Claim: Is Self-Tanner Safe, and Should You Be Wearing It Overnight?

Question

Many people avoid going into the sun to tan due to health risk factors like skin cancer and sun spots. But is fake tanning healthier than going into the sun? Fake tanning involves a chemical process using dihydroxyacetone (DHA) which binds with the amino acids on the top layer of the skin to produce melanoidins. This article claims that it is the same chemicals that turn fruits brown when they go bad. The author believes that most products on the shelf are safe and don’t have any pronounced aging effects because the chemical only interacts with the top layer of skin which is composed of dead skin cells. She says the main cause of aging is free radicals interacting with collagen and elastin and doesn’t have any correlation to fake tanning in terms of speeding up aging. However, in another article, the author says she went to a dermatologist who spent hours removing little “brown-heads” that clogged her pores due to fake tan damaging the sebum and dead skin. Dr. Francesca Fusco, Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology at Mount Sinai in New York explains how the DHA not only stains the pores but causes those free radicals to interact with molecules called Amadori products causing oxidation. This oxidation happens two times quicker than naturally occurring UV-generated free radicals and causes dark spots and oxidative stress which results in aging effects. They recommend combining fake tan with rich anti-oxidant moisturizer to reduce these effects. 

Answer 1

There isn’t typically a concern with leaving self tanner on overnight, considering that it is a leave-on product and is designed to sit on your skin for long periods of time. Self-tanner is much safer than tanning beds or direct sun exposure because they do not expose your skin to harmful UV radiation, which is the main cause of skin cancer, premature aging, and sun damage to your skin. Self tanners use ingredients like DHA or erythrulose that react with amino acids on the skin’s surface to create a temporary “fake” tan. These ingredients can create something called “free radicals”, which are unstable molecules that form when your body is exposed to sunlight or certain chemicals. When they become unstable, it causes oxidative stress, which can damage your skin’s collagen and elastin, which can lead to wrinkles, sagging and premature aging. Self tanner still can create some free radicals, but they are mostly in the outer, dead layers of skin, making them much less harmful than the UV damage caused by tanning beds or real sun. The bigger concern to your body is inhaling spray tans, which can cause cell damage or asthma over time, so wearing a mask when you get a spray tan is highly recommended. 

https://www.consumerreports.org/health/is-self-tanner-safe-a3329623598/

https://evolutiondermatology.com/are-self-tanners-ever-safe/