Tanning can be a fun and easy way to get an all-over tan in the comfort of your own home. But what happens when you wake up with raccoon eyes? You might not know this, but it is actually normal for people who use self-tanner to experience this effect after their first application.
In fact, one out of every three people will have this happen to them after using self-tanning products. This article will cover everything you need to know about raccoon eyes from tanning!
What Does Raccoon Eyes Mean?
Raccoon eyes are dark areas of bruising under each eye that develop after an injury to the face. Such injuries may include any type of trauma or blow to the head, even a relatively mild impact such as occurs in a car accident, fall, altercation, or sport accident. In most cases of raccoon eyes, however, there is no significant impact to the head, and the injury is caused by forceful blood collection under the skin.
Raccoon eyes may also sometimes be used as a slang term for drug use. In this instance, a raccoon eye refers to one of several signs that point to a possible drug overdose including elevated heart rate and pupil dilation.
Why Does Tanning Cause Raccoon Eyes?
Although it is not entirely understood, ecchymosis occurs because blood vessels just under the skin break during the tanning process. These vessels produce a pool of blood under the skin known as ecchymosis or raccoon eyes.
- Even after one-time use, tanning under UV light without eye protection may result in long-term eye damage. Getting a golden bronze tan might be difficult if you don’t have the proper eye protection. All while keeping your eyes healthy, obtaining a brass tanned body is possible.
- Wearing eye protection, on the other hand, can result in raccoon eyes. These are the white circles that appear around your eyes where your tanning goggles were set, while the rest of your body is beautifully tanned.
- Raccoon eyes are not dangerous, although they do look awful and may be painful. In addition to simply fading on their own after a few days, you can try icing your eyes with frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel.
- If the pool of blood is very large, your doctor will want to drain it with a needle and syringe or remove some of the fluid through a small incision. Other than that, you must simply wait for the ecchymosis to disappear on its own .
If you notice any other symptoms such as pain or redness, you should be examined by a doctor immediately.
Steps in How to Cover Raccoon Eyes
You may be freaked out a little if you have raccoon eyes following a tanning session at a salon. Don’t worry, with a few easy cosmetic tools you’ll be able to hide the lighter regions around your eyes and blend them in to match the rest of your lovely new tan.
Applying makeup correctly will be critical to ensuring that your tan looks natural while also avoiding the raccoon eye statement effect you were not going for.
Here are the steps:
1. Finding the right foundation to color the affected part – Most people make the mistake of using their normal foundation. This is not ideal since it will be too dark for your lighter areas and you’ll end up looking like a clown with an uneven tan!
- To conceal the lighter regions under your eyes, you’ll need to match the hue of your foundation to the shade of your new tan. A good waterproof foundation will be able to conceal the lighter areas around your eyes. The color under your eyes should be a shade lighter than the rest of your body to make it easier to conceal.
- Waterproof foundations might be somewhat costly, but they are well worth the money. A better coverage and a longer duration than a less expensive, watered down foundation are the benefits of investing in a quality makeup.
2. Apply the foundation – After finding the right foundation, you should apply it with a brush or hands. Work slowly in circular movements to blend the lighter regions into your skin tone and avoid heavy lines around your eyes that will be difficult to cover.
- Makeup brushes are an excellent choice for this task since they allow precise application of makeup products while being easy on the wallet at the same time.
- When using your hands, make sure to use a soft touch and try not to rub the makeup into your skin too deeply as this will only cause more problems than solutions. As always, brush before bedtime for best results!
- When you blend the foundation toward the outer edge of the lighter circle, you’ll get a very natural, uniform tone. The raccoon eyes should be completely hidden and gone if these processes are followed correctly, with no visible color difference remaining.
- If you’re used to applying make-up every day, it won’t be much of a burden. You just have to get into the habit of focusing on your raccoon eyes.
After you have applied the foundation, wait for it to dry completely before going on with step three.
3. Now is the time to apply powder – Once the foundation has dried, you can go on to powder. Powder will make your makeup last longer and it will set everything firmly in place; if there’s a little bit of tanner that sneaks through, no one should ever be able to tell!
- If you have been blessed with skin as smooth as silk, then simply dusting over the area with a little powder should be enough to make your makeup last through the day.
- If you have oily skin, however, you may want to try using a mattifying primer under your foundation and over any problem areas such as the raccoon eyes . You can also increase its durability by dusting it lightly with some loose powder before applying normal foundation.
- Remember to wait a little before going on with the next step, so that your powder can dry and attach itself firmly to your makeup foundation underneath it!
- In some cases, you may want or need more coverage – especially if you have been tanning for an extended period of time as this will significantly darken any blemishes such as acne and dark circles.
- Dabbing the tip of your fingers in a little bit of loose powder will help you blend it better into your skin, but avoid using too much as this can make everything look blotchy instead of perfect!
- If you feel that more coverage is necessary or if there are parts where raccoon eyes have begun to become visible again, you can go over the problem areas with a concealer that matches your skin tone. If this is still not enough for you, use some of everything – powder foundation followed by loose powder on top and finally mattifying primer before applying the rest of your makeup!
After all these steps are done, stand back and admire yourself in front of the mirror. You should be able to see clearly how your raccoon eyes have vanished!
The most important part is to make sure that you set everything in place with powder and do not use too much of it, as this can leave unsightly blotches on your face.
