Sunless Tanner
Everyday exposureBeauty & personal careAlso called · 7 names▾▴
self-tanner, self tanning lotion, fake tan, spray tan, DHA tanning lotion, dihydroxyacetone, tanning booth
Beauty product
General information · effects depend on amount, timing, and how it is used. About these sources
- Topical
Research strength: 1 / 5
MotherToBaby reports limited pregnancy information for sunless tanners and describes skin-applied creams and lotions separately from booth sprays. The NHS page says creams and lotions are generally considered compatible in pregnancy, but says inhalation effects from spray tans are unknown. FDA states, “DHA is approved for external application to the human body, which is the way these products are intended to be used.” For booths, FDA says, “the use of DHA in "tanning" booths as an all-over spray has not been approved by the FDA, since safety data to support this use has not been submitted to the Agency for review and evaluation,” and advises, “Consumers should request measures to protect their eyes and mucous membranes and prevent inhalation.” The EU SCCS assessed spray-cabin use for consumers, and the UK SAG-CS accepted defined adult uses; neither opinion addresses pregnancy-specific use, and MotherToBaby and the NHS give no different advice by trimester. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-16
Sources
- MotherToBaby: Sunless TannersTeratology service
- NHS Collingwood Health Group: Fake tan during pregnancyUK government
- FDA: Sunless Tanners & BronzersUS government
- Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety: DHA Opinion (2010)
- UK SAG-CS: Opinion on DHA in Cosmetic Products (2024)UK government
Research strength: 1 / 5
MotherToBaby reports limited pregnancy information for sunless tanners and describes skin-applied creams and lotions separately from booth sprays. The NHS page says creams and lotions are generally considered compatible in pregnancy, but says inhalation effects from spray tans are unknown. FDA states, “DHA is approved for external application to the human body, which is the way these products are intended to be used.” For booths, FDA says, “the use of DHA in "tanning" booths as an all-over spray has not been approved by the FDA, since safety data to support this use has not been submitted to the Agency for review and evaluation,” and advises, “Consumers should request measures to protect their eyes and mucous membranes and prevent inhalation.” The EU SCCS assessed spray-cabin use for consumers, and the UK SAG-CS accepted defined adult uses; neither opinion addresses pregnancy-specific use, and MotherToBaby and the NHS give no different advice by trimester. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-16
Sources
- MotherToBaby: Sunless TannersTeratology service
- NHS Collingwood Health Group: Fake tan during pregnancyUK government
- FDA: Sunless Tanners & BronzersUS government
- Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety: DHA Opinion (2010)
- UK SAG-CS: Opinion on DHA in Cosmetic Products (2024)UK government
Research strength: 1 / 5
MotherToBaby reports limited pregnancy information for sunless tanners and describes skin-applied creams and lotions separately from booth sprays. The NHS page says creams and lotions are generally considered compatible in pregnancy, but says inhalation effects from spray tans are unknown. FDA states, “DHA is approved for external application to the human body, which is the way these products are intended to be used.” For booths, FDA says, “the use of DHA in "tanning" booths as an all-over spray has not been approved by the FDA, since safety data to support this use has not been submitted to the Agency for review and evaluation,” and advises, “Consumers should request measures to protect their eyes and mucous membranes and prevent inhalation.” The EU SCCS assessed spray-cabin use for consumers, and the UK SAG-CS accepted defined adult uses; neither opinion addresses pregnancy-specific use, and MotherToBaby and the NHS give no different advice by trimester. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-16
Sources
- MotherToBaby: Sunless TannersTeratology service
- NHS Collingwood Health Group: Fake tan during pregnancyUK government
- FDA: Sunless Tanners & BronzersUS government
- Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety: DHA Opinion (2010)
- UK SAG-CS: Opinion on DHA in Cosmetic Products (2024)UK government
Sunless Tanner — Breastfeeding
Research strength: 1 / 5
MotherToBaby describes breastfeeding information as limited and estimates that very small amounts of skin-applied DHA would enter blood and breast milk. The Breastfeeding Network says beauty products are not readily absorbed and lists spray tans among treatments people may have while breastfeeding. MotherToBaby advises keeping the product off the breast and any area that could touch the baby until it is fully dry. FDA states, “DHA is approved for external application to the human body, which is the way these products are intended to be used.” For booths, FDA says, “the use of DHA in "tanning" booths as an all-over spray has not been approved by the FDA, since safety data to support this use has not been submitted to the Agency for review and evaluation,” and advises, “Consumers should request measures to protect their eyes and mucous membranes and prevent inhalation.” Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-16
Sources
- MotherToBaby: Sunless TannersTeratology service
- The Breastfeeding Network: Beauty Treatments and BreastfeedingBreastfeeding charity
- FDA: Sunless Tanners & BronzersUS government
Pregnancy
MotherToBaby discusses skin-applied use and booth exposure separately. The NHS page gives a general statement for creams and lotions and a different caution for spray inhalation. FDA's restriction is route-specific: external application is permitted, while all-over booth spray has not been approved because supporting exposure-route data were not submitted. The 2010 SCCS considered consumer use at defined concentrations; the 2024 UK SAG-CS opinion accepted specified adult uses. Neither opinion addresses pregnancy-specific use. MotherToBaby and the NHS pages reviewed here do not give different advice by trimester.
Breastfeeding
MotherToBaby describes breastfeeding information as limited and estimates that very small amounts of skin-applied DHA would enter blood and breast milk. The Breastfeeding Network says beauty products are not readily absorbed and lists spray tans among treatments people may have while breastfeeding. MotherToBaby advises keeping product off the breast and any area that could touch the baby until it is fully dry. FDA's route limits concern inhalation, eyes, and mucous membranes; they are not a breastfeeding-specific recommendation.
