Brenner and Hearing, 2008). In 16 young adults, 2 weeks of small UV doses gave a protection factor of 1.4 to 2.3 (Sheehan, 1998). A UVA tan, as in a tanning bed, is not considered protective.
Why do some skin types never tan?
Because their melanocytes make little brown melanin. Type I skin always burns and never tans; type IV skin burns little and tans easily (D'Orazio, 2013). The number of melanocytes is about the same from one skin to another: what changes is the amount and type of melanin (Brenner and Hearing, 2008; D'Orazio, 2013). In studies, DNA was much more damaged in light skin, even though dark skin had received at least 3 to 4 times more UV (Brenner and Hearing, 2008).
Are tanning beds dangerous?
Yes: the International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies UV tanning devices in Group 1, carcinogenic to humans (IARC, 2012). An analysis of 27 studies finds a melanoma risk 1.2 times higher in people who have ever used one, and 1.87 times when they started before age 35 (Boniol, 2012).
True or false?
The tint that shows up after a few minutes in the sun is a real tan.
False. It is the melanin already there darkening. A real tan, made of new melanin, becomes visible 2 to 3 days after sun exposure (Brenner and Hearing, 2008).
A good tan replaces sunscreen.
False. A tan protects about like an SPF 3 sunscreen (Brenner and Hearing, 2008), and in one study only 1.4 to 2.3 (Sheehan, 1998).
Light skin and dark skin have about the same number of melanocytes.
True. What changes is the amount and type of melanin they make, not their number (Brenner and Hearing, 2008; D'Orazio, 2013).
This page as text
The same information as the charts, to read without animation: for each chart, the values at the main moments, then the notes with their level of evidence.
Why does a tan take a few days to come?
Because the skin must first make new melanin. In the first few minutes, it is only the melanin already there darkening. Estimated curves, in relative level, after a day in the sun without sunburn.
| Days after sun exposure | Melanin already there darkening: grayish tint (estimate) (dotted) | New melanin: the real tan (estimate) (dotted) | Small melanin caps over the nuclei (estimate) (dotted) | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 100 | 0 | 0 | The day in the sun: the skin darkens within minutes |
| Day 3 | 30 | 40 | 22 | after sun exposure: new melanin builds up (estimate) |
| Day 7 | 0 | 75 | 65 | after sun exposure: new melanin builds up (estimate) |
| Day 10 | 0 | 95 | 85 | after sun exposure: the tan at its peak (estimate) |
| Day 14 | 0 | 100 | 95 | after sun exposure: the tan at its peak (estimate) |
| Day 21 | 0 | 100 | 100 | after sun exposure: the tan at its peak (estimate) |
| Day 28 | 0 | 90 | 95 | after sun exposure: the tan at its peak (estimate) |
Key points
- Within minutes: the grayish tint (Until day 1, Shown in humans)
Immediate pigmentation appears within minutes: it is the melanin already present darkening. It turns brown within minutes to days, depending on the dose and the skin color. Source: Brenner and Hearing, « The protective role of melanin against UV damage in human skin », Photochem Photobiol, 2008 - Within hours: it holds (Until day 5, Shown in humans)
Persistent pigmentation follows in the next hours and lasts at least 3 to 5 days. Source: Brenner and Hearing, « The protective role of melanin against UV damage in human skin », Photochem Photobiol, 2008 - UVA darkens, UVB builds (Until day 5, Shown in humans)
UVA mostly gives the quick tint, by oxidizing the melanin already there. UVB gives a tan that takes several days or more to come. Source: Wolber et coll., « Pigmentation effects of solar-simulated radiation as compared with UVA and UVB radiation », Pigment Cell Melanoma Res, 2008 - The signal: damaged DNA (From day 1 to day 10, Seen in animals)
In mice, UV damages the DNA of skin cells; the p53 protein then triggers production of the hormone α-MSH, which drives melanocytes to make melanin. Source: Cui et coll., « Central role of p53 in the suntan response and pathologic hyperpigmentation », Cell, 2007 - Visible in 2 to 3 days (From day 2 to day 10, Shown in humans)
A real tan, made of new melanin, becomes visible 2 to 3 days after sun exposure. Source: Brenner and Hearing, « The protective role of melanin against UV damage in human skin », Photochem Photobiol, 2008 - At its peak: from 10 days to 3 or 4 weeks (From day 10, Shown in humans)
Melanocytes pass their melanin to neighboring cells, where it forms small caps over the nucleus that protect the DNA. The tan peaks from 10 days to 3 or 4 weeks. Source: Brenner and Hearing, « The protective role of melanin against UV damage in human skin », Photochem Photobiol, 2008 - Estimated curves (Throughout, Hypothesis)
The curves show the timing of each step, in relative level, based on published timing. Their height depends on the dose and the skin.
