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What is sunless tanning? Have you ever heard of it before? Do you know anyone that has gotten a sunless tan perhaps? Read on to find out the what sunless tanning is and how it works.

Sunless tanning is also known as self tanning or UV-free tanning, and it refers to the application of chemicals on the skin to produce an effect similar in appearance to a traditional suntan. The popularity of sunless tanning has risen because of the link between sun exposure and skin cancer.

The most effective products available for sunless tanning are self tanning lotions that contain dihydroxyacetone (DHA) as the active ingredient. DHA does not dye, stain or paint the skin to create the tanned appearance on the skin. Rather, a chemical reaction between DHA and the amino acids in the dead layer of the skin surface produces the tanned effect.

The tan produced by the DHA chemical reaction with your skin will gradually fade over the following 3 to 10 days after application to the skin. Some products use Erythrulose combined with the DHA. Erythrulose works identically to DHA on the skin surface. When Erythrulose is combined with DHA the chemicals may produce a longer lasting sunless tan.

DHA or Erythrulose may cause contact dermatitis. First time users of sunless tanning products should apply the sunless tanning product to a small patch of skin and wait 24 hours before a full body application to see if any adverse reactions develop. Contact dermatitis is a localized rash or irritation of the skin caused by contact with a foreign substance so be on the lookout for that sort of reaction.

Sunless tanning products can be applied at home, and come in gels, lotions, mousses, sprays, and wipes. Apply to clean, dry skin for the best results. Avoid bathing and swimming until the product is fully absorbed into the skin, which varies from product to product from 1 to 6 hours.

Warning! More DHA is absorbed by the thicker skin on your hands and feet so make sure to clean those areas immediately after application, or skip these areas all together when applying the sunless tanning product, or you will end up with a darker tan on these skin surfaces.

You can get professional application options are available at spas, salons and gyms, in the form of UV-Free spray booths. The enclosed booth, which is similar to an enclosed shower stall, spays the sunless tanning solution over the entire body.

Airbrush spray tans are also available from professional technicians. The portability of the airbrush tanning equipment allows spray tanning in a larger variety of places, such as beach kiosks, malls, and in home.

DHA is approved by the FDA in the United States, the Canadian Health Ministry, and most of the EU nations. It is considered nontoxic and non carcinogenic.

There are other products on the market, such as tanning accelerators that are used in conjunction with UV exposure (Tyrosine-based products), Canthaxanthin-based products which have warnings issued concerning their use by the FDA, injections of the Melatonin hormone which are still being evaluated, and temporary Bronzers which create a tan that can be removed with soap and water and are used for “one-day” only tans or to compliment a DHA tan.

The upshot of this is that using a DHA based sunless tanning product is the safest and most effective way to obtain that summer tan if you aren’t lucky enough to have the real deal already.