It appears to be the best of both worlds – an even tan for the summer without exposure to the ultraviolet rays of the sun or tanning beds.

However, this new process could have its own dangers as well. The Food and Drug Administration has received questions about the safety and legality of new sunless tanning booths.

LA Tan, 1023 W. Hillcrest Drive, is the only tanning salon in town that offers the new service.

The spray-on tanning booths are the latest craze popping up on the trend radar. The premise is a revolutionary technique that provides an instant, even tan without any of the conventional tanning side effects.

The results, like most self-tanners, last anywhere from five to seven days. Because sunless tanning isn’t regulated by the state, it also can be combined with conventional tanning as a way to boost someone’s color.

“It allows you to have a realistic tan within 24 hours, and it’s completely UV-free,” said Tessa Reeverts, manager of LA Tan. “The mist solution is comprised of 70 percent aloe vera; The rest is comprised of bronzers and DHA – the tanning agent.”

DHA, or dihydroxyacetone, is a colorless, three-carbon sugar that causes a chemical reaction and darkens the surface cells of the skin when applied.

FDA representative Linda Katz said DHA is listed in the FDA’s regulations as “a color additive for use in imparting color to the human body.”

However, its use in cosmetics is restricted to external application, meaning “not applied to the lips, in the eyes or any body surface covered by mucous membrane,” Katz said.

What this means for the sunless tanning booths is it may be difficult for people to “avoid exposure in a manner for which DHA is not approved, including the area of the eyes, lips or even internally,” according to the FDA’s Office of Cosmetics and Colors.

“I was told by the Mystic Tan company that it’s safe enough to drink; that it wouldn’t do any damage if you were to open your eyes or breathe in the mist,” Reeverts said.

Fun-N-Sun Tan, 901 Lucinda Ave., and Super Tan, 122 E. Hillcrest Drive, don’t yet offer a sunless tanning service to customers.