J.B.
Last year I was using a self-tanner for a couple of months and had the same reaction you are talking about. Itchy red dots. I ignored them a bit and they multiplied. Took weeks to get rid of. This summer, I tried Nivea Sun-Kissed Beautiful Legs. It's one of those gradual tanners. No bumps or itchiness. I am pretty fair, but the light to medium shade doesn't do much, so go for the medium to dark. My dermatologist said that the allergen is most likely dihydroxyacetone. It's in all tanners and is what makes the pigment react and turn darker. This ingredient is in the Nivea product, but maybe in a smaller concentration. Or maybe this year my skin is O.K. with it. Whatever the case - it is not bothering me, so maybe it'll work for you. CVS pharmacy has both intensities and I think it's about $8/tube.