Get a Summer Glow Without the Melano(ma)

Moisturizing glow in one hour!

In the summertime everyone is searching for the perfect bronzed look and many flock to the beach, pool or tanning beds in order to achieve that "sun kissed" glow. The problem is that long after the tan fades your skin is still left with the harmful and potentially life threatening damage that comes from excessive, unprotected exposure to UV rays.

A common alternative for those savvy in skin safety are sunless or self-tanners, spray tans or bronzing products. Every year it seems that a new tanning product comes out on the market promising a natural, long lasting and glowing tan. Unfortunately as most of us who have tried one of more of these products know, these promises are all too often "too good to be true."

As a naturally pale woman I have never been able to tan without first building off of a very painful base burn. Eventually my lobster red skin would turn into somewhat of a bronze shade before peeling off from all the excess sun exposure. As I got older and started to become more knowledgeable about the dangers of skin cancer, sun damage and wrinkles, I decided that I would seek a safer method to tan my skin. I tried countless products that promised to turn my pasty skin into a golden bronze. 

Self-tanning lotions seemed like a safe bet since the idea of a "gradual" tan promised to give me some control over what shade of bronze I ended up with. I found that all the self-tanning lotions had a weird cheerios smell however, which was irritating since the product insisted that I apply it after the shower. Despite the smell, half the lotions went on clear and it would often be difficult to tell if I had evenly applied it or not until I woke up the next morning and discovered streaks and blotches from where I had forgotten to put product. I have tried some other very expensive self-tanning lotions that went on and instantly bronzed. In this case it was easy to tell where the product was applied however nine times out of ten my clothes would be left completely stained. 

I tried the self-tanning wipes from the popular infomercials that promised a quick and long lasting tan. However unlike the ad where the model instantly went from white to bronze, my skin didn't change color for hours. The ad also said that one of these pricey towelettes would cover an entire body, but I found despite my 5'3 frame I needed almost 4 wipes for full coverage.

Thinking that maybe I was doing something wrong, that maybe all the times I looked freakish umpa lumpa like where somehow my doing, I splurged and got a $75.00 custom, organic, eco-friendly spray tan at a luxury salon. After standing for about 30 minutes in a tent while a woman sandblasted me with tanning product and I stood with my arms outstretched (the best triceps workout of my life), I was left with an instant natural looking tan that was supposed to develop even more bronze within a few hours. As the tan developed my skin kept getting dark and darker until I panicked and showered well before the 4 hour waiting period that the cosmetologist had told me about. At the end of it all, I spent about an hour using lemon juice and a loofah desperately scrapping my skin off until I started looking less like a bronze statute and more like a human being.

Brittany before using Avène's Moisturizing Self-Tanning Lotion

I had resigned myself to looking pale forever until I started working at Dr. Lenahan's office and she recommended Avène's Moisturizing Self-Tanning Lotion. I was told that the non-greasy lotion was healthy for my skin and was made with thermal spring water, was hypoallergenic and had pre-tocopheryl that provided powerful antioxidant protection. Several of the other girls in the office had used the product as well and raved about how easy it was to apply and how happy they were with the results. I hesitantly tried Avène and was pleasantly surprised. I found the lotion to have a light pleasant smell that was vastly different from the cereal or chemical scent I was used to. It was easy to apply and doubled as a good moisturizer. In just one hour I started to develop a natural and even tan that made me look like I had just come back from a beach vacation. The best thing about this product is that it didn't stain my clothes and my skin looked tan without me ever having to risk damaging my skin. Also a big plus for Avène is that it is soothing and light enough that it can be used on your face and body so there is no need to buy two separate products. In addition, the triglycerides in the product locked in moisture and kept my skin soft all day.

Everyday Dr. Lenahan cautions staff and patient about the dangers of sun exposure. July is National UV Awareness month and with all the sunny weather we have been enjoying in Western New York, the need to protect our skin from sun damage is increasingly important.  While even one sunburn may double your chance of eventually developing melanoma (the most serious form of skin cancer), you are still at risk for skin cancer even if you never actually burn. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation,  skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. More than 3.5 million skin cancers in over two million people are diagnosed annually. An estimated 76,250 new cases of invasive melanoma will be diagnosed in the US in 2012, with an estimated 9,180 to result in death. With statistics like these, chancing a life threatening form of cancer for a tan that will fade within days does not seem like a worthwhile trade off.

So, why not play it safe and skip the sun altogether? 

You can buy Avène in our office for only $22.00 which is a bargain compared to the $40.00 I had been used to spending on tanners from Sephora. I would strongly recommend this product to anyone who is looking for a sunless tanning product that is good for your skin, looks natural and is reasonably priced.

Brittany after using Avène's Moisturizing Self-Tanning Lotion