So how are these tanning pills supposed to work?

Okay, so, I mean, obviously there's different varieties out there, but the vast majority usually contain a chemical that is very similar to beta carotene, vitamin A.

And so what this chemical is actually doing is it is basically dyeing your skin.

So in the same way that if you eat a lot of carrots, you can develop an orangey color.

tinge to your skin.

By the same way, if you consume these pills, what they're basically doing is they are producing a pigment that is depositing in the surface of your skin and turning it a tanned color, probably closer to orange, but that's essentially what's happening.

You are consuming this chemical, which is cantoxanthinase.

And there seems to be a wide range of health risks that are associated with this.