Are spray tans safe during pregnancy?

What does the evidence say about spray tans during pregnancy?

1. Laboratory research indicates that less than 1% of topically applied DHA, the active ingredient in sunless tanners, is absorbed into the bloodstream, and most over-the-counter products use 3 to 5% DHA against an FDA-approved ceiling of 15% for external use. 1
2. No pregnancy-specific studies have looked at whether sunless tanners affect miscarriage risk, birth defects, preterm delivery, low birth weight, or child development, so the safety picture rests on general absorption data rather than pregnancy outcome research. 2
3. The FDA has not approved DHA for use in spray-tanning booths, because inhaling the spray mist or getting it on mucous membranes like the eyes, nose, or mouth is a different, higher-absorption exposure route than a topical lotion applied to skin. 1
4. In animal research, inhaled DHA caused measurable lung inflammation and, with repeated exposure, fibrotic tissue changes, though estimated human exposure from a single spray-tanning session (roughly 0.21 to 0.6 mg) is far below the doses tested in that study. 3
5. A 2023 review of DHA sunless-tanning chemistry notes that the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety concluded DHA up to 10% in cosmetic formulations does not pose a risk to consumers, based on data suggesting DHA is unlikely to penetrate deeper than the skin's outer barrier layer. 4

Is spray tans safe in each trimester?

• First trimester. Topical DHA absorption is low at any stage, under 1% into the bloodstream according to lab research, so a lotion or mitt application without breathing the fumes carries the same low-absorption profile in the first trimester as any other time.
• Second trimester. No pregnancy-specific research has tested whether sunless tanners affect fertility or pregnancy outcomes, so the second trimester doesn't come with different guidance. The booth-inhalation question stays the same precaution throughout: ask for eye, nose, and mouth protection if you use a spray booth.
• Third trimester. Nothing in the available research points to a trimester cutoff for spray tanning. If you're set on a spray-tan booth for a late-pregnancy event, the FDA-recommended protective measures for the eyes, mouth, and nose are the same precaution as earlier in pregnancy.