During Spring Break, many men go beardless and clean-shaven only to find that there was a hidden tan line under their beard. These tan lines are very common, especially if you’re the kind of person who spends most of their time outdoors. How do we get these tan lines and how can we prevent them?

What Causes a Beard Tan?

Beard tan lines occur when one has been exposed to UV rays for long amounts of time. Typically, they occur in fair-skinned men, especially those with thick beards. What happens is that when you spend most of your time in the sun, your skin tans. When you have a beard, especially a thick one, it blocks the UV rays from touching the skin beneath your beard. Your facial hair is known to provide about 2 to 21 UPF protection. Although this may be fortunate, that does mean that you need to protect the rest of your skin from being exposed to the sun to prevent beard tan lines.

Can They Be Prevented? If so how?

Yes, beard tan lines can definitely be prevented. If you plan to shave your beard these coming weeks, then it is surely possible to not have that embarrassing tan line.

• Avoid tanning

Yes, this may seem a little difficult, but it will be worth it in the end. Also, make sure to stay out of the sun during peak hours. This will prevent beard tan lines from happening and it will also help prevent skin cancer. You don’t have to force yourself from going outdoors entirely. That is what sunscreen is for.

• Hold off on shaving

If you know that you recently got a tan, especially one that is completely noticeable, then it is best that you stay away from shaving until your skin color evens out. You won’t have to wait too long; It is often that suntans go away within the first two weeks after getting them. Think of the bright side, you have an additional two weeks to determine whether shaving your beard really is the way to go.

• Wear a daily moisturizer with SPF

In general, you should always wear a moisturizer with SPF. This will help prevent you from getting a sunburn while preventing any wrinkles from occurring. These kinds of moisturizers are also known to reduce tanning. SPF is certainly a must when preventing beard tan lines.

• Get a spray tan

If you already shaved your beard and can clearly notice your beard tan line, then it is probably best that you get a spray tan. It won’t make it go away entirely, but it will prevent it from looking too obvious.