Among many other outrageous beauty trends, people have been using Coca-Cola to allegedly accelerate their tan. Yep, that’s right, people have been spraying the sticky soda on their bodies hoping that it will make them darker faster.
This Coca-Cola tan trend is nothing new–it’s been popular in the U.K. for the last few summers, and has been thought to have originated in Australia. However, this trend has recently gained ground in the U.S.
There are so many reasons why this Coca-Cola tanning trend is problematic. (I mean, Coca-Cola can defrost your windshield) I’m the first person to admit it: I love being tan. One of my favorite parts about summer is going to the beach and laying out in the sun. I, personally, feel more confident about myself when I am tan. The fact of the matter is, I’m not alone. Many people love being tan, and will go to great extremes to achieve their desired level of tan. But it’s important to realize that no tan is a safe tan.
Tanning increases your risk of developing skin cancer
The research has been out there for a while now. There is definitely a direct link between laying out in the sun to tan and developing skin cancer. There has been substantial research done to prove this. Yet, ridiculous trends like the Coca-Cola tan, still exist.
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation more people die of skin cancer due to tanning, than lung cancer due to smoking. 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer within his or her lifetime.
#SpoonTip: If you want to reduce your risk of skin cancer, try eating one of these 5 foods.
Now, I don’t want this article to be full of scary statistics but it is important to realize that by engaging in the Coca-Cola tan trend, you’re subjecting yourself to harmful Ultra-Violet (UV) light and no sun-protection.
The Coca-Cola tanning trend has gotten so out of hand that the Coca-Cola company had to issue a statement, “As much as we love Coca Cola, we really wouldn’t recommend using it as a sunscreen. There is no sun protection factor in it at all—it’s a drink!””, according to Independent UK.
Coca-Cola does more than offer no sun protection
Allure Magazine spoke with Joshua Zeichner, the director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, about this Coca-Cola tanning trend. And while Dr. Zeichner admitted that using Coca-Cola to accelerate your tan “may lead to a temporary darkening or staining of the skin.” He explains, “sodas are acidic, it may exfoliate dead cells, enhancing the ability of UV light penetrate into the skin.”
In other words, Coca-Cola will do much more than stain the skin, but will leave it more vulnerable to getting sunburn. Yikes!
Who wants to end up both sunburnt and sticky? I don’t want to speak for everyone, but I certainly don’t. But if you’re like myself, and still want to achieve a beautiful summer glow, the best (and really only safe way) is to go the self-tanner route. And if you’re going to spend time in the sun, please use sunscreen.