Can you believe all this snow? I think I speak for all New Yorkers when I say enough is enough! We feel cold, tired, and buried in the white stuff. Most of all, I think we’re all craving a little warmth, a little sun, and a little color, too!
I get concerned, though, when I hear people talking about heading to the tanning salon for some much-needed sun therapy. You all know as well as I do the dangers of exposing yourself to dangerous UV rays. According to USA Today, international cancer experts have now moved tanning beds into the top cancer-risk category, deeming them as deadly as arsenic and mustard gas. A new analysis of 20 studies showed that risk of skin cancer jumps by a whopping 75 percent when people start using tanning beds before the age of 30.
A lot of people are aware of the dangers of tanning beds, so they’re turning to sunless tanning as a supposedly safer option. Unfortunately, this option isn’t much better. If you’re thinking about it, please consider these risks first:
1) Sunless tanning comes with chemicals: According to the FDA, sunless tanners work by coating the skin with the chemical dihydroxyacetone (DHA). DHA interacts with the dead cells on the surface of skin to darken the color and simulate a tan. So far, studies seem to show that DHA is safe-unless you inhale it or ingest it. Your risk of both increases if you get a spray tan at a salon.
It’s all a matter of how you apply the tanner. If you’re spritzing a little on at home, you can usually control the application pretty well as long as you don’t spray it on your face. (Use a safe lotion or powder bronzer instead.) But when you go into a salon, you’re not always told to wear nose plugs or protective eyewear, and it’s very important that you do so. (Some salons do not properly ventilate their spray-tanning areas, either.) The risks of DHA inside the body are unknown, but they’re considered serious enough that the FDA has issued a warning about them. Even if you do wear protection, there is a risk that some of the small DHA particles could get into your eyes, causing pain, itching, and redness. In fact, many healthcare professionals recommend that pregnant women avoid DHA during the first trimester or through the entire pregnancy.
DHA is only one of the many ingredients in sunless tanning formulas, however. Like many personal care products, the truth is in the ingredient list. Most have preservatives like parabens, which I’ve written about in other posts. Many have synthetic fragrances, which consist of several unknown chemicals. Some have DMDM hydantoin, which can be contaminated with formaldehyde and has been given a high hazard rating by the Skin Deep Database.
2) Sunless tanning products can cause allergic rashes: If you have sensitive skin, eczema, or other skin conditions, test the spray tanner on a small area first, as some people do have allergic reactions to DHA or even to some of the other approved ingredients in these products.
3) Tanning pills have been linked to retinopathy: If you’re thinking you can get your tan in a pill, think again. This is one of the more dangerous options. Tanning pills use an ingredient called canthaxanthin, which is more typically used as an FDA-approved food additive. The FDA has not given approval for canthaxanthin in a tanning pill, however. No wonder, as for the ingredient to work inside your body, the dosage is increased several times over-and this increased dosage has been linked with health effects. When you ingest the pill, canthaxanthin is deposited throughout the body, including in the layer of fat under the skin, which is what creates the orange/tan color. One reported side effect, however, is that canthaxanthin pools and crystalizes in the retinas, making the eyes appear yellow or orange. The condition is called “canthaxanthin-induced retinopathy” and can take 25-60 months to disappear.
4) Tanning pills can also make you sick: Did I say this was a dangerous option? Tanning pills can also make you sick. According to a report in American Pharmacy (August 1993), people using the pills complained of nausea, cramping, diarrhea, severe itching, and welts.
Finally, don’t forget: A false tan gives you no extra protection against the sun, so be sure to always wear sunscreen and protect with hats and gloves.
As long as you avoid the pills, sunless tanners aren’t horrible-if you buy them yourself and use them at home and keep them away from your face. Best of all, shop carefully, read labels, and choose those formulas with safe ingredients. (Try Sircuit Soliel.) If you must go to the tanning salon, find one that offers an organic spray tan, as these typically don’t include alcohols or parabens, and be sure to wear protective gear.
Have you found a safe, non-toxic sunless tanner? If so, please let us know!
Photo courtesy the Tanopia™ via Flickr.com.
