From beer tanning to suntan contouring, there’s little TikTokers won’t try to up their tanning game. Now, users are popping tanning pills that contain canthaxanthin, a synthetic color additive similar to beta-carotene. Once swallowed, the additives in the pills are then deposited throughout the body, especially the skin.
But it is user beware as these pills may do more harm than good, according to. Alexis Young, MD, a dermatologist with Hackensack University Medical Center in Paramus, NJ.
“One potential hazard is that the ingredients in these pills offer no protection from the sun’s damaging rays,” says Dr. Young, in a news release. “The ingredients can actually make your skin even more sensitive to sunlight, making you more susceptible to sunburn and potential skin cancers.”
Dr. Young also warns of other potential health concerns including a build up of canthaxanthin in the liver which may result in organ damage as well as an accumulation in the retina, potentially causing vision problems.
“Of all the tanning options available, I do not recommend tanning pills,” says Dr. Young. “I suggest choosing a tanning lotion with DHA (dihydroxyacetone), which is a safe and effective ingredient that reacts with the skin’s amino acids to produce a brown pigment.”
