As we get more into the cold and snowy winter months the beach tans from the summer are long gone and if you went somewhere warm for winter break that tan will quickly fade. With modern advances in technology and beauty there are several ways customers can achieve the golden glow they’re hoping for all year round.

Salons usually have both UV (tanning booths) and spray tanning available. There are pros and cons to each option. A tan produced by UV rays typically last around 10 days without maintenance. This tanning option is also the most effective because customers are able to control how dark they get over time because the tan is a gradual buildup over a few sessions.

Some customers prefer the spray tan because it takes less time than a traditional tanning bed. People with very fair skin are not recommended to have long exposure to UV rays. This makes spray tan the smartest way to achieve the natural golden look they desire.

In some states you must be 18 to be allowed to enter a tanning bed so a spray tan is a great alternate option. Spray tans also have no harmful impacts with medicine that advise you to stay out of direct sun.

It is very popular for girls in high school to get spray tans for events like homecoming and prom. But it is also not unusual if you have the extra cash that you go get a spray tan just because you want to look tan. Looking tan is always in and something lots of people aspire to be no matter the month. I personally feel better about myself when I’m tan and miss my tan during the winter. Also for spring break it is also common if you’re heading to the beach somewhere to get a spray tan before your trip so you don’t look like a ghost the first time you’re in a bathing suit after the winter.

There are many precautions and dangers of fake tan as well. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation the cumulative damage caused by UV radiation can lead to premature skin aging (wrinkles, lax skin, brown spots, and more), as well as skin cancer. In fact, people who first use a tanning bed before age 35 increase their risk for melanoma by 75 percent.

This is another reasons why spray tans are the safer option although they do not last as long they are perfect for one or two day events or a beach weekend or just because!

There are also many benefits to natural sunlight like sunlight lowers cholesterol, sunlight builds the immune system, and regular sunlight exposure increases the growth and height of children according to mindbodygreen.com, but unless you are going somewhere tropical in  the dead of winter this warm sunlight is not available in winter which is why fake tanning is very popular.