Spray tanning may help you get that golden glow without the harmful health risks of UV exposure, but its safety is questionable, says a New York dermatologist.
The active ingredient causing skin color to change – dihydroxyacetone (DHA) – has been approved by the FDA for self-tanning lotions, but it doesn’t have the OK for spray tans.
“The use of spray tans have become very popular in recent years, but we just don’t have enough information about these products to say they’re 100 percent safe,” said Joni Mazza, MD, a dermatologist with the North Shore-LIJ Health System who also practices at the health system’s Rego Park Multi-Specialty Center in Queens.
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That’s food for thought, as prom season is in full swing and teenage girls are flocking to tanning salons in search of that perfect skin shade to go with their gown.
“We caution people that if they’re going to go for a spray tan that they cover their eyes, protect their nose as well as their mouth because we really don’t want them to ingest this substance,” said Dr. Mazza.
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Studies on animals involving DHA have suggested that it can cause genetic mutations that may cause cancer. However, Dr. Mazza said that there isn’t enough data to say that these substances are toxic or carcinogenic in humans.
“We know that in very high concentrations they have been found to cause free radical formation and free radicals have the potential to damage DNA,” explained Dr. Mazza. “But there’s been no indication that in the concentrations that are used in these commercially available products that this is a concern.”
A safer alternative, but probably not as professional looking as a spray tan, would be to use a sunless tanning lotion or cream – which also contains DHA – that allows you to control where the product is being applied.
