On TikTok, a new summer beauty hack is going viral: eating carrots to quickly get tanned skin. Does this food really guarantee such a result? Answers.
The hashtag #carrottanning has more than 1.4 billion views on the Chinese social network! The phenomenon from beauty influencers guarantees a natural tan by eating three carrots a day. A controversial trend. TipsForWomens tells you everything.
#carrottanning: Eat three carrots a day
Through many before/after videos, hundreds of influencers praise the benefits of carrots by showing themselves with natural tanned skin, with before/after photos supposed to attest to the result. One recommends eating three carrots a day, arguing that “would change your natural skin tone“.
@isabelle.lux #stitch with @Hannah just est your carrots #carrottan #naturaltanning #tanninghacks ♬ original sound – Isabelle ⚡️ Lux
Other tiktokers have created fruit juice recipes (“holiday sunshine shots” or “glow skin juice”) based on carrots and other foods (ginger, pepper, lemon, orange, etc.) that guarantee an “improved tan and a healthy glow”.
@izaszyszko sunshine shots 🌞 for an enhanced tan and healthy glow. this is basically your summer prep, because we know it all starts from the inside. these will not only give your skin a glow, help you catch sun and maintain your golden tan but also protect you from the UV lights!! Ingredients: 200g carrots 2 yellow peppers chunk of ginger 2 pieces of turmeric 2 lemons Juicer used: @Nama, use code IZA10 on their site for discount. Im wraring @lululemon and @Nike #freshjuice #skinjuice #healthyskin #glowingskin #tanenhancer ♬ Let Me Love You – John Gibbons &
Eating carrots for tanning, good or bad idea?
According to many experts, this carrot-based beauty trick – which has been around for decades – is generally not dangerous for your health. However, they claim that this does not correspond to a tan. The orange tint of the skin is due to carotenemia linked to an excess of carotene.
All foods naturally rich in beta-carotene such as mangoes, pumpkins, apricots or even sweet potatoes can potentially turn the skin orange. The reason: high blood levels of beta-carotene that build up in the body. “Carotenemia, when it is only related to food, is generally not harmful”, explains Dr. Duane Mellor, dietitian at the University of Aston for our colleagues from the DailyMail. He adds : “But eating lots of pigment-rich vegetables could lead to deficiencies in other nutrients, as other foods could be left out of the diet.”
As the expert points out, the desired orange tint could also mask other more serious health problems, such as jaundice. “If anyone notices their skin changing color, it’s important that they get checked out for possible health issues. Some people have genetic changes that make them less able to convert beta-carotene into vitamin A, so they need to make sure they are getting enough foods rich in vitamin A, such as cheese and eggs,” explains Dr. Mellor.
NO to diets, YES to WW!
No effectiveness in protecting against UV
Influencer @adixovic, claims that in addition to being good for acne, carrots act as “protection against the sun”. An assertion contradicted by all dermatologists and doctors, like Dr Emma Wedgeworth, consultant dermatologist and spokesperson for the British Skin Foundation for the DailyMail: “While the beta-carotene found in carrots and other vegetables is an antioxidant, it does not provide adequate levels of protection against UV exposure (…) Relying on this for sun protection could lead to burns and significant damage to the skin”.
If you plan to expose yourself to the sun, here are some practical tips to protect your skin against the harmful effects of the sun:
- Do not expose yourself in the middle of the day from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.;
- Put on a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses;
- Wear clothes with a tight weave or anti-UV treatment;
- Beware of false friends (clouds, parasol);
- Use a sunscreen of sufficient index, effective against both UVA and UVB rays;
- Reapply every two hours and after each swim.
According to Santé Publique Europe, approximately 80,000 skin cancers are diagnosed each year in Europe. The vast majority (70%) are basal cell carcinomas.
In 2018, 15,500 cases of cutaneous melanoma and 1,980 deaths linked to this cancer were recorded in metropolitan Europe. Melanoma is, according to the National Cancer Institute, one of the cancers with the greatest increase in incidence between 2010 and 2018.
