How do perceived dermal and systemic safety risks shape consumer adoption intention for transdermal vitamin body sprays within an extended TAM framework?

Purpose: Transdermal vitamin body sprays are a new type of functional cosmetic. Their advanced delivery technologies raise real safety concerns about the skin and the body that standard adoption models do not address. This study examines how perceived dermal and systemic safety risks affect consumer´s intention to adopt these products, using an extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Design / methodology / approach: The study followed two phases. First, a structured literature review built a taxonomy of physical safety risks and extended TAM with two new constructs: perceived dermal safety risk and perceived systemic safety risk. Second, an online survey of German and EU consumers (N = 43) measured all constructs on seven-point scales and tested six hypotheses using multiple regression and a mediation analysis. Findings: The extended model explains 67.4% of the variance in adoption intention. Perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use are the strongest drivers. Safety risks have no direct effect on adoption; instead, they lower adoption indirectly by reducing how useful consumers find the product. Practical implications: Because safety concerns work by lowering perceived usefulness, brands cannot separate safety communication from benefit communication. Clearly addressing skin and systemic safety helps protect adoption by restoring the product´s perceived value. Originality / value: This is the first study to measure perceived dermal and systemic safety risk as TAM constructs in a cosmetics context.