Why do some sunless tans start to become patchy when the tan starts to fade?
A As mentioned before, the part of the skin that achieves the tan appearance is a layer of dead skin cells. When the DHA first reacts with these cells, (which by nature are very dry) you almost always get a smooth and even tan. As the tan fades and your skin goes through its natural exfoliation process, these dead skin cells shed. Not every cell turns over at the same rate. You may have some tanned cells that remain or last longer while others fade away. The result of this is the appearance of dark spots that resemble freckles. This doesnt mean you received a bad tan or bad solution. Your tan will eventually fade all the way and there are several things you can do. First, you can prep your skin by assisting the exfoliation process using a scrub or gloves before going for a re-spray. This will blend your fading tan and even it out. Second, you can leave your skin alone and allowing the natural exfoliation process of the skin to occur. Eventually the tan will fade all the way. Third, you
