Fake tan
What is fake tan?
Fake tan refers to any product that you put on your skin to change its colour and make you look as if you’re tanned.
Some fake tan products, like bronzers, lie on the skin and can be washed off with water. Others contain a substance called dihydroxyacetone (DHA).
DHA actually reacts with the skin so the colour change can’t be easily washed off. The tanned look you get from products that contain DHA normally lasts about a week.
If you really want to change the colour of your skin, it’s safer to use a fake tan product on your skin than tan out in the sun or under a sunbed. Using these products can help you to avoid exposing your skin to harmful doses of ultraviolet radiation.
No. Fake tan changes the colour of your skin and gives you a tanned look. But it doesn’t give you anywhere near the amount of protection from the sun that we recommend. At most, a fake tan will only provide the same protection as an SPF4 sunscreen. And what little protection it gives reduces over time.
Some fake tan products do contain added sunscreen. But these will only give protection for a few hours after you put the fake tan on. The protection won’t last as long as the change in your skin colour does.
Yes. People who use fake tan need to continue to protect themselves from the sun and take care not to burn. You should never use fake tans as an excuse for staying out longer in the sun.
Remember that sunburn can greatly increase the risk of skin cancer. Don’t let yourself be caught out - use shade, clothing and SPF15+ sunscreen to protect yourself.
We need to know more about possible long-term effects of products that contain DHA and the possible side-effects of spraying fake tan onto the body. For the moment, what we know tells us that applying a fake tan product to your skin is safer than tanning in the sun or under a sunbed.
Increase text
Decrease text
Print this page