Is Spray Tanning Safe?

Winter is approaching almost as quickly as those radiant summer tans are fading. We’re lucky that the Australian government has done a good job on educating the public about the dark side of tanning, letting us all know that “there’s nothing healthy about a tan”. However, now everyone is asking a similar question, is spray tanning safe? We are going to take a closer look to see if this efficient alternative to sun tanning comes risk-free.

Since we’ve all been told to avoid the dangers of tanning you may be thinking that spray tanning is unsafe, but luckily for you we’re here to explain that it isn’t! If you look at the components of spray tanning, you’ll find that the active ingredient is dihydroxyacetone (DHA). This long and mysterious name may make you wonder to yourself whether spray tanning is safe.  You’ll be relieved to hear that DHA isn’t a scary chemical, but it’s actually derived from sugar! The awesome part about spray tanning is that it uses a natural active ingredient and doesn’t require any exposure to harmful UV rays.  The DHA reacts with your skin protein to generate a realistic, healthy and safe tan – exactly what everyone wants! This means that your skin is not being dyed, stained or painted despite what some people may believe, but instead the DHA is activating the melanin that exists in your skin. Rather than going in the sun to activate the melanin, spray tanning allows you to do this safely at home or in a clinic. This is a long term benefit because you can steer clear of future sun damage and instead have a safe, quick and healthy glow.

So, is spray tanning safe? Yes, nevertheless it is essential to keep in mind that just because you have a healthy glow from the spray tan does not mean that you can disregard your usual skin safety.  A spray tan is not a replacement for sunscreen, and your skin is not immune from damage.  Therefore, always apply sunscreen prior to going outside and maintain your normal measures against skin damage.

So just because the temperatures are dropping, this doesn’t mean your tan has to go into hibernation as well. Go treat yourself to a spray tan and rest assured knowing that it’s safe! And next time someone asks you “is spray tanning safe”, you’ll know what to tell them!