Tanning can lighten hair?

[Indigostreams]

Hey everyone. I have been doing some indoor tanning for a few weeks now, and it seems my hair has gotten lighter. My boyfriend and mom say it has too. Has his happened to anyone else? I'm not complaining, I like it!

[agoddess2die4]

Oh yeah, tanning can definitely lighten hair. When I was a kid I spent every moment outside that I could. As a result I had medium brown hair at the roots, and blond at the ends because the sun bleached it out. Looking back at pictures it was actually pretty cool looking. :D

[MidnightMoon]

Definitely. My now dark brown hair would be medium-light brown as a kid because I didn't avoid the sun like I do now, I used to go to the beach and play outside all the time. Now that I literally hate the sun it has gotten very dark.

[jojo]

Yes many moons ago when I used sun beds, my hair got lighter, my hairdresser used to comment on it too. I am dark blonde so it doesn't take much for mine to lighten, but id say yes it does!

[melusine963]

Yep, hair gets bleached by sunlight. This can cause damage however, so some people prefer to protect their hair with a sun hat or scarf.

[jacqueline101]

Yes it can big time. When I used to go outside mine would lighten.

[maborosi]

Yes. UV radiation can lighten hair, especially if it's already light to begin with. When I was a little kid, I would go swimming and my hair was literally white blonde.

~maborosi~

[gillybeanxo3921]

it definitely can, but I think it also causes damage. If you dilute lemon juice and spray it into your hair before going out into the sun, it makes it even more potent!

[chen bao jun]

Um, tanning also gives you skin cancer, eventually. Just thought I'd mention, though you probably already know this. I'm in my 50's and I've had a bunch of friends come up with melanomas recently. I don't know how old you are but 50 is not as far away as you think...
And it definitely gives you wrinkles earlier and worse. Not attractive.

[einna]

That's why I use a hat on the rare occations I use sunbeds. I do like the color I get from sun, but I don't like the damage.

[cmg]

It did lighten my natural hair a bit, but never affected the henna color.

/ CMG

[Indigostreams]

Um, tanning also gives you skin cancer, eventually. Just thought I'd mention, though you probably already know this. I'm in my 50's and I've had a bunch of friends come up with melanomas recently. I don't know how old you are but 50 is not as far away as you think...
And it definitely gives you wrinkles earlier and worse. Not attractive.
Thanks for the advice. I am aware of the probable negative effects, but I only tan from January-March, because it helps me feel less depressed due to the lack of sunlight in the Winter. I was just wondering if your friends with melanoma did indoor tanning?

[lilliemer]

Thanks for the advice. I am aware of the probable negative effects, but I only tan from January-March, because it helps me feel less depressed due to the lack of sunlight in the Winter. I was just wondering if your friends with melanoma did indoor tanning?
Chiming in on the tanning bed thing. Please consider not doing this any more. Forget about the effects on your hair. Using the tanning bed increases your melanoma risk by over 50%. Please look at this page on the FDA website. http://www.fda.gov/forconsumers/consumerupdates/ucm186687.htm

An alternative to tanning bed, if you have seasonal affective disorder, might be a light box, have you thought about this??
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/seasonal-affective-disorder-treatment/DN00013

[lapushka]

An alternative to tanning bed, if you have seasonal affective disorder, might be a light box, have you thought about this??
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/seasonal-affective-disorder-treatment/DN00013

I have one of those strong lights too. They're quite effective and nice to have on at night, on nights when the sun sets really early.

[Indigostreams]

lapushka, I have thought about getting one of those lights. I think I will try it. However, I will still continue tanning. It also has benefits, like improved vitamin D levels. I also only go for 6 minutes max, three times a week, and for about a 3 month span. From what I have read there are quite a few studies, some proving that indoor tanning causes skin cancer, and some proving that it doesn't. It's a confusing subject. Also, I don't really trust everything the FDA tells us, especially considering how they approve genetically modified foods as being safe (as one example.) But I do appreciate your concern, and do take it into consideration. I will try the light box though, thanks :)

[Indigostreams]

I also want to add that I don't go tanning to make my hair lighter. I just noticed it happening, that's all.

[lapushka]

I have nothing against (moderate, within reason) tanning. Just wanted to put that out there. Also, I don't quite like it when people start throwing cancer facts at you when you ask something lightweight about tanning or who knows, it might be smoking next. It's hard enough to (dare to) ask these days. And yes, I have had and have several members in my family with cancer, so I "get" how important this is, but scaring people on (what is supposed to be) an innocent thread is a little too much IMMHO.

[long&blonde]

Yes, tanning definitely can lighten your hair. I've gone platinum after a week in Mrytle Beach, & noticed lightening in my dabbling w/tanning bed days too. Now behind me. I noticed I preferred not tan photos of myself,my face, to tan. That sold me on quitting.

[Indigostreams]

I have nothing against (moderate, within reason) tanning. Just wanted to put that out there. Also, I don't quite like it when people start throwing cancer facts at you when you ask something lightweight about tanning or who knows, it might be smoking next. It's hard enough to (dare to) ask these days. And yes, I have had and have several members in my family with cancer, so I "get" how important this is, but scaring people on (what is supposed to be) an innocent thread is a little too much IMMHO.Thanks Lapushka. I do appreciate the concerns that were given too, because they must be out of an intention of care. But right, I was just simply wondering if others have seen their hair lighten too. :)

[chen bao jun]

It was with an intention of care.
Backing away now.
I'm glad you're happy with your hair.

[Indigostreams]

It was with an intention of care.
Backing away now.
I'm glad you're happy with your hair.

Thanks. :)

[goldloli]

my hair looks lovely from sun lightening.. a peachy blonde at the lengths and ends, like a natural balayage head of higlights. i also use tanning beds in the winter for vit d and seasonal depression, only 3-6 minutes a couple times a week at most. recently ive stopped due to using retinol and other things on my skin. when used with caution i think tanning can be part of a healthy lifestyle. obvi not 20 minutes etc, but sporadic lil visits are great for mood and vitamin d.

[RileyJane]

Yes, itll lighten it a couple shades...but i also think long term (more than 3 months) worth of consistent tanning can damage your hair a bit, just think the heat/ UV rays that are on your head for 12-15 mins, is like 6 hours in the natural sun. I actually wear a cap that the UV light cant get through, so it helps protect my ends and color cuz i like my hair darkk :)

[maborosi]

Yes, itll lighten it a couple shades...but i also think long term (more than 3 months) worth of consistent tanning can damage your hair a bit, just think the heat/ UV rays that are on your head for 12-15 mins, is like 6 hours in the natural sun. I actually wear a cap that the UV light cant get through, so it helps protect my ends and color cuz i like my hair darkk :)

I'd have this problem too, though. My hair would lighten, but the ends would be really reaaaally thin. But I also swam in a chlorinated pool with no swimcap, so I'm guessing that played a big part in it, too, lol! (It also used to turn my hair green!!)

~maborosi~

[RileyJane]

yeah i noticed that too when i was tanning consistently for about 2 months, maborosi. it might have been my imagination, but my ends felt dryer than normal, and thats when i started with the cap, which has solved all those problems but i havent been in a pool in almost 2 yrs haha :)

[mcgg417]

Tanning seems to lighten hair very easily. I have a friend whose roots are a level four but ends are a level 7.5

[cmg]

The tanning contains some UV-rays that affect the coating on hair from conditioners etc. It is only natural that this can leave some hair seem damaged and some hair dyes fading. I would speculate that the hair is probably not more damaged than it would be without conditioners and other products used. Using a conditioner specially adapted for anti-fading (UV-filters) might help. I would try this if it becomes a problem.