Sunless Tanning with DHA has been a very popular alternative to laying out in the sun and getting the damaging tan of old.  It seems everywhere you look there are tanning booths, creams, lotions, sprays, pills, and bronzers to give you that tanned look without the harmful effects of UV radiation and cancer potential. 

DHA, or dihydroxyacetone, is the ingredient in the sunless tanners that turns the skin color.  It is actually a sugar that was used to treat diabetes as far back as the 1950’s.  It stains the epidermal layers of the skin and lasts until your skin cells are naturally sloughed off-approximately 5-7 days.

The FDA has classified DHA as safe for ingestion as a food grade ingredient with no known negative side effects.  Many weight loss products contain DHA as it is know as a fat burner.  One should be cautious about breathing the fumes from the fine spray found in tanning booths as this ingredient has not been tested for inhalation effects. 

It is important to note that sunless tans provide no protection against UV radiation so a sunblock should be used. 

There are a few steps one should take to ensure the best possible sunless tan:

1.  Exfoliate the skin gently before applying sunless tanning products.  Any areas where there is dry skin will absorb more of the product and result in an uneven color later. 

2.  Apply a light layer of moisturizer to really dry or rough areas such as elbows, knees, and heels.  This will prevent extra sunless tanner absorption and ensure a more even color later.

3.  I prefer a product such as Fake Bake which has a “marker color” in it.  The product is dark brown when applied so you can see where it is not applied evenly so that when the color develops a few hours later, the tan will be even as well.

4.  Always wear disposable gloves when applying the product to avoid dark stained palms which will absorb extra product.