MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Tanning agents

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Tanning agents

Contents of this page:
Alternative names Definition Poisonous Ingredient Where Found Symptoms	Home Treatment Before Calling Emergency Poison Control, or a local emergency number What to expect at the emergency room Expectations (prognosis)

Alternative names

Sunless tanners

Definition Return to top

This poisoning is from exposure to a tanning agent.

Poisonous Ingredient Return to top

Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA)
Numerous other non-toxic ingredients

Where Found Return to top

Various tanning agents usually found in suntan lotions

Note: This list may not be all inclusive.

Symptoms Return to top

Note: Most toxic reactions to PABA are from allergic reactions, not overdoses.

Respiratory
- Slowed respirations (in extremely high doses)
- Shortness of breath (more common in allergic reactions)
Eyes, ears, nose, and throat
- Eye irritation may occur after eye exposure
Skin
- Rash (allergic)
Gastrointestinal
- Nausea and/or vomiting
Nervous system (all effects are with extremely high doses)
- Dizziness
- Stupor
- Coma

Home Treatment Return to top

Discontinue use. Call Poison Control for further information.

Before Calling Emergency Return to top

Determine the following:

The patient's age, weight, and condition
The name of the product, including its contents and strengths
The time it was contacted
The amount contacted

Poison Control, or a local emergency number Return to top

They will instruct you if it is necessary to take the patient to the hospital. See Poison Control centers for telephone numbers and addresses. Take the container with you to the emergency room.

What to expect at the emergency room Return to top

Some, or all of the following procedures may be performed:

For swallowed poison
- Placement of a tube down the nose and into the stomach (a nasogastric tube, or an NG tube) to wash out the stomach (gastric lavage)
- Activated charcoal administration
- Endoscopy -- the placement of a camera down the throat to see the extent of burns to the esophagus and the stomach
- Give IV fluids
- Admission to the hospital
- Give an antidote
- Treat the symptoms
For skin exposure
- Irrigation (washing of the skin), perhaps every few hours for several days
- Skin debridement (surgical removal of burned skin)
- Admission or transfer to a hospital that specializes in burn care
For allergic reactions
- Use of diphenhydramine
- Use of prednisone

Expectations (prognosis) Return to top

The ingredients are considered relatively nontoxic in the concentration found in these products. Recovery is very likely.

Update Date: 2/12/2004

Updated by: Cherlin Johnson, M.D., Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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