Crisp brown with spray, cream or liquid: How does it work? With self-bunners. There is nothing wrong with that if you do it right. But you should be aware that self-tanning gives the skin a cosmetic tint that offers no protection against the scorching and skin cancer-causing UVB rays, as the ON doctor Johannes Neuhofer emphasizes. In addition to tanning from the tube, you need high-quality sun protection.
Self-tanning products contain a colorless type of sugar (dihydroxyacetone, DHA for short), which reacts with a substance in the outermost skin cells and thus creates the brown tint. This process takes up to eight hours – you should wait at least half an hour before getting dressed, otherwise unsightly textile patterns can become visible on the skin. The effect lasts for three to 15 days – depending on how quickly the uppermost layer of skin flakes off of the person affected. The color should be refreshed every three days.
Here are a few tips for dealing with self-tanners:
Before self-tanning you should do a peeling so that the tanning does not look blotchy within a short time. In heavily calloused areas such as knees or elbows, there may be increased discoloration.
Patients with chronic skin diseases or allergies should seek advice from a dermatologist before use.
Wash hands thoroughly before and after use to avoid staining the palms.
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
