Self-tanning moisturizers that can be used everyday may give us the impression that we don't need to protect our skin from the sun. Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer has increased by 2.4 percent for women in the last 6 years.

With the popularity of self tanning moisturizers, we don't necessarily have to lay out in the sun to get a good tan. That's the good news. However, there are some drawbacks that I can think of from using self tanning moisturizers:

• Allergic reactions from the active tanning ingredient dihydroxyacetone,
• People thinking that because they have a tan, they are protected from the UVA and UVB of the sun, and
• People no longer use a sunscreen with a minimum of SPF-15 or higher daily.

Allergic reactions from self tanning lotions are rare. Aveeno, Avon, L'Oreal and Nivea make very good self tanning moisturizers that can be used everyday.

If you are really concerned about allergies and the relative health of self tanning moisturizers, take a look at Skin Deep. The website lists thousands of cosmetics and beauty products that are rated for hazardous substances. The lower the number (green) the safer the product; more hazardous products are colored red.

Protect Yourself from the Sun
Even if you are tan from a self tanning moisturizer, you can still get a sun burn. This increases your risk of skin cancer, the common form of cancer in the United States. Exposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays appears to be the most important environmental factor involved with developing skin cancer. During the summer months, UV radiation tends to be greater.

The most malicious form of skin cancer is melanoma of the skin. It's increased significantly by 2.9% per year from 1981 to 2003 for men and women combined. From 1997 to 2003, it increased significantly by 2.4% per year among women.

Here are some sun protection tips:

1. Seek shade, especially from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, when UV rays are strongest and do the most damage, Cover up with clothing to protect exposed skin. Many stylish products are available from specialty firms,
2. Get a hat, parasol or fashion umbrella with a wide brim to shade your face, head, ears, and neck,
3. Select sun glasses that wrap around and block as close to 100% of both UVA and UVB rays as possible,
4. Rub on sunscreen with sun protective factor (SPF) 15 or higher, and both UVA and UVB protection.

View the Skin Cancer Foundation's list of recommended sun protection products.