Pregnancy and Fake Tans

As people learn more about the damaging effects of exposure to the sun and tanning beds, they may replace these with use of fake tans. Others apply fake tans as preparation for further sunbathing and tanning, but it must be noted that these products do not provide UV protection to shield against the damaging effects of the sun.

Fake tan products may include home application creams or lotions and mini-towels or wipes to apply artificial tan to the skin. Others visit a beauty clinic or salon to either get these products or have an airbrush tan applied. This page provides further information on:

• How fake tans work
• Impact of fake tans in pregnancy

How fake tans work

A chemical called Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) is present in fake tanning products like self-tanning lotions and when contact is made with the outer skin cells it produces a chemical reaction that changes the skin cell pigmentation to melanoidin. Usually, additional lotion is applied because the tan fades as the outer cells skin cells of the stratum corneum die and shed. For this reason, some consider such fake tanning products to be safe, because the chemicals are not necessarily absorbed by the rest of the body.

Impact of fake tans in pregnancy

Research has shown that DHA is absorbable by the skin through the placenta to the baby. The absorption may also be impacted if there are open wounds on the body. The quantity and frequency of use depends on how both the mother and unborn child may be impacted by the chemical, and further research on this topic is necessary to understand the implications further.

Even though the effects of self tanning products are considered to be limited to the outer skin surface, the British Medical Association warns about the use of these products during pregnancy. The reason is because a pregnancy woman's skin becomes far more sensitive during pregnancy due to hormonal changes. The sensitivity can result in allergic reactions that may then have other implications that affects the rest of the body's system. The suggestion is to use a “patch test” to see how the skin responds to the product. However, if self tanning products are not necessary, it is better to avoid the use of fake tans than potentially put the health of the mother and unborn baby at risk.

Tanning and Pregnancy:

• Tanning and Pregnancy
• Pregnancy: Hair removal before or after tanning
• Using hair removal creams when pregnant
• Pregnancy: Use of insect repellents when tanning
• Pregnancy: Skin sensitivity and itching when tanning
• Pregnancy and Sunbathing
• Pregnancy: Tanning, Heatstroke and Hyperthermia
• Pregnancy: Tanning and Heat cramps

• Pregnancy and Sunless Tanning
• Pregnancy and Tanning Beds
• Pregnancy and Tanning Pills
• Pregnancy and Fake Tans
• Pregnancy and tanning with Henna
• Sun, UV care and the law