Tanning Pills

The myth of tanning pills remains one of the most difficult to debunk, and it is really pervading among sun-free cosmetic treatments. They have proliferated on a market that supports and promotes their use as supplements by all means possible, from women's publications, ads and web pages to promotions in drug stores. Tanning pills are sold as dietary supplements but they are not FDA approved and they all include the disclaimer that they are not designed to treat, cure or prevent any ailment whatsoever. It has happened several times that the tanning pills safety should become subject for virulent debates, but no conclusive measures have been adopted to discourage their use. What efficiency rate do tanning pills have? Do they have a 99% safety level?

Knowledge of the elements that influence tan formation could prove helpful for the understanding of the mechanism behind tanning pills and their positive or negative effects. This means that genetic predisposition and the level of exposure to ultraviolets are the two main elements that influence tanning. As for the food we eat, diet has a very light word to say in the matter of getting tanned. Take the example of a fair-skinned Caucasian person; regardless of how many tanning pills she/he will use, getting brownish naturally will still be a challenge given the low melanin presence in the skin cells.

Some tanning pills contain canthaxanthin which is also used as a color additive in the manufacturing of food products. Though the Food and Drug Agency has approved this use, not the same thing can be said about the safety of cantharxanthin as a tanning trigger. The disapproval comes from the fact that in food, only a small quantity of chemical is necessary, whereas in tanning pills, very large concentrations are required. The effect of the chemical consists in the depositing of the substance under the skin layers giving it the brown orange-brown pigmentation; unfortunately, serious side effects are related to the administration of this kind of tanning pills.

Liver disease cases have been related to the use of canthaxanthin tanning pills; FDA forbid these products and passed safety measures in relation to their use. Another variety of tanning pills that are under test in Australia rely on the hormonal stimulation of the secretion of melanin; it appears that this drug is more effective when combined with UV exposure too. Besides these two drug alternatives, there are all sorts of herbal products labeled tanning pills. Yet, nutrition does not seem to play such an important role in the quality of the tan, and thus the efficiency level of tanning pills is pretty low.

Get more on tanning here Tanning Accessories as well as here Tanning Equipment