MyTan Tanning Pills

Another great customer review - thanks Sarah!

Natural tanning pills usually come in two types. The first type contain tyrosine which may fuel the body's natural tanning process because tyrosine is the nutrient that is converted into melanin (the brown skin pigment) in the process of tanning. The second type is entirely different. These are tanning tablets that contain various pigments that are consumed with the hope of being deposited in the skin and imparting a nice colour. Namely, these pigments usually canthaxanthin and beta carotene. Canthaxanthin is a pigment which is widely distributed in nature. It was first isolated in edible mushrooms and has also been found in bacteria, crustaceans and fish such as carp, golden mullet and seabream.

Canthaxanthin is used in farm-raised trout and is used in combination with astaxanthin for some salmon feeds. When ingested, canthaxanthin is deposited in the skin and imparts a golden orange hue causing some companies to market tanning pills that contain canthaxanthin. However, canthaxanthin tanning pills have been associated with health problems, including an eye disorder called canthaxanthin retinopathy (the formation of yellow deposits on the eye's retina). Clearly such effects have given tan pills a bad name. But is there an alternative? Beta carotene is a red-orange pigment abundant in plants and fruits. It is a precursor of vitamin A (pro-vitamin A) and the most common form of carotene. The most common side effect of beta carotene consumption is carotenodermia, a harmless condition that presents as a bronze skin tint. This arises from the deposit of the carotenoid in the outermost layer of the skin. It is this side effect property that is used to produce the sunless tanning effect.

1. Tanning Times

The sun beams down 3 types of ultraviolet rays: UVAs, UVBs and UVCs.  UVCs are stopped by the earth’s ozone layer so we don’t have to concern ourselves with them for now.  Broadly speaking, UVAs are responsible for tanning and UVBs are responsible for burning.  It’s important to note that prolonged exposure to UVAs can cause burning too!  The concentration of these rays vary throughout the day so just because the sun is really hot doesn’t mean that you will experience great tanning.  In the early hours of the morning and the last few hours of the evening, UVAs (tanning rays) are relatively high while UVBs are at their lower.  This is the absolute prime time for tanning.  Many people notice that they go extremely dark when tanning in the early hours of the day without burning at all.

Here’s a rough guide to UVB levels throughout the day: Sunrise-9am UVBs are low 9am-11am UVBs begin to rise 11am-4pm UVBs at their highest 4pm-6pm UVBs begin to drop 6pm-Sunset UVBs are low

2. Don’t Burn Many tanners make the mistake of believing they must go from white to red (sunburn) to brown.  Burning causes the body to shed a layer of dead skin and you’ll lose your tan in no time.  The trick is to go brown gradually while minimising sunburn.  Be sure to use plenty of sunblock in the early days of exposure and avoid times when UVBs are at their highest.  After all it’s no good to have a nice brown tan that is peeling off in your bed and gone after a week.  If you really have difficulty going brown without burning then try a tanning accelerator like MyTan Boost to help boost your tanning power.  Read our next step for more information.

3. Tanning Nutrition How can you expect to tan if you don’t have the necessary nutrients to make the tan inside your body?  Research shows that the process of tanning uses the nutrients copper (a mineral) and tyrosine (an amino acid) along with lots of other vitamins.  Consider taking some healthy tanning pills to provide these nutrients so that your body has what it needs to manufacture melanin (the brown pigment in the skin).  Check out our tanning pills for that extra special tan.

4. Use Moisturiser / After Sun Lotion You might want to add a good moisturiser to your shopping list alongside tanning pills.  It’s really important to keep your skin hydrated and in the best condition possible if you want to be able to tan well in sunny conditions.  Be sure to use a moisturiser regularly and use after sun immediately after sun exposure.  When you come out of the sun remember than you are still tanning for a number of hours so it’s best not to jump straight into a shower and use a harsh shampoo or shower lotion that dries out the skin.  Try to wait a few hours before showering if possible while moisturising before and after.