How Sunless Tanning Works

With the risk of sun cancer evident in traditional tanning methods such as direct sunlight and tanning booths, sunless tanning products have become a popular alternative to getting that golden tan glow.

So how do these creams, lotions and sprays turn our skin from pasty white to a crisp tan? This article will explain how these sunless tanning products change the color of our skin.

Understanding the Skin

To understand how our skin can change colors, we first have to understand the skin. As you may remember from high school physiology class, the human skin is made up of two main layers: the inner, or dermis and outer, or epidermis.

When talking about tanning, we are more interested in the epidermis. The epidermis itself has two layers: the stratum basale and the stratum corneum. The deeper layer, the stratum basale, is the one affected by tanning in the sun. The outer epidermis is the stratum corneum. This is the layer where the sunless tanning products react.

So, now we know where the change takes place: on the surface of the outermost layer of skin. But, although each self tanner temporarily dyes the outer layer of skin, each sunless tanning product works slightly different.

Understanding the Chemicals & How Our Skin Changes

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the most effective sunless tanning products are ones containing the chemical dihydroxyacetone, better known as DHA. DHA is a colorless sugar, and as it interacts with the dead cells in the stratum corneum, a color change occurs. Color resulting from the DHA ingredient lasts about five to seven days. DHA can be found in sunless tanning lotions, creams, gels and sprays. Check product labels to see if the product contains DHA.

Another ingredient found in self-tanners an amino acid called tyrosine. Makers of these products claim that tyrosine increases melanin formation in the skin, which then accelerates the tanning process. In fact, you may have heard these products referred to as tanning accelerators.

Finally, another form of sunless tanning is the bronzer. Bronzers can come as powders and moisturizers, and are often also combined with other self-tanning methods. A bronzer applied alone creates a tan that can easily be removed with soap and water. Bronzers work more like a make-up, tinting the skin temporarily. However, as noted, other self-tanning products can contain bronzers to give an instant color, while the other chemicals take longer to appear. So, a bronzer can act alone or help out with a fellow sunless tanning lotion.

Why Our Tan Can Disappear

Ever wonder why or how a tan fades? Going back to the layers of skin, it is important to understand that millions of dead skin cells leave the body every day. This is why our tans disappear. Since sunless tanning products work on the outermost layer of skin, the color will dissipate in less time than a regular suntan. We actually have a new epidermis every month or so! So, if sunless tanning is the only method of tanning you are using, it is important to maintain the tan by using your specific product every few days.