• Melanin: Your natural skin color is determined by a pigment called melanin. The amount you have is passed down through your genes.

• The Reaction: When you are exposed to UV rays, cells deep in your skin (melanocytes) start producing more melanin.

• The Result: As this melanin rises to the surface of your skin, it turns brown, which creates a visible tan.

• Thickening: UV exposure also causes the outer layer of your skin to get thicker. This is your body’s way of building a physical shield to help prevent burning.

Different Skin Reactions

Not everyone reacts to the sun the same way. People with naturally darker skin produce melanin very quickly and easily. On the other hand, some people with very fair skin have very little melanin to begin with; their bodies cannot produce enough of it to tan, whether they are in the sun or on a sunbed.

The Risk of Sunburn

It is important not to rush the tanning process. If you get too much UV exposure too quickly, you will end up with a sunburn instead of a tan.

While our skin has a built-in "repair crew" to fix minor damage, this mechanism has its limits. If you trigger this repair process too often through repeated burning, your skin can become permanently damaged.