Want to hit the beach with a summer glow? Don’t put your skin at risk by visiting the tanning bed. In fact, people who use a tanning bed before age 35 increase their risk of developing melanoma by 75 percent. There are other ways to get the darker complexion you’re looking for this summer.

Self-tanners come in lotions and sprays. Rubbing self-tanner on your body darkens your skin over time with a color additive called dihydroxyacetone (DHA) that reacts with dead skin cells, simulating a tan. Be careful – the tanning won’t make your skin less susceptible to sunburns, so apply sunscreen when going outdoors. Also, be sure to exfoliate your skin before applying a sunless tanning product to remove excess dead skin cells.

Not only is using a sunless tanner significantly better for your health, it’s cheaper, too! Sunless tanners can be found at your pharmacy, other big-box stores and online. If you have questions about your skin, call (865)690-9467 to schedule an appointment with our dermatologists.