Students rush for gold

Students rush for gold

Spray tan. It’s a term that has a negative connotation and seems to immediately bring images of orange traffic cones or Snooki to the mind (if you can distinguish between the two).

However spray tans shouldn’t only a  depicted in Jersey Shore or Real Housewives of Orange County. In fact, if someone wants to get that gorgeous golden glow, it might just be the best option.

There are really four major methods to get tan:

-spend time outside in the sun

-use a tanning booth

-lather on some tanning lotion

-get a spray tan

Tanning outside is the all-natural way to get the job done, but it actually can be the most harmful. A novice tanner may not time how long they are out in the sun, not use sunscreen or fall asleep while tanning.

Sunlight contains UV radiation, the most prominent carcinogen in our environment.

Now, I’m not saying that we should all become heliophobiacs and move underground and never come outside, but there’s no reason to constantly over-expose your body to rays that are proven to cause cancer.

Tanning booths use sunlamps that also give off UV radiation. The only difference is the radiation is more concentrated and so tans come quicker.

However, saving a couple hours tanning can’t justify shaving off several years on the backend of my life due to skin cancer. But, if that’s a risk you’re willing to take then tanning booths may be the solution to all of your tanning needs!

Tanning lotion and spray tans fall under the same category of sunless tanning methods. They are both made up of dihydroxyacetone, which causes the skin to turn darker temporarily. According to all current studies, it is not a carcinogen and the only negative side effect it has is an increased sensitivity to sunlight for 24 hours. However, most lotions and sprays are also made up of sunscreens, so sunlight is not really an issue.

Spray tans often use the same products that are in tanning lotions, but spray tans are in a mist form. Choosing between the two really boils down to convenience and aesthetics.

Tanning lotions can be used at home. However, they will often look uneven as the user is actually applying it to their own skin.

Spray tans require more complex devices that evenly apply the mist to the whole body, giving an even coating of the solution.

Personally, tanning doesn’t necessarily fall very high on my list of priorities, so I don’t see myself using any of these methods in the near future. However, if getting gorgeously bronze is way up there on your to-do-list, spray tans appear to be the best way to get a good-looking tan that won’t give you skin cancer.