MotherToBaby describes sunless tanners as often being creams or lotions and names dihydroxyacetone (DHA) as the main tanning ingredient. FDA lists DHA as a color additive for external application. MotherToBaby says products may also contain moisturizers, bronzers, fragrances, vitamins, and preservatives. Creams and lotions intended for external use differ from booth mist, which may reach eyes, mucous membranes, or airways.
What was tested
Yourick et al. (2004) used human and fuzzy-rat skin in laboratory diffusion cells; about 22% of the applied DHA remained in a skin reservoir after 24 hours. The authors described low receptor-fluid levels but did not give a bloodstream percentage in the abstract. Hussain et al. (2025) studied DHA exposure in cultured human bronchial cells, while Levi et al. (2026) studied inhaled DHA in mice and cardiomyocyte cells. Laferté et al. (2026) reviewed 16 studies retrieved through July 2023, and Black et al. (2026) reviewed ingredients in 37 products and customer reviews. The SCCS opinion evaluated consumer use and the UK SAG-CS opinion was limited to adults; neither gives pregnancy-specific recommendations.
DHA exposure from all-over spray booths
- Source A says
- FDA says all-over booth spray has not been approved because the supporting exposure-route data were not submitted, and it advises protection from eye, mucous-membrane, inhalation, and ingestion exposure. (FDA: Sunless Tanners & Bronzers)
- Source B says
- The SCCS concluded that spray-cabin use up to 14% would not pose a health risk to consumers based on the available data. The UK SAG-CS later accepted specified adult spray-booth use up to 14% for weekly application. (Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety: Opinion on dihydroxyacetone (2010), UK SAG-CS: Final Opinion on DHA in Cosmetic Products (2024))
- Why they differ
- FDA's position is that data for certain exposure routes were not submitted to support approval. The SCCS reviewed available information for consumer use. The UK SAG-CS reviewed an industry-prepared dossier and set defined adult-use conditions. These opinions are not pregnancy-specific.
- Other sources
- MotherToBaby and the NHS caution about inhaled spray exposure in pregnancy. The Breastfeeding Network lists spray tans among treatments people may have while breastfeeding, reflecting a different population and use question. (MotherToBaby: Sunless Tanners, NHS Collingwood Health Group: Fake tan during pregnancy, The Breastfeeding Network: Beauty Treatments and Breastfeeding)
- What the evidence shows overall
- The sources support separate descriptions for skin-applied creams and lotions and booth mist. FDA's route-based restriction reflects missing submitted data, not a finding that harm is established. The SCCS and UK opinions assess adult use under defined conditions and do not settle pregnancy-specific use. The breastfeeding sources discuss milk transfer and direct skin contact, not a breastfeeding-specific FDA restriction.
- MotherToBaby recommends keeping sunless-tanning product off the breast and away from areas that could touch the baby's skin until the product is fully dry. (MotherToBaby: Sunless Tanners)
- FDA advises consumers considering spray or mist booths to request measures that protect the eyes and mucous membranes and prevent inhalation. (FDA: Sunless Tanners & Bronzers)
General research, not specific to pregnancy.
FDA describes retail creams and lotions as intended for external use, while booth mist may expose people through inhalation or contact with eyes and mucous membranes. Recent studies examine DHA in cultured cells and after inhalation in mice, not routine topical use or pregnancy-specific exposure.
- Hussain et al. (2025) reported replication-stress signals in a cultured bronchial cell line after DHA exposure. This cell model did not measure cosmetic booth exposure or pregnancy outcomes. (Hussain et al. (2025): DHA and replication stress in BEAS-2B cells)
- Levi et al. (2026) reported changes after subacute inhaled DHA exposure in mice and cardiomyocyte cells. The study concerns inhalation-related models and does not measure typical cosmetic spray-booth exposure. (Levi et al. (2026): Subacute inhaled DHA in mice and cardiac cells)
- Laferté et al. (2026) reviewed 16 studies retrieved through July 2023 and described most included evidence as low quality, with long-term questions unresolved. (Laferté et al. (2026): Clinical Use and Safety of Topical DHA, systematic review)
- MotherToBaby: Sunless TannersTeratology serviceSecondaryPage dated 2026-03-01
- FDA: Sunless Tanners & BronzersUS governmentSecondaryIndependent check
- NHS Collingwood Health Group: Fake tan during pregnancyUK governmentSecondaryIndependent check
- The Breastfeeding Network: Beauty Treatments and BreastfeedingBreastfeeding charitySecondaryIndependent check
- Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety: Opinion on dihydroxyacetone (2010)SecondaryPage dated 2010-12-14Independent check
- UK SAG-CS: Final Opinion on DHA in Cosmetic Products (2024)UK governmentPrimaryIndependent check
- Yourick et al. (2004): Fate of chemicals in skin after dermal applicationUS governmentPrimaryPage dated 2004-03-15Independent check
- Hussain et al. (2025): DHA and replication stress in BEAS-2B cellsUS governmentPrimaryPage dated 2025-10-30
- Levi et al. (2026): Subacute inhaled DHA in mice and cardiac cellsUS governmentPrimaryPage dated 2026-09-25
- Laferté et al. (2026): Clinical Use and Safety of Topical DHA, systematic reviewUS governmentPrimaryPage dated 2026-02-27
- Resnick et al. (2026): Insights into Tanning Biology and Tanning ProductsUS governmentPrimaryPage dated 2026-02-05
- Black et al. (2026): Sunless Tanners in Dermatology reviewUS governmentPrimaryPage dated 2026-01-01
Last reviewed 2026-10-16
Independent check 2026-10-16
Not yet clinician-reviewed
Ask your provider about your situation.