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What can be better than the look of a healthy, glowing bronzed skin? We love it, right. But we’ve also become more aware about the effects that UV radiation from the sun has on our skin. And self tanners became a popular alternative to get that fresh off-the-beach glowing tan. But are they really safe? Welcome to another episode of Skincare Secrets…Tanning is such an interesting phenomenon. When you look at countries around the world, dark skin color is perceived very differently. In the US and Europe, tanned skin looks good. Makes you more attractive. Our brains are conditioned to think it’s sexy. When I traveled to China, you see women in the summer wear long sleeves and even cary umbrellas to protect themselves from the sun. I asked them why. And they said it’s because tan out there is associated with working outside, which historically meant on the fields. And that is a sign that you come from a lower economic class. So people there have a negative association of bronzed skin.But over here, we make extra effort to get darker skin by using self-tanners. Many years ago there really wasn’t an alternative to getting a tan other than “laying out” or being outside to get some “color”. But how times have changed ...by now we know that too much sun exposure can cause damage and lead to skin cancer. So how can we get the glow without the sun exposure? Here comes self-tanning lotions and spray-ons! Used by everyone from models to celebrities for that instant bronze glow like they just got back from vacationing in St. Tropez. So what creates that summer skin glow? The active ingredient in most self tanners is the color additive dihydroxyacetone (DHA). DHA is a sugar that interacts with amino acids and proteins in the top layer of dead skin cells. This causes a chemical reaction and produces pigment—just like an apple exposed to oxygen turns brown. The artificial tan takes 2 to 4 hours to begin appearing on the skin surface, and will continue to darken for 24 to 72 hours. Once the darkening effect has occurred, the tan will not sweat off or wash away with soap or water. It will fade gradually over 3 to 10 days.Pretty cool huh. Instant change in your skin color.It was originally discovered in the 1920s. And the first self-tanning lotions came to market in the 1960s. Recent studies however, have come out discussing some of the negative side effects that self tanners have. The main controversial ingredient of these studies is DHA - the thing that gives your skin the color in most self tanning products on the market today. It’s basically a color additive that literally stains that outer layer of skin. The Federal Drug Administration considers topical self-tanning products generally safe, however, the FDA states that DHA shouldn't be inhaled or applied to areas like the lips, nose, or around the eyes because there could be risks that are currently unknown. You especially want to be aware of this if you visit one of the spray tan booths and be sure to have a way to protect your eyes, mouth, nose and ears - and make sure not to inhale the spray.So why is DHA dangerous if it comes from something natural, like sugar? There’s some controversy over this. Some research shows that DHA does not absorb past the outer layer of skin, which is made up of mostly dead skin cells. That is why self tanners wear off after a few days.But… Back in 2012, ABC News investigation reviewed 10 scientific studies on DHA and found that it has the potential to cause DNA damage. Meaning they alter the genetic makeup of cells. Theses studies were conducted by a panel of medical experts from dermatologists, toxicologists, and lung doctors. For the 24 hours after a self-tanner containing high DHA 5% or more is applied, the skin is especially susceptible to free-radical damage from sunlight. This comes from a 2007 study done in Berlin. 40  minutes after the researchers treated skin samples with high levels of DHA they found that more than 180% of additional free radicals formed during sun exposure compared with untreated skin. That is a lot of sun damage!! But if you avoid sun exposure, you should be OK. But even if you avoid it, there There are other self-tanner ingredients, like erythrulose, that produced a similar response at high levels. But maybe the most dangerous self tanning products on the market are sunless tanning pills, which are made with a color additive called canthaxanthin. When taken in large amounts, canthaxanthin can turn your skin orange or brown, cause hives, liver damage, and impaired vision.Overall, despite the controversy it is still considered safe. Where do I personally sit on this. I say your natural skin color is beautiful. Just stop listening a paying attention to what others say about the way you look. Both negative and positive. Because the negative brings you down, and the positive creates entitlement. Do take care of your skin a yourself. But do it for you. Not for anyone else. Look however you want to look, not how everyone else expects you to look. And if darker skin color is your thing, you choose your self tanning lotion without DHA. There are some that use alternative more natural types of sugars that create a similar reaction with your skin to give you a tan. That’s all for today. Live strong and have a great skin day...