A very common question we are asked here at Luminosa from our yummy mummies or new mummies-to-be is "Can I get a spray tan when i'm pregnant or breastfeeding?" It is a highly talked about subject, and one that many tend to disagree on. We at Luminosa encourage everyone to do their own research and make their own decision, but we have enclosed some facts and tips to help you. 

To start off with, lets talk spray tans themselves. The active ingredient in fake tan is dihydroxyacetone (DHA). It’s non-toxic and it works by reacting with the cells in the outermost layer of the skin, which produces a brown pigment called melanoidin. DHA typically stays in the top layer of your skin, which is composed of dead skin cells, so the cells affected by DHA will shed off, and be replaced by new cells. This means that is is not absorbed down into the lower layers of the skin or blood stream, thus safe for mum and bub to be. The one thing we recommend is to wear a mask to cover your mouth and nose, as inhaling DHA directly can possibly be irritating as pregnancy can increase sensitivity. 

In regards to spray tans while breastfeeding, the main concern new mums have is transferring their spray tan onto their new bundle of joy. There are many ways to help combat this, from wearing a strapless bra, to using "chicken fillets" or stick on bras, or we can give you a towel to cover the area so no solution is sprayed across the chest!

If you are still feeling unsure before getting a spray tan, here are a few helpful hints:

• Use 'nipple tape' over your nipples or place a breast-pad over the nipple area so the tan doesn't go on it  
• Apply a barrier cream (such as nipple cream, Vaseline or even nappy cream) over your breasts so the tan cannot adhere to them
• Apply your tan and rinse it off when you have a big breastfeeding window – if your baby no longer wakes for a night time feed, time your tan accordingly, and rinse off before their morning feed
• If you express milk to bottle feed your baby, then consider doing so for the development time of your tan plus add an extra couple of feeds to be entirely sure you have 'set'

If you have any more queries or questions feel free to ask the girls, and we look forward to seeing you in salon soon!! 

Ness, Ellie and Amy xx