Carrots are touted as a “miracle” way to get a quick tan on TikTok, without the need for a tanning bed.
The so-called ‘hack’ has been promoted by beauty influencers with hundreds of thousands of followers.
One recommended eating three large carrots a day for a natural “glow,” saying it will “change your natural hue.”
Another TikTok user claimed that he is no longer ‘pale’ due to his unusual reason for eating carrots.
And one even came up with her own recipe, which involves blending carrots into a juice for an “enhanced tan and healthy glow.”
TikTok beauty influencer @isabelle.lux, pictured left, says eating three carrots a day will change your skin’s “natural tone.” She shared pictures of herself without a fake tan to show the difference in skin color, pictured on the right.
@izaszyszko adds carrots, capsicum, ginger, turmeric and lemons to her juice before putting it in small bottles to help enhance her tan
Experts say the trick, which has been known for decades, is usually not dangerous.
But it’s not really a tan.
On the other hand the the orange tint is due to carotenemia.
Any food naturally high in beta-carotene, such as apricots, mangoes, pumpkin, or sweet potatoes, has the potential to turn your skin orange.
This occurs due to high blood levels of beta-carotene that build up in the body.
“Carotenemia, when related solely to diet, is generally not harmful,” says Dr. Duane Mellor, a dietitian at Aston University.
But eating lots of pigment-packed vegetables could lead to deficiencies in other nutrients, as other foods could be left out of the diet, he adds.
The desired orange glow could also mask other more serious health conditions, such as jaundice.
Dr Mellor said: ‘It is also important, if someone notices that their skin is changing colour, that they are examined for other conditions.
“Some people have genetic changes, which means they are less able to convert beta-carotene to vitamin A, so make sure you get enough vitamin A-rich foods, such as cheese and eggs.”
TikTok influencer @isabelle.lux has posted a couple of videos about the carrot craze that have garnered over five million combined views.
In a video, he says that eating three large carrots a day will change the “natural tone” of your skin.
Showing pictures of herself when she was younger without a fake tan, she insists that her consumption of carrots in recent years has given her a natural “glow”.
In another clip, he says: “Just eat three big carrots a day, I’ve been doing this for years, I don’t fake a tan anymore, I don’t go out in the daytime in the sunlight.”
He shared photos of his natural skin color, which he said is “pale and pink like Peppa Pig.”
@alycemadden posted a video of her eating a carrot with the caption “Me since a girl said eating carrots makes her tan.”
@adixovic, pictured, said he went from ‘pale’ to more ‘color’ without sun or produce, just eating carrots. He suggests eating up to three carrots a day to see results.
@momentoflifestyle shows images of women sunbathing with tanned skin, asking viewers if they ‘want a natural tan’. The video suggests that eating carrots or juicing them daily will help you achieve a natural glow.
In another video promoting the beauty hack, @adixovic said he went from ‘pale’ to more ‘color’ without sun or products, just eating carrots.
The video, which has racked up 172,000 views, also claims that the beta-carotene in the orange vegetable is “good for acne” and “protects against sunlight.”
Experts warn that clothing, sunscreen, sunglasses, and staying in the shade are the only ways to protect yourself from the sun.
“While the beta-carotene in carrots and other vegetables is an antioxidant, it does not provide adequate levels of protection against UV exposure,” says Dr. Emma Wedgeworth, a consultant dermatologist and spokesperson for the British Skin Foundation.
She added: “Relying on this for sun protection could lead to burns and skin damage.”
A TikTok, posted by @izaszyszko, offers a juice recipe for carrot juice ‘sunshots’ to help improve tanning.
Add carrots, bell pepper, ginger, turmeric, and lemons to your juice before putting it into small bottles.
The video has over eight million views and claims that carrots have the power to give an ‘enhanced tan’ and act as ‘sun protection’.
A video, uploaded by @momentoflifestyle and with more than 3,000 views, shows images of women sunbathing with tanned skin. suggest that eating or drinking carrots daily will help achieve a ‘natural tan’.
Other influencers suggest that they started eating more carrots since the trend went viral on TikTok.
@alycemadden posted a video of her eating a carrot with the caption ‘me since a girl said eating carrots makes her tan’.
