Tanning Pills 2

In their mission to find the perfect tan, some people may look for a tanning pill that will help them achieve this goal without being exposed to ultraviolet (UV) rays. There are no tanning pills which have been approved for this purpose by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. However, tanning pills continue to appear for sale over the internet. 

You should be made aware before you take these pills of the risks associated with these products and that many of them are a waste of money as they will simply have no effect.

The manufacturers of tanning pills which contain a colour additive called canthaxanthin claim that their products will tint the skin. They believe that their products are safe because canthaxanthin is approved for use in food but the large doses in these pills is many times greater than the amount normally ingested in food. Numerous side effects including the deposition of crystals in the eye have been reported which can lead to a deterioration in eye sight levels.

Other side effects which have been highlighted include diarrhea, nausea and severe itching. You are advised to check out any tanning pills thoroughly before you start taking them. Even if the pills you take do actually give you a tan effect, it may not be worth the consequences.

Some other kinds of pills claim to be tanning accelerators, these contain the amino acid tyrosine or tyrosine derivatives. Marketers of these tanning pills promote them as substances that stimulate the body's own tanning process. The evidence seems to suggest that they just don't work and as they have not been properly tested these tanning pills are not considered to be safe and may actually be dangerous.

The general opinion is that other sunless tanning products such as bronzers which come in the form of spray or lotion are the safest and most effective artificial tanning method. They are considered to be cosmetics as they are for external use and are not harmful. Bronzers are made from colour additives which have been approved by the FDA for cosmetic use.

They work by staining the skin when applied and can usually be washed off in the shower or bath. The colour tends to fade away after a few days so regular application is required to maintain the effect over a period of time.