Dreary winter days may leave skin looking dull, dry, and less lively than it appears in the warmer months of the year. That may have you seeking out ways to get your summer glow back. One trendy (and to some, wacky-sounding) remedy you absolutely shouldn’t try, health experts say: nasal tanning sprays.
“Tanning nasal sprays are supposed to allow you to inhale the product into your nose and develop a tan rather than applying a product to your skin,” says Christine Ko, MD, a Yale Medicine dermatologist and dermatopathologist and a professor at the Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut. “Tanning nasal sprays can be dangerous because they are not FDA-approved, and it is not always clear what is in them.”
In fact, their main ingredient, melanotan, is banned in several countries, including the United States and Australia, and can pose some serious health risks such as vomiting, skin changes, and involuntary movement.
Here’s what else experts want you to know about this dangerous trend.