Sunless Tanning Will NOT Provide Protection from UV damage.
The authors of a study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, are urging the FDA to require sunless tanning products to contain chemicals that effectively block UV. Currently, there is no such requirement and that may be causing some confusion with consumers.
In this survey based study authored by Katie Brooks et. al. of Boston University School of Medicine, it was found that one third of all people believed that a sunless tanner was protecting them from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Unfortunately, they don’t.
The ingredients in a sunless tanner (DHA) merely cause your skin to turn brown. They will not prevent you from getting a sun burn nor block the rays that can cause skin cancer. If you are using a sunless tanner, you still NEED a sun block containing some level of SPF.
Some other interesting facts from the study.
1. Sunless tanning users were more likely than non-users to have used a tanning booth in the previous year.
2. Sunless tanning users were more likely to experience a sunburn than non-users.
3. Sunless tanning users were also less aware of skin cancer risks.
The Beauty Brains bottom line
If you’re going to use a sunless tanner and then go out in the sun, make sure you use a sun block! Wrinkly, freckled, dried out skin caused by UV exposure is not something that any of our beauty brainiacs want to have.
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I don’t want SPF to be required in gradual tanning products. I tend to use self-tanning products in the evening when I have more time to put it on evenly. The other problem with SPF is allergies. If someone is allergic to sunscreens and if they are required in self-tanning products, then they would not be able to use self-tanning products unless they can be made with mineral sunscreens.
So there are people out there that think tanning lotions are like sunblocks?hmm……..On the back of my tanning lotion it states that it will not protect agaist UVA or UVB rays!So I think thats good enough and there are tanning lotions that have SPF but not all of them do!
Perhaps the tanning salons and manufacturers of these products should be forced by law in include long-lasting UV blockers in the formulation, or is that chemically unviable?
@David – that’s a good idea and certainly wouldn’t be too difficult to do.
KC has a good point–why would you want to punish sensible people who are allergic to chemical sunscreens. It seems to me it could be solved with some public service announcements and a really big warning label.
Yes, do not forget to use sunscreen. I am an airbrush tanning technician and I always advise my clients that airbrush tanning contains no UV protection. I have it in my disclaimers on my website and in my tip sheets. If you are just starting out your airbrush tanning business I highly recommend Natural Glow http://www.airbrushtanningsolution.co airbrush solution. They have the best airbrush tanning solution on the market today! But do not forget your sunscreen after your spray tan!!
Perfect blog about skin care I am a fan of airbrush tanning http://www.airbrushtanaustin.com from 360 tans of Austin. I would rather have a fake tan than skin cancer.
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