There is no such thing as a healthy tan…...or is there?
It is a known fact that damage caused by Ultraviolet radiation from both the sun and tanning beds causes premature skin aging including wrinkles, rough patches, sagging, brown spots, and increases your chances of skin cancer. In fact, indoor tanners are 74 percent more likely to develop melanoma (the most dangerous form of skin cancer) than those who have never tanned.
So because we are beautiful and smart we know that tanning is out. So what’s a girl (or guy) to do? Fake it!
With sunless “tanning” no damage occurs. The ingredient DHA attaches to the proteins on the skin’s surface, forming a brownish melanin-like molecule called “melanoids”, making the skin look tan. Self tanners have significantly improved since they first appeared on pharmacy shelves years ago and are now easy to apply and give a natural-looking color.
Here’s some tips to ensure an even, natural looking tan with sunless tanning products:
- Exfoliate the skin to ensure an even tan.
- Apply a thin layer of moisturizer.
- Follow the directions on the package
- Be Patient: self tanner can take 30-60 minutes to produce color on the skin.
- To ensure stay moisturize daily because as your skin dries out, the color will fade.
- After you shower, pat dry with a towel. Don’t rub.
It is important to remember that sunless tanners are not sun-protective; even if your self-tanner contains SPF sunscreen it is important to use sunscreen with an SPF of 30+ or higher every day and to reapply often. Daily sunscreen use significantly slows skin aging.**
** Sunscreen and Prevention of Skin Aging. American College of Physicians’ Annals of Internal Medicine. June 3, 2013