They warn against the use of nasal tanning sprays

TikTok and Instagram have become the showcase for tanning trendsespecially in the months of greatest solar radiation; this is the case of the nasal sprays that promise to make you tan without warning you that they can cause nausea, headache, fatigue, vomiting and hypertensionin addition to atypical changes in moles, according to Dr. Trinidad Montero, dermatologist from the Aesthetic and Therapeutic Dermatology Group (GEDET) of the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (AEDV).

“The problem is that many of these products contain melanotan, an unauthorized synthetic substance which stimulates pigmentation systemically and whose safety is not fully guaranteed, with effects such as those mentioned. At the skin level, changes have been described in moles, darkening of previous nevi, eruptive appearance of new moles and even atypical changes after use,” says the doctor from the Virgen de las Nieves Hospital in Granada.

Regarding whether these sprays cause melanoma, he states that, “to date”, there are no large studies that definitively demonstrate that these sprays cause melanoma, “but there are clinical cases and enough warning signs to be very cautious. Cases of melanoma have been published coinciding with the use of melanotan II and, more recently, a case that raises melanotan II nasal spray as a possible risk factor for oral melanoma,” he adds.

Although they seem harmless, nasal sprays marketed on social media sometimes have bubblegum or peach flavors. And yet, “They are a real health risk,” The same goes for other fashions like tanning tattoos, ‘tan lines’ or solar callus.

“There is no such thing as a healthy tan. The dermatological recommendation remains seek shade, avoid the strong midday sun, wear clothing, glasses and a hatand apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen SPF 30 or higher, reapplying it every two hours. If someone wants color, the most reasonable alternative is self-tannerswhich dye the most superficial layer of the skin without the need to sunbathe, although they do not replace sunscreen,” says the doctor.

Sun tattoos and ‘Tan lines’

Tanning tattoos or sun tattoos are designs that are created by exposing the skin to the sun using a radiation blocker such as a sticker or stencil, so that the UV rays burn the exposed areas, creating contrast. That is, a “tattooed design” is obtained by tanning.

“To achieve that drawing you have to let some areas receive a high dose of ultraviolet radiation, burn and become pigmented. The visible result may appear “aesthetic”but in reality what is occurring is damage to the skin. There is no safe way to decorate the skin using ultraviolet radiation,” he warns,

On the other hand, leaving a swimsuit strap mark is a dangerous “summer accessory”. “Chasing that mark means intentionally seeking a tan, and that means adding sun exposure. The problem is not only the possible burn that day, but the total amount of radiation that accumulates over time. And that accumulation is related to spots, wrinkles, loss of elasticity and also skin cancer,” he says.

Tanning and solar callus accelerators

Nowadays, there is a generation of cosmetics that claim to accelerate tanning, although they claim that “their effect is very limited.” “In the 80s and 90s there was no current knowledge about the carcinogenic role of ultraviolet radiation. Today we know that excessive sun exposure and artificial tanning devices cause skin damageand that photoprotection should be aimed at reducing the UV dose, not at facilitating longer exposures,” he states in this regard.

Regarding the viral trend of the moment, the solar callusthe dermatologist remembers that “A tan is not health, it is a sign of damage.” This practice consists of exposing yourself to the sun without protection to create a supposed “tolerance” or protective layer on the skin.

“From a biological point of view, tanning is an adaptive response to ultraviolet radiation damagenot a healthy protection. The skin may indeed become darker, but that does not mean that it is safely protected. That tan appears because ultraviolet radiation has already provoked a defense response“explains the expert.

Also, remember, “In light skin, the tan often appears after the burn threshold has been exceeded. The problem is that, even if you burn less over time, you continue to accumulate damage that promotes premature skin aging and skin cancer.”