Why Is Donald Trump Orange?

If you look back at photographs at Donald Trump across the years, his skin wasn’t always orange. There have been many hypotheses about the causes of his unnaturally orange skin. The two most likely causes of Trump’s orange skin are: spray tanning or indoor tanning.

Eating an excessive amount of carrots can also turn the skin an orange hue, but this usually reveals itself mostly on the palms and feet of a person. Most believe Trump’s unnatural skin color is due to a type of tanning because if you look closely, one can see that the area just around his eyes is not the same orange tone, indicating the use of protective eye goggles used while administering the fake tanning agent.

While Trump may be the new leader of the free world, let him not lead us into a new era of fake tans. If any of your patients are tempted to turn orange in support of the new president, remind them of the risks of indoor tanning. Indoor tanning uses UV lights that affect the skin just like natural sunlight, although sometimes the dosage of UV lights is even stronger than the sun. According to the American Academy of Dermatology:

• Almost 70 percent of tanning salon patrons are young white women. A fact that in particular is causing significant concern to dermatologists because the rates of melanoma are increasing faster in that same age group among women than in young men of the same age (15-29 years old).

• Multiple studies have shown that UV radiation exposure from indoor tanning devices is associated with an increased risk of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer, including squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma.

• Just one indoor tanning experience can increase a user’s risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma

• Frequent use of indoor tanning salons can even lead to addiction to the UV lights.

While spray tans may be safer, they too can pose a health risk: If administered without protective gear for the eyes, nose, and mouth and protective undergarments it could be accidentally inhaled or ingested. This too could lead to serious health risks.

Let’s all be happy with the skin we are in. Dermatologists will all agree everywhere:  Go au natural.