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Are Spray Tans a Safe Alternative to Tanning Beds?

From the Show: Health Radio
Summary: Dihydroxyacetone (DHA), a major component of spray tans, may be harmful to your overall health.
Air Date: 7/15/15
Duration: 10
Host: Melanie Cole, MS
Guest Bio: Reynold A. Panettieri, Jr., MD
Panettieri ReynoldReynold A. Panettieri, Jr., M.D., earned his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania and completed his internship and residency in medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where he also obtained specialty training in pulmonary diseases.

He then joined the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania, where he is currently a tenured Professor of Medicine and was awarded the Robert L. Mayock and David A. Cooper endowed professorship.

Dr. Panettieri is also Adjunct Professor at the Wistar Institute. He is currently the Director of the Airways Biology Initiative and Deputy Director of the Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, and Director of the Comprehensive Asthma Program of the University of Pennsylvania Health System.

Dr. Panettieri was the principal investigator for several National Institutes of Health-sponsored grants, including an Asthma SCOR Award, focusing on airway smooth muscle function in asthma and the molecular and cellular mechanisms of airway smooth muscle function and growth. He is now director of a program project grant examining novel approaches in modulating GPCR function.

He is the author of over 410 publications, including peer-reviewed research articles, reviews, chapters and abstracts, and serves on the editorial board of the American Journal of Physiology and Thorax.

Dr. Panettieri is a co-editor-in-chief of Respiratory Research, an editor of the British Journal of Pharmacology and an associate editor of the American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology. He also reviews for 10 prominent journals in physiology, clinical immunology, allergy, and medicine and has given over 220 lectures and coordinated 30 symposia on topics in his specialty area.

Dr. Panettieri is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the Robert E. Cooke Memorial Lectureship at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Annual Meeting; the Joseph R. Rodarte Award for Scientific Distinction and the Recognition Award for Scientific Accomplishments from the American Thoracic Society (ATS); and several honorary memberships, including membership in the American Society for Clinical Investigation, the Association of American Physicians, the National Asthma Education Program of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

He is also an active member of numerous national professional and scientific societies, including the American College of Chest Physicians, the American Thoracic Society and the ATS Respiratory Structure and Function Assembly. In 2013, he was elected Chairman of the ATS Respiratory Structure and Function Assembly.

Dr. Panettieri remains dedicated to educating the public about asthma. To this end, he serves as director of the Adult Asthma Patient Education Program in Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Asthma Task Force, the Allies Against Asthma, and the Attack Asthma Program sponsored by the American Lung Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania.
Are Spray Tans a Safe Alternative to Tanning Beds?
You may know the potential dangers from being out in the sun all day, but are there any dangers in the chemicals used to give you a fake tan?

One of the major components of spray tans, dihydroxyacetone (DHA), has recently grabbed the public's attention. DHA's long-term effects could be the reasoning behind many health issues.

Other than sprays or aerosols, DHA has also been used in topical creams and lotions to help darken your skin.

Dr. Reynold A. Panettieri discusses DHA and if this chemical is hazardous to your health.