Alergic to sunless tanners - help!

[allergicgirl]

I have tried EVERY sunless tanner product under the sun (pardon the pun!) and I'm allergic to them all, even those that claim to be DHA-free.  Can you suggest any alternatives?  I really love having a tan look without the sun damage (I'm very pale without it).  Thank you!

[allergicgirl]

By the way, I don't like the wash-off temporary stuff - it gets on my clothes, is streaky, and way too high maintenance to do every day.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the most effective products available are sunless- or self-tanning lotions that contain dihydroxyacetone (DHA) as the active ingredient.  Another popular form of sunless tanning is the bronzer. These powders and moisturizers, once applied, create a tan that can easily be removed with soap and water. More like make-up, these products tint or stain your skin only until they are washed off.

It's important to remember that most of these products, unless they contain an added sunscreen, will not protect you from the sun's UVA and UVB rays and this can raise the chances of skin cancers.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.