The History of Tanning

Tanning has not always been in vogue. Up until the 1920s, the lighter your skin, the better. A tan identified you as one of lower class: one who had to work outside and didn’t have the luxuries of sitting inside, protecting your skin. Women in ancient Rome and Greece used to whiten their faces with lead paints and chalks to appear more pale, and therefore of higher class. Arsenic was also used to whiten the skin. These methods were often deadly, as people died a slow death of lead or arsenic poisoning. During the time of Queen Elizabeth, women never left the house without a parasol to shade their skin or a mask to cover their faces.

In the 1920s, things began to change. Women’s fashion became much edgier. Women started to free themselves from the constricting and old-fashioned clothes from before. French fashion designer Coco Chanel is credited to making the suntan fashionable when she (inadvertently) obtained one while on vacation. Fashions started to allow women to show, and therefore tan, their skin with sleeveless dresses, legless swimwear, and shoes worn without stockings. The pale skin of before was out, and a bronzed, golden glow was in.

Most women today enjoy that golden glow. Tanning in tanning salons became popular in the 1970s and now it is a booming market with over 22 million customers each year. The American Academy of Dermatology was the first to start educating the public on the dangers of sun tanning, and the FDA has approved and rated sunscreens to help protect skin while it is exposed to the sun. The AAD claims “there is no safe way to tan,” and over 1 million people are diagnosed with skin cancer every year. But the culture of tanning, both in the sun and in a salon is alive and well. Natural skin color and type should be taken in to consideration when tanning, and precautions should always be taken so as not to burn. A sunburn will always do more damage than a tan. A tanned look is the fashionable look right now. Education is key to keeping your skin healthy and looking good.

» posted in Getting Started with Tanning

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