How do sunless tanners work? What are the advantages?
All sunless tanners contain the active ingredient dihydroxyacetone (DHA), which reacts with the amino acids in the top layer of your skin. DHA combines with the amino acids to form a brown-color—the “sunless” tan. The “tan” starts to show up around 4 hours after application, and can continue to develop for up to 12 hours. In the 1970s the Food and Drug Administration added DHA to their list of approved cosmetic ingredients. In the 1980s, the cosmetic companies found a way to produce better results with DHA (browner, less orange). Erythrulose is a similar ingredient that is sometimes added to sunless tanners. On its own, it develops much more slowly, reaching its full color over 2 days. When combined with DHA, it produces a deep dark tan that often lasts several days longer than a DHA-only tan. Tanning via the sun or tanning beds (even the so called safe “UVA-only” beds) causes damage to the skin, leading to premature aging, fine lines, wrinkles, and potentially skin cancer. You have ma