Why do some skin types tan more than others?
Because each skin makes more or less brown melanin. Estimated curves: tan reached day by day, after the same sun sessions, by skin type.
| Days after sun exposure | Type I: always burns, never tans (estimate) (dotted) | Type II: burns easily, tans little (estimate) (dotted) | Type IV: burns little, tans easily (estimate) (dotted) | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 0 | 0 | 0 | The day in the sun: the skin darkens within minutes |
| Day 3 | 3 | 12 | 38 | after sun exposure: new melanin builds up (estimate) |
| Day 7 | 6 | 27 | 76 | after sun exposure: new melanin builds up (estimate) |
| Day 10 | 7 | 35 | 90 | after sun exposure: the tan at its peak (estimate) |
| Day 14 | 7 | 39 | 97 | after sun exposure: the tan at its peak (estimate) |
| Day 21 | 7 | 40 | 100 | after sun exposure: the tan at its peak (estimate) |
| Day 28 | 7 | 38 | 95 | after sun exposure: the tan at its peak (estimate) |
Key points
- 6 skin types (Throughout, Shown in humans)
Type I: always burns, never tans. Type II: burns easily, tans little. Type III: burns moderately, tans moderately. Type IV: burns little, tans easily. Types V and VI: rarely or almost never burn, and tan a lot. Source: D’Orazio et coll., « UV radiation and the skin », Int J Mol Sci, 2013 - Less damaged DNA in darker skin (Throughout, Shown in humans)
In studies, DNA was much more damaged in light skin, even though dark skin had received at least 3 to 4 times more UV. Source: Brenner and Hearing, « The protective role of melanin against UV damage in human skin », Photochem Photobiol, 2008 - 4 to 5 months to fade (From day 10, Shown in humans)
In 12 Scandinavians and 12 people from India or Pakistan, exposed to UVB 6 or 12 times over 3 weeks, the tan took 4 to 5 months to fade. Source: Ravnbak et coll., « Skin pigmentation kinetics after UVB exposure », Acta Derm Venereol, 2008 - Estimated curves (Throughout, Hypothesis)
No study gives these curves for each skin type: they only show the difference, in relative level.
Does a tan protect you from the sun?
A little: a tan protects about like a sunscreen with an SPF of 2 to 3. Estimated curves: share of UV that still reddens the skin, during 2 weeks of small sessions.
| Days after sun exposure | Type II, small doses: 71% of UV still acts (estimate) (dotted) | Type II, higher doses: 48% (estimate) (dotted) | Type III, higher doses: 43% (estimate) (dotted) | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 100 | 100 | 100 | The day in the sun: the skin darkens within minutes |
| Day 3 | 97 | 92 | 90 | after sun exposure: new melanin builds up (estimate) |
| Day 7 | 85 | 70 | 66 | after sun exposure: new melanin builds up (estimate) |
| Day 10 | 77 | 57 | 52 | after sun exposure: the tan at its peak (estimate) |
| Day 14 | 71 | 48 | 43 | after sun exposure: the tan at its peak (estimate) |
| Day 21 | 71 | 48 | 43 | after sun exposure: the tan at its peak (estimate) |
| Day 28 | 71 | 48 | 43 | after sun exposure: the tan at its peak (estimate) |
Key points
- Modest protection (Until day 14, Shown in humans)
In 16 young adults, 2 weeks of small UV doses gave a protection factor of 1.4 to 2.3 depending on skin type and dose. About 20% of this protection came from the thickened outer layer of the skin. Source: Sheehan et coll., « Tanning in human skin types II and III offers modest photoprotection against erythema », Photochem Photobiol, 1998 - About an SPF 3 (Throughout, Shown in humans)
A tan built from UVB protects about like an SPF 3 sunscreen. A UVA tan, as in a tanning bed, is not considered protective. Source: Brenner and Hearing, « The protective role of melanin against UV damage in human skin », Photochem Photobiol, 2008 - Tanning beds (Throughout, Shown in humans)
An analysis of 27 studies finds a melanoma risk 1.2 times higher in people who have ever used a tanning bed, and 1.87 times when they started before age 35. It estimates that tanning beds caused 3,438 melanomas in Europe in 2008. Source: Boniol et coll., « Cutaneous melanoma attributable to sunbed use: systematic review and meta-analysis », BMJ, 2012 - Carcinogenic to humans (Throughout, Shown in humans)
The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies UV tanning devices in Group 1, carcinogenic to humans. Source: IARC, « Radiation », IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, volume 100D, 2012 - Estimated curves (Throughout, Hypothesis)
The share of UV that still acts is 1 divided by the measured protection: 1/1.4, 1/2.1 and 1/2.3, that is 71%, 48% and 43% (calculation based on Sheehan, 1998). The day-by-day path is estimated.
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