Furthermore, after applying foundation over problem areas such as dark circles or blemishes, use a concealer that matches your skin tone to blend into place.
What Causes Raccoon Eyes?
Raccoon eyes most often result from a person’s head impacting with some type of blunt object, such as the ground when participating in sports or an accident. When this occurs, small blood vessels in the face burst and allow blood to collect under the skin. The resulting discoloration resembles a “raccoon” mask.
- The skin is not broken in raccoon eyes, and there is rarely a cut or abrasion present. Bruising under the skin only occurs if a person suffers a mild to moderate impact to their face, such as might occur during an accident which does not lead to severe injuries elsewhere on the body. If you suffer severe impacts, it is likely that other areas of your body will also be bruised.
- Raccoon eyes are similar to a condition called “black eyes,” but are distinct in that black eyes are the result of bleeding into the tissues under the skin around the eye, rather than collection of blood within these tissues. If you suffer an impact to your face without suffering a cut or abrasion, you may have suffered a mild concussion. This is best diagnosed by a medical professional.
- The rate at which raccoon eyes develop varies depending on the injury. Bruising of the face may begin immediately after an impact, or it may take several hours to become visible.
If you are suffering from back pain that seems to have occurred at the same time as your facial bruising, it is best that you seek medical attention to rule out any internal injuries.
What Are the Symptoms of Raccoon Eyes?
Raccoon eyes are characterized by blood-shot or discolored areas under each eye. The injury may be painful, but in most cases pain subsides almost immediately after impact.
The area may be swollen or bruised, and will usually become more sensitive to touch over the next few days. In some instances, a person’s eyes may swell shut from swelling caused by raccoon eyes.
Raccoon eyes are not serious injuries in most cases, but they can persist for several weeks if left untreated. A mild concussion may be present, and a person suffering from raccoon eyes should rest to avoid a more serious injury.
How Is Raccoon Eyes Treated?
There is no treatment for raccoon eyes as such, but they will heal on their own in time if left untreated. In most cases, they will only take a week or two to heal, but may sometimes last for up to six weeks.
To speed the process of healing, apply a cold compress or ice pack to your face several times each day. You should also avoid applying pressure to the affected areas and expect them to swell and bruise.
If you have pain in either your head or face, it is best to seek medical attention. You should also see a doctor if you have a cut or abrasion in your face, or any pain that has not gone away within a few hours of the injury.
How to Avoid Raccoon Eyes From Tanning
When you think of “tanning”, you probably picture someone lying out on the beach or by a pool. You might even picture spray tans, which are becoming increasingly popular for their convenience (and tendency to produce an even tan).
But there’s another type of tanning that most people don’t really know about. It includes tanning on the sides of your face, sometimes called “raccoon eyes”.
- Why is this dangerous? Well, first off… it’s not the best way to get a tan. Tanning beds are known to cause various health problems and aren’t really safe for extended use. And spray tans can be messy and may contain solvents that aren’t good for you.
- Second, it can cause wrinkles and premature aging ! Tanning is essentially a form of radiation – it’s a free-radical reaction that does all sorts of damage to your cells from the inside out. As sun exposure creates more and more free radicals, they start attacking the collagen in your skin – leading to wrinkles and loss of elasticity. In other words, it can cause you to look older than your years!
- In fact, a recent study found that men who have been exposed to the sun’s UV radiation are more likely to have facial wrinkles and sagging skin as they age – even if they had started out with fewer lines and a youthful appearance.
So to avoid these, it’s important to know how to protect yourself.
How To Protect Yourself From Tanning Side Effects
If you want to tan your face, then here are some steps you can take to avoid the dangerous effects…
1. Use a Sunscreen With SPF 30+, But Skip The Oils And Lotions!
As this study shows , mineral sunscreens work much better – and they’re safe enough that you can use them on your face or other sensitive areas of skin. Many mineral sunscreens come in a convenient powder form, which means they’re perfect for applying to your face without getting it greasy. And some even contain antioxidants for extra protection against free-radicals!
(Just make sure they don’t contain menthol, camphor, or any other ingredients that aren’t safe to put on your skin. And avoid ones with retinyl palmitate if you’re over the age of 35 due to potential damage to cells.)
2. Avoid The Tanning Beds (And Other UV Radiation Sources)
Of course, if you want to put the dangerous effects of tanning on hiatus for awhile, simply avoid the tanning bed. There’s no safer alternative when it comes to UV radiation exposure…
3. Use Sunless Tanning Methods From Time To Time If You Just Can’t Stay Away From The Tanning Bed
If you just can’t stay away from the tanning bed, then at least consider using a sunless tanning method . These include spray tans and lotions with a bronzer included. You can use these on your face or other areas of skin.
(Just make sure they don’t contain any harmful ingredients , such as DHA.)
Conclusion
Raccoon eyes from tanning can be dangerous and cause wrinkles and other aging effects. To avoid these, use a sunscreen with SPF 30+, only tan in the sun when absolutely necessary (such as for an event or last-minute situation), stay away from tanning beds entirely, or consider using safe alternatives such as mineral powders and sprays that contain ingredients like DHA.
If you have been tanning your face, then consider switching to a safer alternative and use sunscreen anytime you are in the sun. Raccoon eyes from tanning can be dangerous so protect yourself!
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