y, UVB rays don’t penetrate the skin as deeply, and tend to be responsible for more of the short-term damage – sunburns – while UVA rays tend to radiate further into the skin and trigger melanin production.
When it comes to tanning through a window, it’s believed that the average glass pane absorbs somewhere around 97 percent of UVB rays, meaning much less of these are able to actually reach your skin’s surface. Therefore, when exposed to the Sun through glass, you’re much less likely to sunburn, as just a tiny percent of these sunburn-causing rays actually makes it to your skin.
On the other hand, most panes of glass are said to absorb around 37 percent of UVA. Meaning most of this radiation still makes it through to your skin. Because UVA is usually the tanning component of UV rays, this means it can, in fact, be possible to achieve a suntan through a window. However, because a lower percentage makes its way to your skin, this process won’t happen as quickly.
Also read: Tanning with UV Index of 5: Is it Possible?
Can you tan through tinted glass?
We’ve established that regular windows do allow suntanning to take place, but how about tinted windows? These windows tend to let in much less light, so do they filter even more UV radiation too?
One thing that makes it difficult to determine whether you’ll be able to tan through a tinted window is the fact that tinted windows can have varied opacities, and these cover a large range.
|Influence on Tanning Potential through a Window
|Some UV radiation can penetrate certain types of glass
|Different types of glass may vary in UV transmission
|Sun exposure and UV transmission can vary based on window direction
|Duration of Exposure
|Longer periods near a window can potentially lead to some tanning
If you’re exposed to the sun through tinted windows, you’re much less likely to tan than through non-tinted glass, as even more of the UV rays are blocked by the tint. It’s also worth noting that, in some types of glass, such as car windows, less UV is able to penetrate as they’re specifically designed to prevent this.
So, in conclusion, if you’re trying to tan through tinted glass, you probably won’t be very successful as little UV will reach your skin.
In conclusion, it’s clear to see that you can get a tan through a window, to an extent, but this generally won’t happen to the same extent as it would when you’re outside. It’s worth noting in case you wish to protect your skin from the Sun whilst indoors, but you probably won’t achieve a super dark tan.
If you’re looking for the safest, quickest way to achieve a holiday glow, why not reach for your self-tanner, instead.