Does tanned skin get lighter over time?

Question

I played a lot of sports in the sun during high school and that made my skin several shades darker than my normal skin color. If I stay away from the sun as much as possible and use sun block when I'm out in the sun for more than 20 minutes, will it gradually get lighter and to my original skin color over time?

Answer 1

I doubt it as your not going to be inside forever. I have had a really dark tan on my arms for 3-4 years and its stayed. Despite being sun-burnt on a bike ride.

Answer 2

The sun will alter the amount of melanin contained in the contacted skin cells.  It will always be slightly darker than the rest of you.

Answer 3

I have light to medium skin color.  I love to work in our yard and get a pretty dark tan on my arms and legs.  But, once fall sets in and I'm not working outside, my tan fades.  By spring, I am back pretty much to my light to medium skin color and I start all over again.  If you do not want to have the sun tanned look anymore, make sure that you put sunscreen of at least 30 spf on, wear hats to keep your face shaded, wear long sleeves and pants to protect your arms and legs if you plan on spending any length of time in the sun.  

Answer 4

I tan very easily so I use 45 spf lotion which helps, they also sell 70/75 spf lotion. I can get pretty tan in the summer if I'm out a lot, but once fall comes around I start to lose my tan which I think says a lot since I live in texas! It's pretty much ALWAYS sunny here.

Answer 5

yup. over the summer i go to the beach and all and i get pretty tan. over the course of the school year where i'm not getting any sun, i get lighter (not too bad though) and during the next summer the same thing hapens again. basically you will become a bit lighter, but it depends on the persons skin to how much lighter you will get.