Sunless tanning has nowadays become the latest fad. People prefer to go for self tanning because sun tanning has been discovered to have many negative side effects and even such adverse impact as skin cancer. Due to this, tanning products are flooding the market. A self tanner works by causing a chemical reaction on the skin. Details of how self tanners work can be described as follows.
The skin has mainly two layers - the epidermis and dermis. The epidermis is the outer layer which is again divided into layers. The outer most layer of the epidermis is called the stratum corneum and self tanners work on this layer to give the skin the tanned look. The sunless tanning products that contain dihydroxyacetone or DHA are the most harmless to use on the skin. They affect only the dead skin cells and cause the change in color.
Today, self tanners are available in many shades. This includes light, dark and ultra dark tans. Some are spray on tans while others are tans that would last from ten days to two weeks. The lotions and creams are the best to use if the tanning process has to be performed at home. However, going to a spa to get tanned is always the better option as it gives the body a more even tone.
Sunless tanning is something that has been resorted to by almost every celebrity and model to give their body a bronzed look. This has increased the popularity of the products and they are being used more and more by the common people as well. It could safely be said that the self tanner is here to stay not only due to its popularity but also because it is less hazardous to health.