Before and after shot of spray tan
It’s official, fake tanning is the new craze with a significant trend amongst young people showing a strong preference towards faking it rather than doing it the old fashioned way, naturally.
There is an abundance of fake tanning products available commercially including tanning lotions, creams, mousses and tablets but the most popular and instantaneous is the use of spray tanning.
Spray tanning involves being sprayed with a fine mist of a product containing the chemical dihydroxyacetone or a vegetable dye that temporarily stains the epidermal layer of the skin a darker colour, giving a tanned appearance.
However, the duration of the tanned look only lasts as long as the outer layer of the skin takes to replace itself with the dead skin cells falling off in about a week.
Proprietor of Diamond Spray Tanning Sinead Quinn works part-time and spray tans between 10 to 20 clients a week although experiences a sharp increase in the lead-up to summer.
Ms Quinn firmly believes that the only good tan is a spray tan and is capitalising on the health benefits afforded by a fake tan.
“Spray tanning is an excellent option for those wanting to look tanned without the dangers of the sun”, she said.
Cancer Council Queensland spokesperson Rachael Adams unequivocally agrees with this sentiment.
“Obviously a fake tan is a much safer option that a real tan, because it does not involve exposing the skin to dangerous ultra violet radiation”, she said.
“Approximately 133 000 Queenslanders are diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancer and 2 5000 Queenslanders are diagnosed with Melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer”, she said.
However, Ms Adams emphasises that that the Cancer Council Queensland encourages people to be comfortable in their own skin.
“Promoting fake tan as an option continues to normalise the perception that a tan is cool, fashionable and desirable”, she said.
Useful sites:
Cancer Council Queensland: http://www.cancerqld.org.au/
Diamond Spray Tanning: http://diamondspraytanning.com/
Fake tan disasters in Hollywood: http://www.entertainmentwise.com/photos/38598/1/worst-celebrity-fake-tan-disasters
