How Safe Are Tanning Pills and Other Tanning Products?

JULY 2011
How Safe Are Tanning Pills and Other Tanning Products?
Applying these products by hand
can sometimes lead to uneven
coloring, so some tanning salons
have begun to offer whole body
sprays in tanning booths. A concern
here is that DHA is approved for
external use only and should not be
inhaled or sprayed in or on the
mouth, eyes, or nose. People who
choose to get a DHA spray should
make sure to protect these areas.
Several products claim to give a tan
without exposing a person to UV
radiation. Some may be safe and
effective, but others may not work, or
may even be harmful.
Tanning Pills and
Accelerators
Tanning pills contain color additives
similar to beta-carotene, the
substance that gives carrots their
orange color. The additives are
deposited throughout the body,
especially the skin, turning it an
orange-like color. Although the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) has
approved some of these additives for
coloring food, they are not approved
for use in tanning agents. They may
be harmful at the high levels that are
consumed in tanning pills. The main
ingredient in sunless tanning pills,
canthaxanthin, can show up in your
eyes as yellow crystals, which may
cause injury and impair vision. There
have also been reports of liver and
skin problems.
Tanning accelerators, such as
lotions or pills that contain the amino
acid tyrosine or its derivatives, are not
effective and may be dangerous.
Marketers promote these products as
substances that stimulate the body's
own tanning process, but most
evidence suggests they don't work.
The FDA considers them unapproved
new drugs that have not been shown
to be safe and effective.
No tanning pills have been approved
by the FDA.
Bronzers and Extenders
Two other sunless tanning products,
bronzers and extenders, are
considered cosmetics for external use
and are not thought to be harmful
when used properly.
Bronzers, made from color additives
approved by the FDA for cosmetic
use, stain the skin for a short time
when applied and can be washed off
with soap and water.
Extenders (also known as sunless
tanners or self-tanners) are applied to
the skin as lotions or creams, where
they interact with proteins on the
surface of the skin to produce a darker
color. Like a tan, the color tends to
wear off after a few days. The only
FDA-approved color additive for
extenders is dihydroxyacetone (DHA).
These products can give skin a
darker color, but they don’t offer
much protection from the damaging
effects of UV radiation. Even if they
contain sunscreen, it would only be
effective for a couple of hours. You
should read the label carefully to
determine whether or not a product
provides any protection, but in most
cases it is probably safest to
continue to use sunscreen and wear
protective clothing when going
outside.
Avoid tanning beds and
sunlamps. Many people believe
the UV rays of tanning beds are
harmless. This is not true. Tanning
lamps give out UVA and usually
UVB rays as well. Both UVA and
UVB rays can cause long-term skin
damage, and can contribute to skin
cancer. Most skin doctors and
health organizations recommend not
using tanning beds and sun lamps.
Source: www.cancer.org
Tips to Protect Your
Eyes from the Sun
Broccoli-Bacon Salad
The American Academy of Ophthalmology
offers these tips:
• Don’t focus on color or darkness of sunglass lenses: Select sunglasses that
block UV rays. Don’t be deceived by color or cost. The ability to block UV light is
not dependent on the price tag or how dark the sunglass lenses are.
• Check for 100 percent UV protection: Make sure your sunglasses block 100
percent of UV-A rays and UV-B rays.
• Choose wrap-around styles: Ideally, your sunglasses should wrap all the way
around to your temples, so the sun’s rays can’t enter from the side.
• Wear a hat: In addition to your sunglasses, wear a broad-brimmed hat to protect
your eyes.
• Don’t rely on contact lenses: Even if you wear contact lenses with UV
protection, remember your sunglasses.
• Don’t be fooled by clouds: The sun’s rays can pass through haze and thin
clouds. Sun damage to eyes can occur anytime during the year, not just in the
summertime.
• Protect your eyes during peak sun times: Sunglasses should be worn
whenever outside and it’s especially important to wear sunglasses in the early
afternoon and at higher altitudes, where UV light is more intense.
• Never look directly at the sun. Looking directly at the sun at any time, including
during an eclipse, can lead to solar retinopathy, damage to the eye’s retina from
solar radiation.
• Don’t forget the kids: Everyone is at risk, including children. Protect their eyes
with hats and sunglasses. In addition, try to keep children out of the sun between
10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when the sun’s UV rays are the strongest.
Local Farmers’ Markets
Downtown Appleton Farmers’ Market:
College Ave, Saturdays 8am-12:30pm, (June 18-Oct 29).
Inside City Center, Saturdays 9am-1pm, (Nov-March)
Menasha Farm Fresh Market: 140 Main St, Thursdays, 2-6pm, (June-Oct)
Future Neenah Farmers’ Market: Shattuck Park, Saturdays, 8am-Noon,
(June-Oct)
Oshkosh Saturdays Farmers’ Market: 400 & 500 blocks of North Main St,
8am-12:30pm, (June-Oct)
Brillion Farmers’ Market: Main St Square Parking Lot, 7am-11am, (July-Oct)
Chilton Farmers’ Market: Cardinal Café Hwy 51 East, Fridays, Noon–5pm,
(July-Oct)
Visit www.localharvest.org for additional Farmers’ Markets in the area!
Healthy Family Activities
Be sure to check out this month’s healthy
family activities in your community at:
http://search.active.com/?tab=events
Ingredients
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour
cream
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
4 cups finely chopped
broccoli crowns
1 8-ounce can sliced water
chestnuts, rinsed and
chopped
3 slices cooked bacon,
crumbled
3 tablespoons dried
cranberries
Freshly ground pepper , to
taste
Preparation
Whisk garlic, mayonnaise, sour
cream, vinegar and sugar in a
large bowl. Add broccoli, water
chestnuts, bacon, cranberries
and pepper; stir to coat with the
dressing.
Nutrition
Per serving: 89 calories; 4 g fat (
1 g sat , 1 g mono ); 8 mg
cholesterol; 12 g carbohydrates;
1 g added sugars; 4 g protein; 3
g fiber; 200 mg sodium; 193 mg
potassium.
Source:
www.eatingwell.com/recipes