Rewind a decade and I spent my days cheering in front of 60,000+ people on a football field, posing for swimsuit calendars and attending appearances as an NFL cheerleader. The one accessory that was a non-negotiable was a tan. I used every method available to me to hide my pasty midwest winter skin: indoor and outdoor tanning, spray tans and self-tanners.
Fast forward a decade and I spend my days as a dermatology PA performing skin cancers screenings and educating others on the dangers of tanning and UV radiation.
So if I knew then, what I know now, I would have chosen a very different path to get that “glowing skin”, which I outlined my reasoning for in this post.
Methods of Tanning
First let’s break down the different methods people use to develop the appearance of that sun-kissed tanned skin.
- Outdoor tanning
- Indoor tanning
- Spray tans
- Self-Tanning lotions, drops, foams and mouses
- Tanning pills
Outdoor & Indoor Tanning
Tanned skin was popularized by Coco Channel in 1923 after returning from a vacation in the French Riviera.
Outdoor tanning refers to the classic beach goers that lay on their towel, perhaps basted in oils, and get tan by sun exposure.
Indoor tanning refers to using a tanning booth or sun lamp to obtain a tan. UV tanning is considered a human carcinogen. We know that indoor tanning has been associated with increased cases of melanoma and unfortunately, it is estimated that 10% of the population still uses tanning beds. Studies have shown that using tanning beds before 20 years old can increase your risk of developing melanoma by 47%!
Despite popular belief, getting a base tan, say before a big trip, does not protect you from sunburns. Each skin tan and burn is inflicting DNA damage to your cells. Outdoor and indoor tanning are unsafe, because UV radiation has been tied to increased incidences of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers.
Spray Tans
DHA (dihydroxyacetone) is the ingredient present in self-tanning products which is regulated and deemed safe by the FDA, BUT..... it is not safe for inhalation or contact with mucous membranes (ie: nose, mouth, eyes).
Therefore, spray tanning should be avoided due to the aerosolization of the product that inevitably will make it’s way to mucous membranes. This includes both booth spray tans and hand held spray tans.
Tanning Pills
Tanning pills are made with large doses of color additives named: canthaxanthin. Although this ingredient has been approved to dye foods, it has not been approved in such large doses that are present in these packed pills. When present at such concentrated doses, they can form deposits within organs, particularly the skin (this is why you develop “darker skin” and the eyes.
These pills are not FDA approved and have potential dangerous side effects of retinopathy, nausea, diarrhea & welts.
Key Takeaway
So if you are looking for the safest way to have a “tan”, self-tanning lotions, drops, foams or mouses are the best option.
My Favorite Self-Tanners
Here are some of my favorite self-tanning lotions, drops and mousses:
Tan-Luxe The Body - Illuminating Self-Tan Drops
St. Tropez Self Tan Express Bronzing Mousse
Jergens Natural Glow + Firming Self Tanner Body Lotion
What is your favorite self-tanner?
