Spray Tan Alert: Concerns Over Safety of DHA Revealed
The quest for a “safe” tan is not a new one. Ever since the link between skin cancer and sun over-exposure was established, not to mention the aging effects, those of us seeking the brown without the burn have often turned to self tanners. Since the 1970s, from the ever so orange hue of Coppertone’s QT to today’s very sophisticated salon procured spray tan, we’ve been getting our glow on sans sunlight with the help of a chemical called Dihydroxyacetone, or DHA for short (not to be confused with Docosahexaenoic Acid, a beneficial Omega-3 fatty acid found in cold water fish like salmon).
