Sunless
Tanning : There
are several different kinds of sunless-tanning products available
today. People have been able to pour on a tan since 1960,
when Coppertone® came out with the first sunless-tanning product
-- QT® or Quick Tanning Lotion. If you are old enough to remember
this, then you are probably thinking of the incredibly orange
hue this lotion produced. Since then, there have been several
advancements made on the sunless-tanning front. These days,
you can find tanning pills, sunless- or self-tanners and bronzers.
You can smooth, swipe or spray on a light bronze glow or a
deep, dark tan. Many of these products take 45 minutes to
one hour to start taking effect, and once you factor in drying
time, you could be looking at about three hours spent achieving
that sun-free tan. According to the American Academy of Dermatology,
the most effective products available are sunless- or self-tanning
lotions that contain dihydroxyacetone (DHA) as the active
ingredient. DHA is a colorless sugar that interacts with the
dead cells located in the stratum corneum of the epidermis.
As the sugar interacts with the dead skin cells, a color change
occurs. This change usually lasts about five to seven days
from the initial application. Every day, millions of dead
skin cells are sloughed off or worn away from the surface
of your skin. In fact, every 35 to 45 days, you have an entirely
new epidermis. This is why tans from sunless- or self-tanning
lotions will gradually fade -- as the dead cells are worn
away, so is your tan. For this reason, most of these products
suggest that you reapply the sunless- or self-tanner about
every three days to maintain your "tan." Although gels, lotions
or sprays that contain DHA are said to be the most reliable
and useful, there are dozens of other types of products on
the market. Tanning accelerators -- lotions or pills that
usually contain the amino acid tyrosine -- claim that they
stimulate and increase melanin formation, thereby accelerating
the tanning process. At this time, there is no scientific
data available to support these claims. Another sunless-tanning
product is a tanning pill that contains canthaxanthin, which
is most commonly used as a color additive in certain foods.
Although the FDA has approved the use of canthaxanthin in
food, it does not approve its use as a tanning agent. When
used as a color additive, only very small amounts of canthaxanthin
are necessary. As a tanning agent, however, much larger quantities
are used. After canthaxanthin is consumed, it is deposited
all over your body, including in your skin, which turns an
orange-brown color. These types of tanning pills have been
linked to various side effects, including hepatitis and canthaxanthin
retinopathy, a condition in which yellow deposits form in
the retina of the eye. Another popular form of sunless tanning
is the bronzer. These powders and moisturizers, once applied,
create a tan that can easily be removed with soap and water.
More like make-up, these products tint or stain your skin
only until they are washed off. It's important to remember
that most of these products, unless they contain an added
sunscreen, will not protect you from the sun's UVA and UVB
rays. Even products that do contain a sunscreen won't be of
much help, since they lose their efficacy within hours of
application. So, if you're planning to head outside to show
off your new glow, be sure to apply some extra sunscreen.
Here are some interesting links:
QUALITY
ASSURANCE: Tango Sun is
a premium product and a subsidiary of The Goodspa Co., an
industry innovator. Our spray tanning line was designed for
the best Spas and Salons in the world. Our product is a blend
of humectants, herbs and the highest quality tanning ingredients
available to assure you the very best. We manufacture only
the highest quality spray tanning Solution in the US and offer
distribution worldwide.
SAFETY
AND ETHICS: Our products
are safe, non hazardous and are never animal tested. Our mission
is to deliver the very best quality and remain a reputation
based company of excellence.
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