Spray Tanning While Pregnant and Is It Safe?

We get lots of questions on spray tanning while pregnant and if it's safe. So here is the answer to, "Is it safe to spray tan while pregnant?" Answer: yes and no. Let me explain.

Side Bar: ask your doctor before acting upon advice from friends, or websites just like this one.

When it comes to a spray tanning while pregnant and keeping your baby safe, it depends on several factors. Are you going to be in a spray tan booth or are you going to get an airbrush spray tan?

If you are going to be in a spray tan booth, then you are going to be subject to more unventilated spray. And the spray is usual not organic and contains dihydroxyacetone (DHA).

According to some, DHA is a chemical that does not have any color. Amino acids in our dead skin cells interacts with DHA which produces a brown color. Our skin cells are always being shed so the effects are temporary. Usually a DHA spray tan lasts about 5 - 7 days.

In addition, your skin does not absorb DHA and it does not have any known toxicity.

But is DHA harmful and is spray tanning while pregnant with a spray tan booth that uses a DHA based spray tan solution harmful? According to some, most non organic spray tan solutions (which makes up the mass majority of spray tan booths and airbrush systems) have other chemicals that are harmful when used repeatedly and can lead to health and safety issues such as nausea, dizziness, lung irritation and worse. Read this article on spray tan solution for more specific details.

My recommendation is if you really want to spray tan pregnant is to go with a custom airbrush tan. But make sure that the room is well ventilated, and they use a spray tan exhaust fan to get the spay away. If you can find a salon that has custom airbrushing using organic spray tan solution then that would be ideal (however the best results come from DHA based solutions).

So, the bottom line is that if you are only going to do it once in a while, it's probably ok to use a spray tan booth (but use nose plugs and do your best not to inhale any mysts or solution spray).

Spray tanning while pregnant is probably not a big deal, but get an airbrush rather than a spay booth.

And ask your doctor before using any of this advice or any other advice you get spray tan pregnant.