Let’s face, everyone would like to have an even, glowing skin tan. Whether you’re going on a beach vacation or taking a drive into the mountains, a tan will boost your self-confidence while making you feel better about yourself. But tanning comes with a dark side: irreversible damage to the skin.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their life (source). That’s a pretty shocking statement that should attest to the need for sun protection. The sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays are a precursor to various types of skin cancer, including melanoma, yet millions of people still lay out in the sun — or use a tanning booth — to achieve a tan.
Just a couple decades ago, there wasn’t any concrete data linking sun exposure to skin cancer, so people laid out for countless hours in hopes of achieving a tan. Today, however, it’s well known that sun exposure can increase a person’s risk of developing skin cancer by as much as 90%.
Laying out in the sun may grant you a tan complexion, but it comes with some unwanted side effects, only of which is the increased risk for skin cancer. Over-exposure to sunlight can result in painful burns and blisters that are accompanied with chills, fever and swelling.
So, how can you achieve a tan complexion without exposing your skin to sun? The answer comes in the form of sunless tanning products. Whether it’s a sunless tanning lotion, spray, oil or mist, they will create the same deep-dark tone that’s commonly associated with natural tans. And best of all, there are no harmful side effects associated with their use.
In addition to the benefits already listed, sunless tanning products offer greater control over the placement and consistency of your tan. When you lay out under the sun or in a tanning booth, you will only develop a tan on your exposed skin. This means any area of skin covered by clothes will not receive a tan. With a sunless tanning lotion or spray, however, you can achieve a full, even tan throughout your entire body. And best of all, there are dozens of different colors and shades available, ranging from light cream to dark brown.
