The Self Tanning Experiment

Summer is here! And while I was convinced the twilight series would make pale, sparkling skin become in vogue, it's been a decade and everyone still wants to be tan. But no one wants skin cancer, so to get that sun kissed look without the tanning bed and without the famous baby oil and iodine mixture I hear about all day, we tried a variety of tans-in-a-can! All for you! Here is the round up, complete with before and afters! (Yes, sometimes this is what we do before and after clinic. Talk about dedication.)

This one was probably the overall favorite for ease of use and results.

This was the runner up for an all over tan.

Personally, I liked this one on my legs because at baseline I am transluscent and this was the most natural-looking for me.

Clearly, not a big difference here in the office...but the next day, in the sun (with sunscreen on), this is what I looked like (left leg was Isle of Paradise, right leg was St. Tropez Purity).

And for those of you interested in the process, some application photos for you:

Author: Patricia O'Connor, MD