The popularity of self-tanning products is surging, showing that Americans are wising up about sun safety. They’re putting their money where their skin is.
Skin takes a lot of wear and tear, so it naturally regenerates itself. Every 35-45 days the outer layer of the skin, the epidermis, is completely replaced. Since skin pigment is found in this upper layer, any natural or added pigment will be sloughed away in about one month’s time. This is why natural tans fade and why many self-tanning products recommend you re-apply the product every few days to maintain your tan.
Self-tanning products, also called ”sunless” tanning lotions, contain dihydroxyacetone (DHA), a colorless sugar that interacts with dead surface cells in the epidermis, staining the skin darker. The effect is temporary, because as the dead cells naturally slough off, the color fades, disappearing within a week unless the lotion has been reapplied. That’s a lot more healthful than a suntan, however, because while suntans also start fading after a few days, the harm done to the skin is permanent.
Getting a suntan breaks down the DNA in skin cells, but using...