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Several products claim to give a tan without UV radiation.
Tanning pills and accelerators
Tanning pills
contain color additives similar to
beta-carotene, the substance that gives carrots their orange color. The
additives are distributed throughout the body, especially the skin,
turning it an orange-like color. Although the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) has approved some of these additives for coloring
food, they are not approved for use in tanning agents. They may be
harmful at the high levels that are consumed in tanning pills. The main
ingredient in sunless tanning pills, canthaxanthin, can show up in your
eyes as yellow crystals, which may cause injury and impaired vision.
There have also been reports of liver and skin problems, as well as one
reported case of a woman who died from aplastic anemia, which her
doctor attributed to her use of tanning pills.
Tanning
accelerators, such as lotions or pills that contain
the amino acid tyrosine or its derivatives, are not effective and may
be dangerous. Marketers promote these products as substances that
stimulate the body's own tanning process, although most evidence
suggests they don't work. The FDA considers them unapproved new drugs
that have not been shown to be safe and effective.
No tanning
pills have been approved by the FDA.
Bronzers and extenders
Two other sunless tanning products, bronzers and extenders,
are considered cosmetics for external use and are not thought to be
harmful when used properly.
Bronzers,
made from color additives approved by the FDA for
cosmetic use, stain the skin for a short time when applied and can be
washed off with soap and water.
Extenders
(also known as sunless
tanners or self-tanners)
are
applied to the skin as lotions or creams, where they interact with
protein on the surface of the skin to produce color. Like a tan, the
color tends to wear off after a few days. The only FDA-approved color
additive for extenders is dihydroxyacetone (DHA). Because application
of these products can sometimes lead to uneven coloring, some tanning
salons have begun to offer whole body sprays in tanning booths. A
concern here is that DHA is approved for external use only and should
not be sprayed in or on the mouth, eyes, or nose. People who choose to
get a DHA spray should make sure to protect these areas.
Although they can give skin a darker color, these products do
not protect you from the damaging effects of UV radiation.
Last Medical Review: 06/11/08
Last Revised: 06/11/08
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