How can I prevent the tan from peeling?

by Mel
(ontario, canada)

Question: I want to have a tan for prom but I've been debating on getting a spray tan or not since i don't want to get burnt. I was talking to my friend today about spray tans, she recommended it because she got a beautiful tan. However, she said after 3 days it started to peel everywhere in blotches! Does this always occur? Is there a way to prevent it so it just naturally fades over time?

Answer: It is not that common that the spray tan will peel in blotches. Usually it starts rubbing off in places where your clothes are tighter like waist, top of the legs (if you wear jeans) and of course hands and face because they are the most often washed. Those problems are easy to repair with tan extenders.

With your friend's tan the problem could be that she did not exfoliate well before getting spray tan, or that she moisturized her body before spray tanning (or used soap or shower lotion that contained oil) before going for a spray tan.
That would have put a very fine film of oil on her skin and spray tan did not penetrate well.

I suggest that you go through before and after caring for your spray tan steps on my website, and then book yourself in for a trial spray tan to see how your skin reacts to it.
That way you can learn how to care for your spray tan without the pressure of having to fix up potential problems right before the prom.