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Posts Tagged ‘indoor tanning’

Safety of Sunless Tans: Notes from a San Francisco Bay Area Dermatologist

Friday, September 9th, 2011

In the beginning there was lying out in the sun with baby oil and iodine to give our skin that bronzed, golden glow.  Then we found out that outdoor sun exposure ages the skin prematurely and can cause skin cancer, so the pursuit of tanned skin became an indoor sport.  Enter, tanning beds. While burning the skin could be avoided with the beds, UVA ray exposure could not, which damages the skin just like the real sun.

So, in a continued search for a safe tan and what we are led to believe is a more “healthy” look, we have yet another alternative: the spray tan.  Whether it be in a booth or airbrushed onto our skin, there are some things to keep in mind if you are using the lesser of all evils in the tanning world.

Sunless tan creams and sprays contain dihydroxyacetone (DHA), an FDA-approved color additive. DHA is a sugar compound that reacts with proteins in the outermost layer of dead skin cells to produce a brownish hue that lasts until the skin sloughs off.

While DHA is widely used, a person can still be allergic to the perfumes, preservatives or other ingredients in a particular product.  If you have sensitive skin or know you have skin allergies, be sure to look at an ingredient list.  Everyone should do a test patch of any tanning cream or spray before you use it all over your body.

Safety studies have not been done on DHA’s use around the eyes, lips, other mucous membranes, or for inhalation.  Safety practices at spray tan facilities are also all over the board.  While some may remind the client to close their eyes, they may not be told when to hold their breath or offered safety equipment like goggles, cotton balls for their nostrils or petroleum jelly for their lips.  If you are a habitual spray or airbrush tanner, please ask to use these safety measures at your facility as the regular, long term effects of DHA are unstudied.

People who have a spray tan tend to be less careful with their sunscreen because they think they have a “base” tan and won’t burn.  This is untrue.  A tan resulting from a bottle or spray provides no protection from the sun’s harmful rays, so the use of sunscreen is essential to avoid burning and aging of the skin.

If you have ever thought tanning pills might be an option, please don’t.  The side effects from such products sold over the internet or elsewhere are severe and hazardous.

As a dermatologist, it is a double edged sword to promote sunless tanning products because it also promotes the notion of being tan.  Until the saying, “pale is the new tan”, takes root however, it is still much safer to use the creams and sprays for that sun kissed look than the sun and the beds.

 

Update on the Cosmetic Procedures Tax: Notes from a San Francisco Bay Area Dermatologist

Friday, January 15th, 2010

As you may the recall, the Senate healthcare reform bill originally proposed a 5% tax on cosmetic medical procedures, which would have unfairly impacted the cost of many elective treatments like Botox and Restylane injections.  However, with encouragement from the Amercian Academy of Dermatology (AAD), the American Medical Association (AMA), public support and other public entities this tax has been replaced in the revised Senate bill.  The new bill proposes a 10% tax on indoor tanning services instead.  Not only will this generate billions of dollars over the next ten years, but it will support public health by discouraging indoor tanning, which is known to cause skin cancer.  Treating skin cancer only adds to healthcare costs and can be prevented.  This tax will help on both fronts.

Both the House and Senate bill are now headed to conference committee hearings for deliberation.

 

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