The myth of tanning pills remains one of the most difficult to debunk,

and it is really pervading among sun-free cosmetic treatments. They have proliferated on a market that supports and promotes their use as supplements by all the marketing techniques available, from magazines, ads and web pages to campaigns in drug stores. Tanning pills are sold as dietary supplements but they are not FDA approved and they all include the disclaimer that they are not designed to treat, cure or prevent any ailment whatsoever. It was more than once that the tanning pills safety should become subject for controversial debates, but no conclusive measures have been adopted to decrease their use. Are tanning pills effective? What is their safety level?

Knowing the main factors that have an impact on tan formation could prove helpful for the understanding of the mechanism behind tanning pills and their positive or negative effects. This means that genetic predisposition and the level of exposure to ultraviolets are the two main elements that influence tanning. As for nutrition, diet has a very little influence in the matter of getting tanned. Consider for example a fair-skinned Caucasian person; regardless of how many tanning pills she/he will use, tanning will still be a challenge given the low melanin concentration in the skin cells.

The main ingredient of some tanning pills is canthaxanthin, usually added to foods for its coloring properties. Though the Food and Drug Agency has approved this use, not the same thing can be said about the assimilation of cantharxanthin as a tanning factor. The difference comes from the fact that in food, only a small quantity of chemical is necessary, whereas in tanning pills, very large concentrations have to be added. The result of this chemical administration consists in the depositing of the substance under the skin layers giving it the brown orange-brown pigmentation; unfortunately, serious side effects are related to the administration of this kind of tanning pills.

Hepatitis cases have been related to the use of canthaxanthin tanning pills; FDA forbid these products and issued warnings in relation to their use. Another variety of tanning pills that are currently tested in Australia rely on a hormonal compound to stimulate the secretion of melanin; it seems that this drug increases results when combined with UV exposure too. Besides these two drug options, there are all sorts of herbal supplements labeled tanning pills. Yet, nutrition does not seem to play such an important role in the quality of the tan, and thus the efficiency level of tanning pills is pretty low.