It may be tempting to believe that your faux tan provides UV protection, but Dr. Those who do decide to go to a professional don’t need to worry too much about prepping for their appointment, as most application sessions will include exfoliation pretreatments. Kauvar cautions, “or you’ll develop brown streaks on your palms.” “Be sure to wash your hands immediately after application,” Dr. Apply the product in a thin layer as evenly as you can, then wait another 15 minutes for the product to dry before putting clothes on. To avoid this, exfoliate thoroughly and allow your skin to dry for at least 15 minutes before applying self-tanner. If that happens, the area will appear darker or more orange-brown than the surrounding skin. “Otherwise, areas of callous or thickened, dry skin such as elbows, knees, ankles and wrists will bind more product.” “The key factor is making sure to exfoliate the skin well first,” Dr. Getting the perfect, streak-free glow takes some time and care, though. Self-tanners come in a variety of formulas, including lotions, wipes and sprays. Kauvar says it’s totally possible to get an even, natural-looking tan at home. Though getting a professional spray-tan might be preferable for a big event like a wedding, Dr. Still, Kauvar suggests protecting your eyes, nose and mouth as a precautionary measure while getting sprayed. Kauvar says, but adds that there is no evidence to date of any toxicity at the concentrations currently used. “The question of safety issues relates to spray-on tans because of the potential for inhaling the material,” Dr. The resulting reaction causes browning, but unlike the reaction caused by UV rays, it involves only the outermost, dead cell layer of the skin. The active ingredient in most sunless tanners is the coloring agent DHA (dihydroxyacetone), which combines with amino acids in the skin. The “tan” achieved with sunless tanners, however, is much safer than a UV tan. “The reddening or browning of skin with sun exposure is a sign of skin damage.” “There is no such thing as a safe UV tan,” she says. Kauvar reiterated that UV tanning is totally unsafe - it’s a significant risk factor for every type of skin cancer - and that sunless tanning should be the only option for achieving a bronzed look. So I consulted Arielle Kauvar, MD, a board-certified dermatologist practicing in New York. I realized I didn’t know much about sunless tanning, like how to go about getting one or how safe it would be. I knew the risks associated with UV tanning weren’t worth it, so I began to consider another option: sunless tanning. But as summer rolled around, I found myself wishing my skin could have the bronzed look I associated with sundresses, pool parties and the beach. For a while, I embraced my natural skin tone as a healthy reminder that I was protecting myself from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. I realized it was time to make sun protection a priority, and swearing off tanning was the most obvious first step to take.Īlso obvious was the aesthetic result of giving up tanning - I no longer looked tan. each year are linked to indoor tanning, and those who first use a tanning bed before age 35 increase their risk for melanoma by 75 percent. When I joined The Skin Cancer Foundation, I learned how dangerous indoor tanning devices really are - more than 419,000 cases of skin cancer in the U.S. I ran around sunscreen-free as a child, and used indoor tanning beds in high school. Some of us, however, don’t commit to a sun protection regimen until a little later in life. Learning to seek the shade, apply sunscreen and never tan are lessons that help keep you safe both during childhood and later in life. Ideally, everyone’s sun protection education would begin at an early age.
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