Are Self-Tanners Really Safe For Your Skin?

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Want to know if self-tanners are really safe to use? Here you’ll find out the answer to your question and more!

I love self-tanners. I’m Casper-the-ghost pale so I love to self-tan every once in a while to feel like it’s summer during the colder months.

A few weeks ago I found an article about how self-tanners age our skin. Was I putting effort into self-tanning to look bronzy and beachy thinking to avoid sun damage just to end up with the same results as going to the beach?

I had to look into it and know for myself if that were true: do self-tanners really age our skin?

As a general rule, self-tanners do contribute to the aging of the skin. Self-tanners active ingredient – dihydroxyacetone (DHA) – reacts with amino acids in the stratum corneum of the skin through the Maillard reaction. Said reaction causes the production of free radicals, therefore, leading to fine lines, wrinkles, and other signs of aging.

If you love to self-tan as I do, don’t worry, I still have great tips and recommendations in order to minimize the damage!

Also, don’t forget to check out my complete self-tanning guide to achieve the most beautiful sunkissed look.

What are self-tanners and how they work

The active ingredient in most self-tanners is dihydroxyacetone (DHA), a reducing sugar. On average you will find a solution of 2-5% DHA in most self-tanners.

The DHA in the solution reacts with the amino acids in the stratum corneum, the outermost, dead cell layer of our skin.

This reaction – called the Maillard reaction – is actually very similar to toasting bread in the oven and it is what causes the browning of the skin, scary right?

Also, note that the smell of self-tanners is due to this particular reaction. Honestly, I kind of hate it. There are a lot of products that are successful in masking it though.

Essentially, this reaction stains our stratum corneum giving us a tan-like color and it’s not going to budge. Of course, after the dead skin cells in the outer layer sloth off the stain disappears.

Aurora’s tips

If you see any self-tanner brand advertise their product saying that it lasts for more than 3 weeks, they are lying! the stratum corneum completely sloths off in 7-10 days which is the time in which your fake tan will disappear.

What are spray tans, are they safe?

Now, spray tanning is a whole other thing. When you apply spray tan, especially in tanning booths, not only you’re applying it to your skin but, most of the time, you’ll also inhale it.

This means the tanning solution can also affect your organs. In fact, the FDA has warned against spray tanning booths. Pay close attention, especially if this is your job. You’re probably doing twenty to thirty sessions per day which is absolutely not good.

Essentially, you need to be carful, inhaling DHA can lead to lung toxicity and we are still not sure about other side effects.

This does not mean if you’ve already done spray tan before you need to be worried about your health. This is just for you to be aware of the situation. So, if you’re getting regular spray tans maybe take a step back and consider trying something else or reducing the frequency.

Common concerns about self-tanners

Onto the juicy stuff. Are self-tanners harmful in any way? Here is what I discovered about the most common concerns about self-tanners.

1. Do they age our skin?

Unfortunately yes, self-tanning does age our skin. It increases the production of free radicals through the reaction that allows DHA to bronze our skin up.

For those who are interested in the sciency stuff, the product of the reaction is called the “amadori product” which generates free radicals during UV radiation.

Also, they found that the Maillard reaction is the first step in the formation of irreversible advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) which accelerate the damage we get from the sun. For instance, the results are

• Photoaging
• Brown spots
• Breakdown of elastin and collagen

Another study found that skin treated with DHA produced over 180% more free radicals than untreated skin after UV exposure. This means that the aging process is almost double in people who self-tan compared to people who don’t.

All of this is to say even if you use self-tanners you absolutely still need to apply sunscreen!

To not get this confused, using spray tanners will still cause less damage than bathing in the sun.

2. Are DHA-free self-tanners legit?

So, we established that DHA does age our skin. What about DHA-free self-tanners then, are they better?

DHA-free self-tanners are usually made of erythrulose. Erythrulose and DHA are very similar in composition, and both react almost the same way on the skin surface.

Meaning erythrulose also causes free radical production so you will experience an accelerated aging process as well.

Long story short, DHA and DHA-free self-tanners are basically the same things so it won’t make a difference and one is not “safer” than the other.

3. Do they cause irritation?

Skin irritation is not particular to self-tanners. Meaning irritation can occur with almost any product. It depends on your skin and how you react to ingredients.

As a general rule, it’s safe to say self-tanners, or DHAs, are not irritating for everyone. You need to try them for yourself.

4. Do they affect vitamin D levels?

When using self-tanners vitamin D levels can go down. Basically, if you use self-tanner while also applying sunscreen you need to check your vitamin D levels as they could have dropped.

In that case, you absolutely need to talk to your doctor or provider and maybe consider a vitamin D supplement.

Tips to protect the skin from self-tanners

Even though self-tanner can age our skin I still think you do not need to avoid them completely. If you have an event or you want to be bronzy and glowy when summer starts you definitely can use them.

I think the best way to go about it is to use them in moderation. Maybe don’t self-tan every week but you don’t need to completely shy away from them either.

If you want to learn how to self-tan like a pro from the comfort of your home, check out my article about it!

Also, to help things move along, you can definitely use a moisturizer with vitamin C or other antioxidants to help protect your skin from the free radicals produced.

For example, the Gold Bond green tea and vitamin C lotion. This is extremely cheap and a great moisturizer. You want to moisturize with it first, let it dry, and then apply your self-tanner. It will minimize the amount of damage.

If you prefer, you could also go for The INKEY list Q10 serum. This is also very cheap and has a thick consistency so a little bit goes a long way. This means with a little bit of product you can cover a lot of the surface.

Plus, it will dry more quickly than the moisturizer so you can go over the whole process more rapidly.

Personally, I use the serum for my face, neck, and decollete and the lotion for the rest of my body.

Of course, REMEMBER TO WEAR SUNSCREEN. Self-tanners do not protect you from the sun! In fact, it’s best to invest in a broad-spectrum UVB/UVA blocker or physical sunscreens with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.

This post was all about self-tanners’ efficacy and safety.