Is Spray Tanning Safe? – Spray Tan Dangers

I don’t care what the manufacturers say.
I don’t care if every lab in the world approves tanning solution as 100% safe.
I don’t care if the FDA approves DHA as an inhaled wonder drug.
I don’t care if God Himself sets my bamboo shoot on fire and speaks from within it declaring DHA the next miracle drug…

Tanning solution’s active ingredient is DHA.

DHA is FDA approved for topical use because it doesn’t absorb into the skin deeper than the outer-most layer of dead skin cells.

This is a good thing if we want to tan ourselves with it!  That means airbrush tanning is safe right?

Hold on, I’m getting to the exceptions!

DHA is not FDA approved for use in the eye area.

After a legalese induced nap as punishment for reading The US Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) I translated their definition of ‘eye area’ into…

• • The eye socket which includes
  • the eyebrow
  • the skin below the eyebrow
  • the eyelids
  • the eyelashes
  • inside the eyelids
  • the eye itself
  • and the soft areolar tissue that lies within the perimeter of the infra-orbital ridge.

The soft areolar tissue?  The infra-orbital ridge?  Now you know why I got a nap during my research.  I’m still rather clueless about what exactly this means.

But after some deduction I figure that translates into anywhere you’d apply eye shadow (eye shadow is approved after all) and the eyebrows.

So why hasn’t DHA been approved?

“…the industry has not provided safety data to FDA in order for the agency to consider approving it for use in the area of the eye.”

The manufacturers haven’t gone through the approval process yet…it’s been almost 40 years since Coppertone put out it’s first tanning product with DHA in it.

DHA is not FDA Approved for use on body areas covered by mucous membranes.

The CFR doesn’t specifically define “areas covered by mucous membranes” so let me spell it out instead.

• Lips
• Inside your nose (nasal passages)
• Mouth
• Throat
• Lungs
• Ladies, your…umm…naughty bits.  I’m not referring your chest.

Again why hasn’t DHA been approved for these areas?

It turns out that it’s the same reason as before.

“The industry has not provided safety data to FDA in order for the agency to consider approving it for use on these exposure routes, including “misting” from tanning booths.”

Again, 40 years and none of the manufacturers or an industry association haven’t done this yet?

Wow…

I’ll make this really easy.

• Don’t inhale the spray.
• Don’t breathe the fumes.

The actual explanations get beyond me.   Sorry, medical science never was one of my strengths.  I readily admit that I barely passed biology in high school…

But let me say it this way…

Asbestos was the best insulation and fire proof substance around–until  discovering the various forms lung cancer it causes…

Do I have your attention?

I don’t care what the manufacturers tell you.  I don’t care if a third party lab approves that manufacturer’s solution.  I don’t care if DHA gets approved as an inhaled wonder drug.  I don’t care if your mother told you it’s all right.

Wear your mask.

I set up a three foot No Parking, Fire Lane all around my bamboo shoot, just in case…