Sunless Tanner
Sunless Tanner
The discovery of chemicals, combining them and synthesizing has come about with many uses. With the advancement also of medicine and science, they have also learned more about the human anatomy. With the knowledge of how human beings are made outside and in, we also now know what chemicals can change the color of the skin. We are now able to concoct solutions that could be applied on the skin that would affect the color of the outer skin layer. As a result, the sunless tanner preparation comes in different forms such as liquids, sprays, gels and pills. With this, people who want to have a tan no longer needed to go sun bathing.
The sunless tanners take effect somewhere between forty-five minutes to three hours after application or use. Among the preparations available in the market, one of the most effective is those that contain dihydroxyacetone as the active ingredient. It is described as a colorless sugar that interacts with the dead cells and in the process, color change occurs. The color change is said to last from five to seven days after application. This is quite short compared to the natural shedding of human skin every 35 to 45 days. That is the reason why it is suggested that the sunless tanners be applied every three days to maintain the tan. Dead skin cells do not shed all at one time and it is almost impossible to say at what stage you are in the shedding process. Mention is also made that tyrosine, an amino acid, can speed up the tanning process. However, there is still no scientific proof of that. The tanning pill that has an ingredient canthaxanthin, which used for food coloring, is approved by the Food and Drug Administration but not as a tanning agent. Along with these solutions, there are also tanners that could be easily washed off with soap and water. They are moisturizers or powders applied to the skin called bronzers.
Many of the preparations mentioned that contain the ingredients stated, for sunless tanning, do not serve as sunscreen at the same time. Even if some do have sunscreen in them, it is still best to apply a separate sunscreen lotion when intending to show off your “tan” under the sun. There is no data that indicates sunscreen will alter the effect of the sunless tanners. Having those preparations help avoid harmful ultra-violet rays with sun tanning. Before using these products, it will be wise to wash and scrub your skin with a wash cloth or sponge to remove excess dead skin cells. Women with hairy legs should shave them for an even application. Areas which tend to absorb more of the product are dry skin or thickened skin, like your ankles, knees and elbows. Avoid tanning your palms by immediately washing your hand after using the product then use cotton buds to apply the tanner at back of your hands. You would not want to stain your clothes, so allow the lotion to dry thoroughly for about 15 to 20 minutes. The term sunless-tanned should now match sun-tanned.