What's a pale girl to do? After confessing my former tanorexic addiction last month, I explained how I now love getting spray tans and stay far, far away from tanning beds. Turns out, spray tans are now raising health concerns, too. I was forwarded an email today from my sister that recapped the UK DailyMail's article titled, "Cancer Threat in Your Spray On Tan," and nearly screamed. So here's the deal...
When you get a spray tan, the substance that turns your skin brown is called dihydroxyacetone, better known as DHA, enters your lungs and is then absorbed into your bloodstream where it could damage your DNA and cause cancerous tumours.
Concerned? So am I. Seriously, FML. Since I thought I was finally going about my glow in a safe way I've been self-tanning with spray-on formulations and getting spray tans frequently for years. Just to clear it up, using self tanning lotions and gels are safe. It's just the sprays that are concerning at this point because of inhalation. The FDA approved DHA for external use only.
Knowing what we know now, my advice would be to switch to at home self tanning lotions and creams. If you need a spray tan hold your breath!
