Does fake tan stop you from getting a real tan? Here's everything you need to know | The Sun

MANY Brits are big fake tan lovers, whether it's from a booth or a bottle.

But does that mean that as the weather gets warmer and the UK sun finally comes, some won't be able to catch the rays? Read on for everything you need to know.

Can you tan with fake tan on?

It's a much asked question and the good news is that the short answer is a big, fat yes – you can still get a natural tan even when you've lathered up with the fake stuff before.

That's because having fake tan on doesn't stop UV rays from penetrating your skin, which is needed for you to bronze.

However, applying fake tan is not an alternative to sun protection.

Fake tan does NOT offer any protection from UV rays so if you are in the sun you still need to apply sun cream liberally.

Do you have to wear sunscreen if you're wearing fake tan?

As mentioned above, you always have to wear sun protection in the sun, even if you have already applied fake tan.

Tanning brand Sienna X says: "Sunless tan is not a barrier to UV rays emitted by the sun and sunbeds. Use sunscreen with a high SPF to protect your skin from sun damage."

They added: "Even if your preferred self-tanner has an SPF in it, it’ll wear off like your regular sunscreen so while the tan may last a week that doesn’t mean you're protected by the factor in it for that long."

This means the usual rules still apply and that you should apply suncream every half an hour as usual when you're soaking up the rays.

Will my real tan show up under a fake tan?

Now time for the golden question, quite literally.

If you ensure you keep your skin hydrated and wear sun cream on top of your fake tan, you can still end up building up a natural base colour underneath.

Therefore, once your fake tan has faded, you will see the results of a real one underneath – but be careful not to burn.

To avoid this, opt for a high factor SPF cream, which keeps you protected for longer.

Our Dying For A Tan campaign

Instead of waiting for the sun to come out, around one in ten young Brits, including children as young as eight, visit one of the UK's 7,000 tanning salons to use sunbeds.

But using sunbeds before you’re 35 increases your chance of developing melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer – by a horrifying 87 per cent.

That's why the Sun's Fabulous launched the Dying For A Tan campaign to raise awareness of the dangers associated with the use of sunbeds.

Sunbeds pelt skin with ultraviolet (UV) rays, which are often stronger than the midday Mediterranean sun – 20 minutes on a sunbed is equivalent to four hours in the sun.

The UV radiation causes melanin to be released in the body, which gives skin a tan, but also causes skin cancer.

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Cancer Research has revealed that rates of melanoma have soared by 45 per cent since 2004, with skin cancer being the fifth most common cancer in the UK.

Every year, 2,500 Britons die from the disease and 100,000 people are diagnosed with it.

During the campaign, we'll be telling stories of women who have lost an eye to cancer, had huge holes gauged out of their skin, and been left looking decades older than their age, all because of sunbeds.

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