As stated, the function of self-tanning products is to temporarily impart color to the skin. Darkening of the skin occurs in response to solar or solar-simulated UV exposure which is
the body’s natural response to UV exposure. Melanogenesis is a very complex process that is still not fully understood (54,55). It is the image of beauty and health to sport a “tan,” and whereas the public health message to avoid intentional solar exposure has had some small impact, there has been an increase in the use of tanning parlors (56,57). Importantly, there are individuals who will engage in risky behavior regardless of the costs/conse- quences. As such, the use of sunless tanning products may provide an important alternative for some.
An artificial “tan” resulting from the application of a DHA-containing product does provide some limited, short-lived protection against UV (58-60). More recently, it has been reported that topical application of DHA to hairless mice will delay UV-induced photocarcinogenesis (61). These protective benefits are promising as sunless tanning gains in popularity.