In or On the Pool –Water reflects sunlight, so one of the best ways to catch some serious sun is to be in the water, or to lie on water on a floatable device. So if you really want to develop that dark tan, dipping in the pool or lying on a lilo on top of water is not only relaxing and cooling, but very effective!

Fortunately, good sunglasses protect both the skin around the eye and the eye itself. While children under 6 months old should never be exposed to the sun, once they reach 6 months, they should wear sunglasses outside.

To protect against damage from the sun’s rays, it is important to avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun’s rays are strongest; to wear protective clothing; and to use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher.

Do you tan better with clouds? No, you don’t tan better with clouds. Although you can still tan even there are clouds hiding the visible light from the sun, the ultraviolet rays that reach your skin are more or less the same as when there are no clouds. The clouds do not magnify the effects of the ultraviolet rays.

Believe it or not, you don’t have to be in direct and full sunshine to get a tan. As long as UV light from your surroundings are reflecting on to you, then your skin is absorbing it. Snow and sand (particularly if it’s pale) both strongly reflect the rays of the sun.

Clean, clear bodies of water, free from pollution, such as swimming pools, will be easier to tan under. This is because there is not much in the way of stopping the UV rays from penetrating down beneath the surface of the water. Murky, dirty bodies of water, such as lakes or dams, are harder to tan through.

Here’s what the American Academy of Dermatology advises:

1. Exfoliate. Use a washcloth to exfoliate the skin before applying a self-tanner.
2. Dry your skin.
3. Apply in sections.
4. Wash your hands after each section.
5. Blend at your wrists and ankles.
6. Dilute over your joints.
7. Give your skin time to dry.

Skin darkening happens in presence of sun light as production of Melanin increases, which is a protection measure of body from UV lights. You get tan from swimming when the pool is open in the morning, thanks to the sun. Night won’t have an effect, but chlorine might dry out your skin.

Most tanning experts agree that the deeper the water, the more light that is absorbed and the fewer UVA rays that will reach the surface of a swimmer’s skin. This means that the skin is less likely to tan or burn, but water does not provide full protection from the sun.

UV-B, the frequency range of ultra-violet light that causes sunburn, is absorbed by water but you need a few metres of it to provide adequate protection. Half a metre of water will still let 40 per cent of the UV-B through and the cooling effect of the water makes you less aware of the Sun.

Like other tanning oils, coconut oil creates a layer on top of the skin. This layer speeds up tanning because it makes the UV rays, both UVA and UVB, easily reach the melanocytes to produce melanin. This means that although you tan faster, you will also burn faster too.

Sun exposure can’t be ignored while swimming, either. Up to 40 percent of UV rays can penetrate shallow water. Don’t forget reflected light. Hiking or skiing in the mountains can also mean more sun exposure because UV radiation increases with altitude.

Sunlight entering the water may travel about 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) into the ocean under the right conditions, but there is rarely any significant light beyond 200 meters (656 feet). The ocean is divided into three zones based on depth and light level.

Harmful UV rays also can reflect off water and light-colored surfaces (e.g. concrete, sand, and snow). This can double the amount of UVB rays that strike your skin. UV rays also reach below the surface of water—three feet of water blocks only 20 percent of UV rays.

YES ! The sun rays can be magnified by the water. And you can get a sunburn just as fast if not faster in the water.