Since the rise of awareness in the link between ultraviolet radiation and skin cancer half a century ago, the market for sunless tanning products exploded. Now there are more tanning lotions, sprays, and other products than anyone can count. A variety of methods have been implemented across a wide range of products that promise a simple way to attain a tan as a safer alternative to basking long hours in UV radiation. The truth, however, is that many of these methods are not only questionable in their ability to produce results but can be more dangerous than traditional tanning methods like lying in the sun.

The safest sunless tanning products are lotions and sprays whose formula is based around dihydroxyacetone , or DHA, which is a sugar compound that reacts when it comes into contact with the dead skin cells on the surface of a person’s skin. It is considered safe because there is no real alteration of pigmentation and the chemical does not penetrate past the outermost layer of the skin. The only potential side effects are skin reactions such as irritation and rashes. Most cases are mild and treatable with common home remedies.

DHA based tanning lotions usually last for approximately five to seven days and manufacturer instructions recommend reapplying every three days or so to maintain a consistent tan. The reason the coloration is not permanent is because the change only occurs on the dead skin cells which are regularly shed every moment of our lives. As the colored skin cells are shed, new cells replace them and with the new replacement follow a return to our natural skin color.

Another safe alternative to actual tanning of the skin is bronzers. These are simply specialized makeup that cover up and sometimes stain the skin. Similar to the tanning lotions, since these products do not enter the body beyond the surface of the skin, there is very little to no health risk involved. Although both products are temporary coloring of the surface of the skin, bronzers are less permanent since nothing about the person really changes. The coloring is even shorter lived when it is the effect of a bronzer because, like makeup, it simply washes off with a shower at the end of the day.

There are some less safe products that teeter on the edge of being reckless because of the severity of potential health risks. One such product is known as the tanning pill. This is a pill that contains a high dosage of canthaxanthin, an ingredient used in food coloring. So while the FDA approves the chemical in small doses such as food coloring, high concentrations of this chemical can cause some serious side effects that can permanently damage the user. Conditions such as hepatitis, skin damage, damage to the digestive tract, and canthaxanthin retinopathy have been linked to the use of such tanning products. Canthaxanthin retinopathy is a condition where a yellowish colored deposit builds up in the retina of the eyes.

Common products are tanning lotions that are designed to be used to complement tanning under ultraviolet rays such as sun bathing or using a tanning booth. These lotions contain amino acids that are believed to accelerate the tanning process and are sometimes known as accelerators. The manufacturers of these products claim that their formula promotes and increases the skin’s ability to produce melanin.

In the works is actually the development of a product uses a hormone believed to be the trigger for melanin production. Injection of this hormone is believed to cause the person to produce melanin without the natural sun light or high intensity beams of a tanning bed.

In any case, we know that excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays is harmful to the skin but there comes a point where the risks of alternatives are not worth the promises and there is no one best indoor tanning lotion. Tanning is still a popular activity and it is up to the individual to be smart about their practice and use the proper protection against radiation damage.