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How Our Vancouver Airbrush Tan Service Works
When you request an
appointment with Vancouver Spray Tan, our mobile service will
come to you. Upon arrival our airbrush specialist will set up a tent in
which you will be sprayed. Each appointment is usually completed within
30 minutes.
Call us today for a free consultation (604) 636-8557. Our service
locations include Vancouver, West Vancouver, North Vancouver, Burnaby,
Richmond, Coquitlam, Port Moody, New Westminster, Surrey, Langley and
Abbotsford.
How Sunless Tanning Products
Work
Skin is made up of two
main layers. This consists of the epidermis on the outside and the
dermis which is on the inside. Whether you are talking about sun tanning
or self-tanning, the epidermis is where the action will occur. The
epidermis is also made up of layers. The deepest layer of the epidermis,
called the stratum basale (basal layer), is affected during sun tanning.
The stratum corneum (horny layer) is the outermost layer of the
epidermis -- it is this layer that is affected by most sunless-tanning
products.

There are several
different kinds of sunless-tanning products available today. People have
been able to pour on a tan since 1960, when Coppertone came out with the
first sunless-tanning product -- QT or Quick Tanning Lotion. If you are
old enough to remember this, then you are probably thinking of the
incredibly orange hue this lotion produced. Since then, there have been
several advancements made on the sunless-tanning front. These days, you
can find tanning pills, sunless- or self-tanners and bronzers. You can
smooth, swipe or spray on a light bronze glow or a deep, dark tan. Many
of these products take 45 minutes to one hour to start taking effect,
and once you factor in drying time, you could be looking at about three
hours spent achieving that sun-free tan.
The most effective products available are sunless- or self-tanning
lotions that contain dihydroxyacetone (DHA) as the active ingredient
(American Academy of Dermatology). DHA is a colourless sugar that
interacts with the dead cells located in the stratum corneum of the
epidermis. As the sugar interacts with the dead skin cells, a colour
change occurs. This change usually lasts about five to seven days from
the initial application.
Every day, millions of dead skin cells are sloughed off or worn away
from the surface of your skin. In fact, every 35 to 45 days, you have an
entirely new epidermis. This is why tans from sunless- or self-tanning
lotions will gradually fade -- as the dead cells are worn away, so is
your tan. For this reason, most of these products suggest that you
reapply the sunless- or self-tanner about every three days to maintain
your "tan."
Although gels, lotions or sprays that contain DHA are said to be the
most reliable and useful, there are dozens of other types of products on
the market. Tanning accelerators -- lotions or pills that usually
contain the amino acid tyrosine -- claim that they stimulate and
increase melanin formation, thereby accelerating the tanning process. At
this time, there is no scientific data available to support these
claims.
Another sunless-tanning product is a tanning pill that contains
canthaxanthin, which is most commonly used as a colour additive in
certain foods. Although the FDA has approved the use of canthaxanthin in
food, it does not approve its use as a tanning agent. When used as a
colour additive, only very small amounts of canthaxanthin are necessary.
As a tanning agent, however, much larger quantities are used. After
canthaxanthin is consumed, it is deposited all over your body, including
in your skin, which turns an orange-brown colour. These types of tanning
pills have been linked to various side effects, including hepatitis and
canthaxanthin retinopathy, a condition in which yellow deposits form in
the retina of the eye.
Another popular form of sunless tanning is the bronzer. These powders
and moisturizers, once applied, create a tan that can easily be removed
with soap and water. More like make-up, these products tint or stain
your skin only until they are washed off.
It's important to remember that most of these products, unless they
contain an added sunscreen, will not protect you from the sun's UVA and
UVB rays. Even products that do contain a sunscreen won't be of much
help, since they lose their efficacy within hours of application. So, if
you're planning to head outside to show off your new glow, be sure to
apply some extra sunscreen.
Another tip, a Sunless Tan will only last as long as the coloured skin
remains on the body so the use of moisturizers slowing down the shedding
process with prolong the tan.

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